This amazing homemade fresh cranberry sauce comes together in minutes and is the perfect complement to your turkey dinner.
Cranberry sauce has been around for over 2 centuries in the United States. Some late 18th century writings reference a simple cranberry sauce using water, sugar, and cranberries created by Native Americans and was officially recognized by cookbook author Amelia Simmons in 1796.
Cranberry sauce became popularized in a can in the early 1940s with the mass preserved food era to help get American soldiers fighting in WWII food that would last. However, there is no comparison when it comes to flavor between to canned jelly version and homemade fresh cranberry sauce.
Ingredients with this recipe:
• 1 cup water
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• 12 ounces or about 4 cups fresh cranberries
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Serves 10
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Procedures:
1. Add the water and sugar to a medium-size pot and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
2. Next, add in the cranberries and return them to a boil. The cranberries will begin to pop.
3. Once boiling, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until it becomes very thick.
4. Remove the pot from the stove and add in cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest and using a rubber spatula mix everything together but also press on the cranberries a little bit to help break them up more.
5. Add the cranberry sauce to a container and cool in the refrigerator until cold, which takes about 30-45 minutes.
Chef Notes:
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 2 days ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator until soft.
The sauce will thicken up a lot once it is cool.
You can use frozen cranberries in this recipe.
32 Comments
This is exactly how I do my cranberries , my first time viewing your videos I’m going to check out more !!!! This is the correct way to make homemade cranberries my favorite part is hearing them pop lol
My favorite fruit! Thanks for this recipe. I’m like you…never eat the canned! The orange and spices will add a new dimension. Pecans…oh yeah!
Will It wait for the turkey ? Sure?
Every year my contribution is REAL cranberry sauce. I like adding a diced apple.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 1/4 cup sugar ( optional: 1/2 white 1/2 brown sugar)
12oz bag fresh cranberries or 4 cups
Optional Ingredients:
Zest of 1 orange (juice optional) or
Zest of 1 lemon (juice optional).
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Things to add to enhance the flavor:
Currents
Golden raisins or regular brown raisins
Crushed pecans
1 cup water and 1 1/4 cup sugar in a sauce pan. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling add 12oz bag or 4 cups fresh cranberries. Bring mixture to a boil.Once they boil you can hear the cranberries pop. Turn heat down to low and simmer. Add a lid to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes with lid on. Allow cranberries to cook down and thicken. Remove pot from the cook top. You can stop here or add additional flavors ( zest of 1 orange even the juice or zest of 1 lemon and the lemon juice, 1sp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, or 1 cloves if you want.) Using a rubber spatula stir and mix to combine and mash up canberries to break them up even more. Transfer to a new container and completely chill in the refrigerator.
Other things to add to enhance the flavor:
Currents
Golden raisins or regular brown raisins
Crushed pecans
My mom's cranberry sauce was the BEST. There was even a special dish to serve it in.
I make fresh cranberry sauce every year. Add a lil grand marnier and candied oranges, omg so good
I love the canned jellied stuff. We make fresh homemade cranberry sauce every year but what can I say?? I prefer the jellied.
When I've served or taken homemade cranberry sauce to pot lucks people love it, ask me how I made it & think I'm so smart. I use just sugar, water & cranberries but will try this recipe.
Thank you, I love the info about cranberry sauce food history is awesome keep it coming!!!! Happy holidays
My wife and I prefer about half diced apples, half cranberries, with cinnamon. Instead of the suggested 1-1/4 cup sugar, I put in 2-3 tablespoons per 12 ounces cranberries. It's a side dish, not dessert. Although I like to eat it by itself.
Just read the back of the bag
It’s actually great warm, too
but I LOVE canned cranberry jelly! really truely love it. We have it every year, mostly for me. I think everyone else eats the cranberry orange relish.
I've been doing this for years. I like to add a shot of Drambuie, or Grand Marnier with wedges of clementines. My family loves how the cranberry and orange compliment each other.
Nice sauce 👌😉
Thank you for the recipe will try it out soon.
💯✔❤
Can you use Stevia instead of the sugar as a substitute for the sweetener?
Our family uses herbal substitutes as much as possible.
Can you tan this cranberry sauce using a water bath canning method for future use.
Me personally I could eat cranberry sauce all year round
Happy Thanksgiving… Unsure if you remember me from your Live Q&A earlier but I made this recipe and it's friggen BANGING. I think you're batting a 100% with me so far…Nice job Chef…nice job.
Thank you so much, I'm making this today for the first time.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I am making it now according to your recipe! Your videos are awesome and inspire me to feel like a chef in my own kitchen! My family enjoys it! Blessings to you!
I make it with golden raisins, chopped golden apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Add some hot peppers and serve with cheese and crackers.
fabulous my friend👌 you know what is good😌😌😌aaaand health
This cranberry sauce was delicious! Everyone loved it!
I try this recipe last Saturday. It was best cranberry sauce I ever had!!!.
I have heard that I should add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar just as it is cooling. Would you recommend this
I made this and add a little bit of salt to enhance more the flavor of cranberry sauce.. it’s really good… Thanks Chef Billy 🙌🏻
came out overwhelmed with orange flavor, I like it but most my Americans friends are used to the can so it's hard to convince them this is better.
Instead of water, I use orange juice. Add chopped up pieces or orange and when finished I add a splash of Grand Mainer.