Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

To me, it just can’t be Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without the Cranberry sauce! And this homemade version beats out the store-bought stuff every single time!

This sauce is made with fresh cranberries to deliver the best bright and slightly tart flavor we all crave in cranberry sauce! Add in some sugar and you’re left with a flavor that you certainly won’t find in any can!

Think Homemade Cranberry Sauce would just be adding more work to your holiday meal to-do list? Not to worry as that’s definitely not the case with this easy-to-make recipe!

Simply combine the ingredients, cook, and in just 20 minutes your work is done! You can store the sauce in the refrigerator and forget about it until the holiday meal hits the table!

In fact, you can even make the Fresh Cranberry Sauce days ahead of time! Making that holiday meal prep THAT much easier!

Ingredients For Classic Cranberry Sauce

You may be shocked at how minimal the ingredients and time needed are to make this Classic Cranberry Sauce Recipe! This is great since there are a million other things to do when getting Thanksgiving Dinner on the table!

First, you’ll need the star ingredient, cranberries! I’d suggest grabbing a bag of fresh cranberries whenever you see them since they tend to sell out fast around Thanksgiving.

If you end up getting them a little earlier than needed you can just toss the bag in the freezer. When it’s time to make the sauce you can use the cranberries straight from the freezer. Thawing the cranberries isn’t required to make this recipe, it may just take a few extra minutes to cook!

This recipe is finished off with granulated sugar, 100% cranberry juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract are also needed.

Want to make a cranberry sauce with a little extra kick? Try my Bourbon Orange Cranberry Sauce!

How To Make Cranberry Sauce

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, juice, and zest in a medium pot.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Making sure to stir the sauce together frequently.
3. Increase the heat while continuing to stir constantly.
4. Remove from heat then allow the Fresh Cranberry Sauce to cool.
5. Stir in the vanilla and serve!

We love using this homemade cranberry sauce recipe in our Thanksgiving Leftovers Crescent Ring! It would be great for Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders too!

How To Store Leftover Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Place the Cranberry Sauce in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy the leftovers for up to 10 to 14 days!

Check out more sides to go with this year’s Thanksgiving Turkey that guests will enjoy!

• Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Roasted in the oven and then mashed!
• Stuffed Acorn Squash – This flavorful healthy side dish only calls for 15 minutes of hands on prep!
• Crockpot Cheesy Corn – Made with corn, cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and seasonings!
• Classic Parker House Dinner Rolls – Homemade buttery, rich yeast rolls!
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – Everyones favorite side dish that’s ready in only 35 minutes!