Delicious Cranberry Sauce
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Today I’m super excited to show you how to make delicious cranberry sauce in less than 15 minutes flat! I kid you not. This flavorful side dish is quick and easy to make, and it’s absolutely fabulous. No traditional Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without succulent roast turkey, scrumptious stuffing, fluffy mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, buttery Parker House Rolls, and perfect homemade cranberry sauce. Yum, yum!
In my mind’s eye I can still see my grandmother’s long formal dining table in the center of her golden-lit dining room. That space wasn’t huge, but it was filled to the brim with family, love, laughter and enough fabulous food to feed a neighborhood. I remember one side dish that always stood out – beautiful jellied cranberry sauce that glistened and glowed just like a gem. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would love to enjoy one more Thanksgiving dinner with my grandmother. I’d hug her tight and tell her again just how much she means to me. I’d tell her that I think of her all the time, and how much she’s influenced my life in such a deep and meaningful way. Whenever I’m in my kitchen cooking up meals inspired by her, I feel her loving presence right by my side.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
These are all the ingredients you’ll need to make perfect cranberry sauce from scratch: 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup raw unfiltered apple juice, 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar, a pinch of sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. For garnishing I use a few extra cranberries and a simple but lovely sprig of fresh rosemary. It’s little touches like these that can turn a lovely side dish into a real holiday stunner!
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
Although cranberry sauce can be cooked in the oven, when preparing an extensive holiday menu it’s important to prioritize which items receive your much-coveted oven space. That’s where this fabulous stovetop recipe comes in super handy! Add the water and apple juice to a medium saucepot. Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop. Stir in the cinnamon, sugar and salt. Add the cranberries and return to a light boil. Allow the cranberries to simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally and lightly popping a few cranberries by pressing the back of your wooden spoon against the sides of the saucepot. Once the cranberry sauce reaches the desired thickness – which is pretty darn quick – it’s done.
Remove the pan from heat and allow the cranberry sauce to cool down completely. Mmm… Savor the aroma of this fabulous recipe! Transfer the cranberry sauce to a serving dish. Go ahead and taste a bit. So scrumptious! Refrigerate until serving time.
This yummy side dish will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 10 days in a covered airtight container. This yummy homemade cranberry sauce is the perfect make-ahead side dish for the holidays.
Kitchen Tools for Cranberry Sauce Recipe > SHOP THIS POST
To make this fresh cranberry sauce recipe you’ll only need a few basic kitchen tools: a medium saucepot, wooden spoon, measuring spoons, and a serving dish. The serving dish I used here is actually part of a very versatile glass mixing bowl set. For me, these glass mixing bowls have proven to be essential kitchen tools that I use over and over again. You can buy yours online from Amazon – which is super convenient during this busy holiday season! The gorgeous vintage recipe box and cards below make an excellent hostess gift.
Delicious Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
Description
Today I’m super excited to show you how to make delicious cranberry sauce in less than 15 minutes flat! I kid you not. This flavorful side dish is quick and easy to make, and it’s absolutely fabulous.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup raw unfiltered apple juice
- 1 + 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add water and apple juice to a medium saucepot. Bring to a boil.
- Add sugar, sea salt and cinnamon. Stir briefly. Add cranberries and return to a gentle boil.
- Allow mixture to simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently popping a few cranberries by lightly pressing the back of your wooden spoon against the sides of your saucepot. Once your cranberry sauce has reached the desired thickness it’s done! Remove the pan from heat.
- Allow the cranberry sauce to cool completely. Transfer to a serving dish and refrigerate until ready to serve. In a covered container your cranberry sauce will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Holiday, Party
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
?DELICIOUS CRANBERRY SAUCE > PIN IT TO PINTEREST
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE RECIPE
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MAKE AHEAD CRANBERRY SAUCE RECIPE > JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
For holiday dinners do you make your own cranberry sauce from scratch? What is your favorite holiday side dish? What do you think about this delicious make ahead cranberry sauce recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Happy holidays to you and your family!
