The Easiest 20-Minute Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Sweet & Tart Perfection)
Make this simple homemade cranberry sauce in under 20 minutes. It offers the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor, providing a fresh alternative to canned sauce for your holiday meals.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: About 2 cups 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. This creates your simple syrup.
- Add the fresh cranberries and orange juice to the saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the orange zest.
- Allow the sauce to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Serve this fresh cranberry sauce alongside your turkey or ham.
Notes
- You can make this recipe ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- For a tangier sauce, reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup.
- This recipe is a great base for variations like cranberry orange sauce or adding a pinch of cinnamon during simmering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Find it online: https://juliameal.com/easy-20-minute-homemade-cranberry-sauce/