Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (2024)

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This homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make and perfect for your holiday table!

This is hands down, the BEST cranberry sauce recipe ever. I mean it really puts the store-bought stuff with refined sugar to shame. I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! And did I mention it’s easy to make? Yep! It’s an “all-in-one-pot” recipe. So grab that pot, and let’s get started.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (1)

Find All My Thanksgiving Recipes Here!

If you are making Thanksgiving dinner this year or need to take a dish to bring to somebody else’s house, this is it. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving recipe because it’s easy to make and easy to transport if needed. It’s right up there with sweet potato casserole!

How To Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Making cranberry sauce is a very simple process. Pretty much anybody could do it! All you do is put all your ingredients into a pot, and cook over low-medium heat (a low simmer) until the entire thing reduces in size by about half. It will be slightly thickened but will do most of its thickening as it cools. Put it in a serving dish (you can cool it in your serving dish if that’s easier) and serve! It’s tasty, easy and you can make it several days ahead of time to save you some work on the actual holiday!

How Long Does Homemade Cranberry Sauce Last?

Homemade cranberry sauce lasts for about two weeks in the fridge. That being said, I’ve had some batches last for nearly a month or more. I think the honey does a good job at working as a preservative here. But to be on the safe said, toss it after two weeks.

Can You Freeze Homemade Cranberry Sauce?

Absolutely!! Cranberry sauce freezes well for up to 6 months. Make sure you pack it well though. It needs an air-tight, food-safe container.

How To Thicken Homemade Cranberry Sauce

If you’ve made your sauce, cooled it, and realized that it’s still not as thick as you’d like it to be, simply return it to a pot and cook any liquid down a bit more. Some folks have added a teaspoon or so of cornstarch or arrowroot powder. But I find that that alters the cranberry sauce in a way that is slightly unpleasant. So it’s best to stick to cooking the liquid out further.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (2)

There are so many uses for this sauce! So don’t fret if you have leftovers. In fact, I often make a double or triple batch just so we’ll have leftovers.

How To Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

  • Freeze up to 6 months
  • Use in place of mayo on a turkey sandwiches with leftover turkey
  • Stir it into your morning oatmeal
  • Make a Thanksgiving parfait
  • Put a little over some vanilla ice cream
  • Use it as filling for homemade pop tarts
  • Spread over pancakes and waffles
  • Make a cranberry grilled cheese sandwich with cheddar cheese
  • Spread over your morning toast with a little bit of cream cheese

Why No Orange Juice?

It may seem counterintuitive to avoid adding the orange juice. I mean, there are plenty of recipes that call for it. The truth is, you can add it if you don’t want the orange to go to waste. But oddly enough, I have found that adding the juice reduces the overall orange flavor and subdues the tang a bit, which is why I only call for the zest.

Ingredient Checklist

(Scroll down to recipe card to print recipe)

12oz.fresh cranberries– Approximately 3 1/4 cups.

1/2cuphoney– Or pure maple syrup

1mediumcinnamon stick

1largeorange– just for the fresh zest.

1cupwater – Use filtered water of some kind for the best flavor.

How To Make Easy Cranberry Sauce

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (3)

Collect all your ingredients and your pot. Put the cranberries into the pot and zest your orange.

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Add the orange zest.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (5)

Add the cinnamon stick.

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Add the honey.

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Add the water to the pot.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (8)

Turn your stove on. Phew! That was tough, wasn’t it? Seriously, that’s pretty much it. Cook over medium-high heat for about 30-45 minutes. When most of the liquid is cooked out, turn your stove down to a simmer. The longer you let this simmer, the thicker the sauce will get. Just don’t let ALL the liquid cook out or it will burn. Stir more frequently near the end.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (9)

Allow this to cool before you eat some. Trust me. I learned the hard way. It really burns right out of the pot! (I have no patience when it comes to good food!) Then transfer to a serving dish. Serve and enjoy!

How To Store Cranberry Sauce

Store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (13)

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This delicious cranberry sauce will be on your holiday table for years to come!

3 from 2 votes

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Course: Fruit, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 servings (1 1/4 cup yield – 1/4 cup serving)

Calories: 152kcal

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Equipment

  • A sauce pot

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. fresh cranberries (approx. 3 1/4 cups)
  • ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 medium cinnamon stick
  • 1 large orange (just for zest)
  • 1 cup water

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Collect all your ingredients and your pot. Put the cranberries into the pot and zest your orange.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (14)

  • Add the orange zest.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (15)

  • Add the cinnamon stick.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (16)

  • Add the honey.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (17)

  • Add the water to the pot.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (18)

  • Turn your stove on. Phew! That was tough, wasn't it? Seriously, that's pretty much it. Cook over a medium-high heat for about 30-45 minutes. When most of the liquid is cooked out, turn your stove down to a simmer. The longer you let this simmer, the thicker the sauce will get. Just don't let ALL the liquid cook out or it will burn. Stir more frequently near the end.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (19)

  • Allow this to cool before you eat some. Trust me. I learned the hard way. It really burns right out of the pot! (I have no patience when it comes to good food!) Then transfer to a serving dish.