I love the apple juice! Brilliant! It just adds a depth of flavor and natural sweetness without taking over the flavor of the cranberries. Thanks! My new favorite recipe!
This looks delicious! I always made the cranberry sauce when my parents were here. Our trick was using orange juice, but I might have to try the apple juice this year!
Cranberry sauce is my husband’s favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. The addition of the apple juice is genius since it both adds sweetness and cuts some of the tartness of the cranberry.
I also used this in our cranberry and sausage meat rolls and it was delicious there as well
Absolutely delicious – I switched this for my traditional recipe this year and everyone loved it.
This is so easy and delicious! The perfect complement to a holiday dinner!
This is the perfect compliment to any special dinner and easy enough for an everyday dinner. Also, every time I come to your page, I’m drooling over that amazing gravy recipe!
Such a holiday table staple. I never make my own but now I’m inspired!
I am not a cranberry sauce person but I will give it a shot for Thanksgiving!
I love homemade cranberry sauce, so this will be just perfect!
I used to hate cranberry sauce growing up! We always used the canned version and it ruined it for me. I’ve fallen in love with it again over the past couple years now that we have the homemade stuff!
Your photos seriously makes the food looks extremely delicious!! Love them all
This looks so good. Keeping this for thanksgiving.
This is looking so great. I have to try it. It’s the season after all.
Wow this is a great recipe… Would love to try this holiday season :D…
I like the recipe for the home made cranberry sauce recipe and it comes on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday too. This year then I would not therefore need to purchase this item
I love cranberry sauce! This will be perfect for thanksgiving!!
I loved your cranberry sauce recipe. It was very tasty. I had never made it before. Your recipe was so easy that I made it really well for the first time. My mom and dad both commented on how much they loved this wonderful side dish.
This looks really delicious I am going to have to try this asap!
Yummy! I always wonder if you could extend cranberry sauce (the thicker type) into a desert and add it to warm vanilla custard? Maybe I’ll try this one day.
As my husband just signed me up to bring the cranberry sauce to his family’s thanksgiving this year, I will be needing a recipe!
Mmm this sauce looks so delicious! Great for the holiday season! I shared it to Pinterest!
I love this easy to do recipe! I personally love cranberry and I can’t wait to do it on weekends.
I cant stand canned cranberry sauce, This homemade sauce sounds amazing I love this organic version.
I make this anytime I can find fresh cranberries & it always turns out great. Love me some homemade cranberry sauce!
Cranberry sauce is set on my table for the color aesthetic only, no one ever dares touch it, because it is known to come straight from the can. This recipe sounds amazing and surprisingly simple. I am very tempted to give it a try and shock my family this Thanksgiving. Pinning the recipe just in case I get up the nerve to try it.
My dad LOVES cranberry sauce – he needs on this recipe immediately. Going to send it to him now! :)
I have never tried to make my own cranberry sauce before. I am excited to give this recipe a try. I am sure it will be a hit for the Holidays.
I love cranberry sauce! Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without it!
I really wish I was having Thanksgiving at YOUR house! I am inspired by your recipe to make my own cranberry sauce and house rolls this year!!
THIS is the kind of cranberry sauce that I’d enjoy. The one that comes from a can frightens me.
I love that this recipe is so quick and easy!!! It’s perfect for Thanksgiving!!! I’ve never made cranberry sauce before but you make making it look easy!!! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! Thanks for posting!!!
Yum. I’ve never made homemade cranberry sauce…PINNED It!
This sounds delicious! I have never made homemade cranberry sauce, but it is on my to-do list one of these thanksgivings. I recently broke my ankle, so I am not cooking much these days.
I love fresh homemade cranberry sauce but I have never tried to make it myself (thankfully, my mother-in-law makes a delish version!) I pinned this to save for one day