Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This really is the Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce! The fresh cranberries with a touch of orange juice and brown sugar to help offset the tartness of the cranberries beats anything you can get in a can. And this only takes 15-20 minutes to make with little attention needed. Don’t waste your money on the canned jelly, give your family and friends a real treat!
Cranberry Sauce Crazy!
I will admit, I grew up hating cranberry sauce. I always loved cranberry juice – that tartness is just addictive to me. But not cranberry sauce.
I grew up on the canned jellied cranberry sauce. The only thing that was good for was the cool ribbing from the mold of the can and shaking it to watch it jiggle – except the one time it fell on the floor. It was fun at first until my dad walked in.
Since I’ve learned to make my own, I absolutely love it! And my kids go crazy over it, as well.
Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I wanted to come up with the perfect cranberry sauce. So I made 2. My other one is my Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce. If you like a little heat, you have to try this.
My wife loves cranberry sauce, but not the canned jelly type. I really never liked any of it myself, canned or homemade. My father never made his own so I had nowhere to start. So I had to look at at what other did. I hated them all. But I couldn’t escape the basic ingredients. So here’s what I do different.
First, I use honey, my favorite underrated sweetener. Honey just that unique flavor you can’t get elsewhere. Maybe maple syrup, but I haven’t tried that yet. The honey is definitely noticed.
I also add a little lime juice. You won’t believe the difference it makes until you try it.
I leave out the common orange zest in other recipes – it’s just too bitter.
I use 2 kinds of sugar – white granulated and light brown sugar to give a different flavor
What Ingredients Are in Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce?
- 1 12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Fresh Cranberries – frozen cranberries will work fine as well if you can’t find fresh.
Water/Orange Juice – i found recipes that do just water and others that do just orange juice. I find the 50/50 to be just right without being too bitter.
Orange Juice – you can use cranberry juice instead of orange juice.
Lime Juice – this adds a subtle hint of citrus flavor. Even though there’s already OJ, the lime juice adds a little hint of added flavor.
Variations
Add in a cinnamon stick while cooking, but don’t eat it when serving.
Add a teaspoon of vanilla for a variety of flavor.
Swap out the light brown sugar and use turbinado sugar.
How Is Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce Made?
- Add the cranberries, water, orange juice, honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan and mix well.
- Set the heat on high and bring the mix to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until all the cranberries have burst.
- Allow the sauce to cool about 15-30 to thicken before serving.
- Store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container.
What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
The leftovers keep a long time in the fridge in an airtight container. Here’s some suggestions we enjoy:
- Spread it on toast or English muffin
- Use on waffles or pancakes
- Serve this on pork loin, pork chops, or chicken breast
Can I Freeze Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce?
Yes! You need to use an airtight container or freezer bag and it’ll stay tasty for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the counter or overnight in the fridge. Slightly warm it just before serving.
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Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries, rinsed
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
-
Add the cranberries, water, orange juice, lime juice, honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan and mix well.
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Set the heat on high and bring the mix to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until all the cranberries have burst.
-
Allow the sauce to cool about 15-30 to thicken before serving.
-
Store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Add in a cinnamon stick or a teaspoon of vanilla for a variety of flavor.
- You can store the sauce in an airtight container of bag in the freezer for up to 3 month.
- You can use cranberry juice instead of orange juice.
- Frozen cranberries will work fine as well.