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (20)

  • Serve and enjoy!

    Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (21)

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 28.8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is cranberry sauce healthy to eat? ›

Health Benefits

Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese. And yes, you reap all these benefits whether the cranberry sauce on your holiday table is homemade or canned, jellied or whole-berry.

Can you just eat cranberry sauce? ›

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

How long is homemade cranberry sauce safe to eat? ›

Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days. Canned cranberry sauce that has been opened will last up to a week in the fridge. We hear you: After a long day of cooking, hosting, and celebrating, something's bound to get overlooked.

What is the best substitute for cranberry sauce? ›

14 Homemade Condiments to Serve With Turkey—That Aren't Cranberry Sauce
  • 01 of 14. Gingered Golden Fruit Chutney. ...
  • 02 of 14. Tangerine and Lemon Marmalade. ...
  • 03 of 14. Quince Butter. ...
  • 04 of 14. Plum Ginger Relish. ...
  • 05 of 14. Quince Jelly With Star Anise. ...
  • 06 of 14. Warm Plum Sauce. ...
  • 07 of 14. Quick Pear Chutney. ...
  • 08 of 14. Bacon Jam.
Oct 24, 2023

Is cranberry sauce good for your kidneys? ›

4. Cranberries. Cranberries are low in potassium and high in vitamin C, making them another great choice for people with kidney disease. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections, which are typical for people with kidney disease.

Is cranberry sauce full of sugar? ›

They indicate that there are 24 grams of sugars in every ¼-cup serving of cranberry sauce from the can.

Why is canned cranberry sauce so good? ›

I love the texture, shape, ridges, and dependability of the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Each year, no matter what happens or may go wrong, I know the cranberry sauce will taste exactly as it has for as long as I can remember.

Can you eat too much cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberries and cranberry products are usually safe for most people if consumed in moderation. However, excessive consumption may cause stomach upset and diarrhea — and may also increase the risk of kidney stones in predisposed individuals.

Why do Americans eat cranberry sauce? ›

According to Wick, the tart fruit became popularly used to create cranberry sauce for turkey and other types of meat in the late 17th century. Within a hundred more years, cranberry sauce became a staple dish in the U.S., with its popularity taking off even more throughout the 19th century.

Can ocean spray cranberry juice go bad? ›

The Google consensus is that it's SAFE to drink even AFTER 12-24 MONTHS past any printed date on the bottle. THIS APPLIES ONLY TO UNOPENED BOTTLES OF CRANBERRY JUICE. If opened, the juice should be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks.

Can I freeze whole cranberry sauce? ›

Always remember to label and date your cranberry sauce for freezing so you know when it's good to use-by. Homemade cranberry sauce will freeze beautifully for about 3-4 months. Due to its water content, we don't recommend freezing it for more than a couple of months.

Should cranberry sauce be served warm or cold? ›

Typically served chilled, our recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead.

What is the difference between cranberry sauce and jellied cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce can be served either as a gooey liquid or as a solid jelly. The jellied version is solid enough to retain the shape of the container in which it's placed whereas the sauce version is much more fluid.

Why does my homemade cranberry sauce taste bitter? ›

Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.

Why is cranberry sauce so expensive? ›

But that's not the case for prepared cranberry sauces, where prices are up. Lochner pointed out that processors set those prices, not growers, and that there are higher input costs unrelated to berries — like “processing the fruit and getting it to market.” Ocean Spray isn't immune either.

Does cranberry sauce lower blood pressure? ›

Cranberries are high in fiber

Studies have shown that high-fiber foods may help lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and even inflammation.

Does cranberry sauce lower cholesterol? ›

The heart-healthy benefits of cranberries may have something to do with the phytochemicals they contain. Cranberries contain polyphenols, which are known to reduce inflammation. 1 These chemicals have also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, and cranberries may also improve glucose (sugar) levels.

Is cranberry sauce good for arthritis? ›

Berries are rich in antioxidants and the Arthritis Foundation notes that blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries and boysenberries all provide arthritis-fighting power.

References

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