Try this sweet, tart homemade cranberry sauce for your holiday table. Always a most-requested favorite in my family and takes less than 5 minutes! Check out the four ingredients and creative uses for leftovers, too!
Gone are the days of grabbing a slice of cran-in-a-can (even though I loved that stuff as a kid). There’s a new holiday tradition in my life, and it’s called homemade cranberry sauce! Super easy, lightning quick, and beautiful enough for any Thanksgiving, Christmas or other festive dinner table.
‘scuse the bad kitchen lighting, y’all. :)
Your essentials are only water, sugar, an orange, and a bag of fresh cranberries (find them in the fruit section of most groceries). That’s it! Plop it all in a pan together, boil, and let that beautiful mixture simmer until you’ve got a smooth, sticky homemade cranberry sauce… and all it took was 10 minutes.
Homemade cranberry sauce is great to give as a gift, too! Friends and family love getting a little treasure that’s homemade and from the heart.
Tart ‘n sweet cranberry sauce doesn’t stop at the spoonful, though – Why not toss a tiny bit into a glass of champagne, or spoon it over a succulent roast pork? Jazz up a plain quickbread recipe by subbing sauce for bananas/blueberries/etc., or make a cranberry cobbler for a delish dessert! Also, cranberry barbecue sauce, anyone?
Try my tasty, easy recipe, and if you’re lucky to have any leftovers, maybe some of the above ideas, too!
Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups (one 12-oz. package) fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. orange zest, from 1 orange
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Cranberries should be softened and the mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Place in a serving bowl or jar(s), cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Enjoy!
I like the idea of giving homemade cranberry sauce as gifts. I think my family and friends would appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Can you believe I’ve never had homemade cranberry sauce?! (Eek!) I SO want to make this for Christmas this year.. looks so scrumptious and simple!
Hubby does not like cranberries, but I’m making turkey again for Christmas Eve…I think I’ll just make a mini batch for me! Simple, lovely recipe :)
I have to admit (although I’m only a little ashamed) that as much as I love homemade cranberry sauce, the canned kind is still kind of a holiday staple for me ;) I love all of the orange zest on yours!
Simply delicious – full of Christmas flavors – perfect!
Mary x
Gorgeous homemade cranberry sauce. I really love the very last click. Yum!
Hehe great minds think alike! I’ve got home made cranberry sauce on the menu this year too! :D
Yum, I love this cranberry sauce, especially with turkey and mashed potatoes. It just screams Thanksgiving.
I love adding orange zest to my cranberry sauce – it adds such a vibrant tone to it!
Worlds better than the jello stuff you get from the can…the sound it makes when it flops onto the plate from the can….