Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Homemade Cranberry Sauce is an iconic Thanksgiving side dish made with just 3 ingredients. You can sweeten it with sugar or use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup (our favorite!). The sweet and tangy flavors pair perfectly with savory turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar, or 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup water, preferably filtered
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine sugar (or maple syrup or honey) and water. Set over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.* Add cranberries and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 12-15 minutes.
- Add more maple syrup, honey, or sugar to taste if needed, then remove from heat and cool sauce to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- If You are using a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup, you can just combine everything in the saucepan all at once and bring to a boil.
- Optional Add-ins: Add any of these at the start of cooking:
- 2 wide strips of lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 wide strips of orange zest, plus 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- To Store: Once cranberry sauce has cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
116
% Daily Value*
Fat
0.1
g
0
%
Saturated Fat
0.004
g
0
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.02
g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.01
g
Sodium
2
mg
0
%
Potassium
35
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
30
g
10
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
27
g
30
%
Protein
0.2
g
0
%
Vitamin A
26
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
4
mg
0
%
Iron
0.1
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
