Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Last Updated on November 20, 2022

You will be surprised at how simple it is to make your very own Homemade Cranberry Sauce.

There is only 3 simple ingredients in this sauce and it is ready in no more than 20 minutes!

And because we are so close to the holidays, I thought it was a perfect time to share with you my homemade cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce is a must have for Thanksgiving every year, but we all can debate on the best version of this tart side dish.

Some like the homemade and some like the canned jellied cranberries, everyone has their favorite.

For years my mother always had both the homemade cranberry sauce and the canned jellied cranberries.

But every year no one touches the canned stuff, we all prefer the homemade sauce.

Now that I have been cooking the holiday meals, I only have the homemade cranberry sauce.

This is still made by my mother, I will not take over with the sauce until she ask me too.

However I make my recipe every once in awhile, because my family enjoys this sauce through out the year.

We love the balance of sweet and tart and the citrus notes of this sauce so much we’ll add it to just about anything.

Here are a few different ways you too can enjoy this cranberry sauce

• Try it on top of cheese and crackers.
• As a spread on your sandwich.
• Replace your jelly with the sauce on your toast.
• As a topping for a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt.
• Top your pancakes or waffles.
• And of course as a side to your Thanksgiving meal.

Trust me, once you start making your very own cranberry sauce, you will never want to go back to buying the canned stuff again.

What are the 3 ingredients needed for this sauce?

• Fresh Cranberries – You can find fresh cranberries everywhere this time of year. But if you are not able to find the fresh cranberries, frozen cranberries work just as well.
• Fresh Orange Juice – I like to use fresh organic OJ for my sauce, not from concentrate.
• Real Maple Syrup – This is very important, do not substitute, only use real maple syrup in this sauce. It is worth it!

How to make a Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Clean and drain the fresh cranberries. If using frozen, skip this step.

In a medium sauce pan add the orange juice, maple syrup and the cranberries.

Cook everything at a medium high heat until comes to a boil.

Turn down the heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and stir frequently.

After the 15 minutes, remove from the heat to cool.

The sauce will thickens as it cools.

Once cooled serve or pour into a covered glass container for storing.

Recipe Notes

I do like to smash the berries along the side of the pan while they are cooking, this helps to thicken the sauce and break down the berries faster.

Can you freeze the left overs?

Yes! My mother and I have been doing this for years, we freeze our sauce in little jelly jars.

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