Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

This Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a delicious twist on classic cranberry sauce with added pomegranate juice. It’s so easy and bursting with flavor!

This sauce is incredibly versatile and not just for holiday time. Don’t miss the list at the bottom of the article for suggested uses beyond turkey.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe - Belly Full (1)

Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe

When I was a kid, we had a pomegranate tree in our back yard. Once they were ripe, the family would gather around the kitchen table, scooping out all the seeds into a large community bowl. Then we would eat the seeds by large spoonfuls. I remember the seeds had a slight crunch, popping in my mouth, releasing their juice – my tongue and lips would be stained purple for a little while. It remains such a great childhood memory.

That pomegranate tree has since been replaced by tangelos, so I’ve been reduced to buying them at the store like common folk. Lol. Sometimes I’ll even splurge and buy just the seeds, but that’s not nearly as much fun. I also buy pomegranate juice for Thanksgiving to make this homemade cranberry sauce recipe.

This easy cranberry sauce recipe is loaded with complex flavor from the pomegranate juice and also orange juice, warm spices, and of course cranberries. But so incredibly simple to make. The look, the smell, the taste – all of it will make your mouth water. Everyone loves it!

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What You’ll Need:

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy cranberry sauce:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

  • Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries both work beautifully, so you can make this recipe all year round.
  • Pomegranate juice: Pomegranates are tart, sweet, and bold in flavor, very much like cranberries, so they’re great together.
  • Orange juice: This citrus has a natural sweetness and acidity, with a sharp and zesty flavor.
  • Brown sugar: For sweetness and to balance our the tart citrus. We use light brown sugar for a modest molasses flavor. If you want to take that richness up a notch, feel free to use dark brown sugar.
  • Cinnamon: A wonderful, warm fall flavor.
  • Salt and pepper: To bring all the flavors together, so the dish isn’t flat.

Use Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

Fresh or frozen cranberries both work beautifully, so you can make this recipe all year round. Finding frozen cranberries in the warmer months can be challenging, so a lot of times I’ll buy fresh cranberries when they’re in season and then freeze them for later.

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How to Make Cranberry Sauce

It’s so easy to make homemade cranberry sauce and once you do, you’ll never buy it from a can again! Here’s a brief rundown:
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the complete details.)

  • Mix together all of the ingredients in a saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the sauce has thickened.
  • Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature. Serve and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

How long does cranberry sauce last? You can make this recipe up to a week ahead of time and keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
Can you freeze cranberry sauce? Yes! Just like most jams and jellies, Homemade cranberry sauce freezesbeautifully. Packin an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. For best results use within 2 months.

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What To Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce is pretty synonymous with Thanksgiving side dishes, but you can use cranberry sauce in so many things.

  • Mix in a couple tablespoons with Greek Yogurt, topped with granola for a delicious healthy breakfast or snack.
  • Drizzle with a little maple syrup and top with some homemade whipped cream, for a simple dessert. So good!!
  • Put it on pancakes, waffles, or crepes.
  • Stir some into hot oatmeal or use as a layer in Overnight Oats.
  • Cook up this Cranberry Chicken – a weeknight dinner lifesaver!
  • Make Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs with it!
  • Bake a Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake – perfect for a Sunday brunch!
  • Whisk some into your favorite BBQ sauce.
  • Blend into smoothies.
  • Whip up a batch of Cranberry Honey Butter!! SO GOOD.
  • Use some for these Cran-Turkey Enchiladas – the best use for any Thanksgiving leftovers!

More Cranberry Recipes:

  • Apple Cranberry Crisp
  • Cranberry Fluff
  • Cranberry Christmas Cake
  • Upside-Down Cranberry Cake
  • Cranberry Hand Pies

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe - Belly Full (5)

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

5 from 14 Ratings

This Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a delicious twist on classic cranberry sauce with added pomegranate juice. It’s so easy and bursting with flavor!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 (1/4 cup each)

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, mix together all of the ingredients.

  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.

  • Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature.

  • Serve with turkey, pork, or even mixed into plain yogurt for a healthy dip!

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberry sauce recipe, homemade cranberry sauce

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

How do you fix too much liquid in cranberry sauce? ›

Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

How do you take the bitterness out of homemade cranberry sauce? ›

Add A Splash Of Vinegar

Their sharp tang counteracts bitter flavors without having to add extra sugar. While citrus is a natural pairing for cranberry sauce, bright, savory vinegars like sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar play well with the bitter-tart berries.

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 happens if you cook cranberry sauce too long? ›

If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.

How do you remove excess water from sauce? ›

This is known as “reducing,” in the culinary world, because you are reducing the sauce's volume by boiling some of the water off, leaving behind the fat and other tasty ingredients (with higher boiling points). If your sauce looks runny before it even hits your food, boil it for a bit to thicken it up.

What happens if 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.

How to reduce tartness in cranberry sauce? ›

"Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (in small amounts, it intensifies sweetness)."

How to jazz up cranberry sauce? ›

Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.

How to fix too sweet cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce is supposed to be a balance of sweet and tart. The sauce acts as a cleansing port in a tumultuous storm of fat and salt, but the effect is lost if the sauce is too sweet. Luckily, there is a very easy way to fix an over-sugared homemade sauce: You just need a little citric acid.

How do you thicken cranberry sauce after it cools? ›

The sauce will thicken as it cools. If you want a cranberry mold that holds its shape, continue to boil the mixture so that more pectin is released from the fruit, additional water evaporates, and the sauce becomes thick enough to set into a firm gel.

Will my cranberry sauce thicken in the fridge? ›

Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. To store, let cool completely, then transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

How do you fix cranberry sauce that didn't gel? ›

If you have followed these instructions, and for some reason the sauce still won't gel, add 1 envelope of unflavoured gelatin to the sauce and bring to a hard boil, stirring frequently.

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