Do Not Buy A Can Of Cranberry Sauce: Easiest Recipe Ever (2024)

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November 21, 2013 43 Comments

A few days ago, Snack Girl received a request for a recipe for cranberry sauce. Yes, I take requests.

Do Not Buy A Can Of Cranberry Sauce: Easiest Recipe Ever (2)

Free bird!!!

(not that kind of request)

I have attended a Thanksgiving where a gelatinous can-shaped thing arrived at the table and it was dubbed “cranberry sauce”. Oh no. You see, I am a cranberry sauce snob.

I learned that all you have to do is the recipe below and you have mind-blowing cranberry sauce. It is so simple and almost as easy as opening a can and plopping said purplish goop in a bowl. Believe me.

Fresh cranberries can be found EVERYWHERE right now in your produce section. Yes, they might set you back $3 but your family and friends will applaud when you serve this.

Above in the photo is my pot of cranberry sauce bubbling away for all of 10 minutes. At the stage in the photo, the berries are just about to pop.

I mix in ground cinnamon and ground ginger because I am super lazy (do not want to peel ginger or buy cinnamon sticks). I shake in about ½ teaspoon each until I like the flavor.

The sauce firms up in the fridge and looks beautiful when served in a bowl (unlike the other stuff).

Do you make fresh cranberry sauce? How do you make it?

Do Not Buy A Can Of Cranberry Sauce: Easiest Recipe Ever (3)

Cranberry Sauce Recipe

(no reviews yet)

Makes 2 cups

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Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 cups (1 12-ounce package) fresh cranberries
Optional: ground cinnamon, ground or fresh ginger, orange zest, pecans, walnuts, allspice, raisins, dried apricots

Instructions

Wash cranberries and check for duds. In a saucepan, mix sugar, water, and cranberries. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

Add optional ingredients and then chill in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

For a two tablespoon serving: 59 calories, 0.0 g fat, 0.0 g saturated fat, 15.4 g carbohydrates, 13.1 g sugar, 0.1 g protein, 1.1 g fiber, 4 mg sodium, 2 Points+

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

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First 20 Comments: ( See all 43 )

I've made a few different versions of this and love it more than anything. I often dream about it throughout the year. That stuff in the can doesn't hold a candle to this one. It just keeps getting better and you will want your Turkey Day leftovers even more!

Angel

I have also made this but used Splenda instead of the sugar. Everyone loves it and 0 WW PP for 1/4 cup!

Sherri Wilkinson

Bit suprised you are offering the hungry girl cook book. She is great in cutting calories but uses a lot of processed foods. I s healthy eating not to eat as less as possible processed foods?

Henriette van de Weijer

Love fresh cranberry sauce. Picked 20 lbs myself this year. You can freeze them whole and use them the rest of the year. Ialso have a batch of cranberry wine brewing.

Henriette van de Weijer

For healthier version I am going to try organic cane sugar, some stevia so I can cut back on sugar, and chia seeds to thicken a bit and makes it thicker.

Zennifer

I grew up with only the canned stuff being served and consequently lived for 30 years thinking I hated it...my sister made Spiced Cranberries with Zinfandel from Gourmet mag about 10 years ago and it was life-changing :) it's now a staple at our thanksgiving, and it soo easy. You can use much less sugar than the recipe calls for too and it is still delicious! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Cranber…

Christine

What do "duds" look like? Not a cook, can you tell.

mary weston

I've made fresh cranberry sauce for decades. I usually use 16 oz, (1 lb.). Also, if you feel the bubbling mixture is too foamy, plop in 1/4 tsp. butter or margarine.

Mary W. -- "duds" are berries that look too squishy; pale ones are fine to use.

I usually have a recycled large glass jar ready, sitting on the counter with very hot water in it. Dump the water out, pour sauce in and close with lid and the sauce will stay good in your refridge for a VERY long time -- it must be so high in acid I have never had mold or had to throw it out.

Marlene

Thank you Snack Girl for this receipe. I love the picture too. I will definitely be making this. I have one question. How long will this cranberry sauce last in the fridge? I just might not be able to wait until Thanksgiving to try this out.

Jessica

I put a jar of orange marmalade and a cup of raisins in mine. It's almost like a chutney!

Julie

I also slice some apple into the cranberries while cooking. And just this year, I got adventurous and added the really dry apricots. Definitely a different taste and those apricots puffed up into a delicious squishy chew. :-) Thickened the sauce also for some reason.

I too use Splenda and make this about 3xwk since I can eat this "relish" as a dessert easily during fresh cranberry season!

Shari

Here is another tip - fresh cranberries are only available now, and since cranberry sauce is part of our Easter and New Year's day meals, buy extra now and freeze them! Otherwise, it is the canned stuff that is all you can get!

Patti

I've made this for years and will never eat canned again. Made with Splenda last year. This year will try Domino Light sugar and stevia blend. I eat way more than 2 tbsp it's so good!

Alana

We have always done the version on the bag of Ocean Spray cranberries - I don't know the proportions off the top of my head, but you grind up cranberries, sugar, and oranges in the food processor. Delish! Your recipe sounds good too.

Shanna

You can use this same recipe but instead bake in the oven in a 9X13 pan for about 30 min. until berries puff up and sugar is dissolved (stir once or twice). Adding a little orange juice works great but 1/4 cup of Brandy is even better! You can use leftovers (if there are any) to make an oatmeal square with cranberries in the middle of layers of oatmeal crust and topping. Yum.

Mari

I love that recipe and make it sugar free with either Splenda or stevia. No one misses the sugar.

Bridget

I have made homemade forever, jellied stuff is worst thing on earth. I always have bags in freezer. Also use stevia to cut sugar. Make it all year cuz I love it in my morning oatmeal.

Lynn

I make acranberry relish. In a food processor, process 1 pound fresh (or frozen) cranberries, 1 whole apple, and 1 orange. You can quarter the apple and orange, but don't bother coring the apple and certainly don't peel the orange. Process until chunky. Add sugar/honey/sweetener if you feel it is too tart.

Make it even more fun by adding 1 or 2 jalapenoes to the processor.

Trevor LaRene

I'm glad someone else is a cranberry sauce snob too! I'm always in charge of it for our family haha xo

Olivia at ohmy Olivia

Big interest in cranberry - my mom always makes a recipe like this, plus the cran/orange relish - YUM! but... I still need to bring a can of the jelly for my "picky" husband - he doesn't know what he's missing! Like all the suggestions - may have to make some for myself & keep in the fridge!

Maria

See all 43 Comments

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Do Not Buy A Can Of Cranberry Sauce: Easiest Recipe Ever (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to canned cranberry sauce to make it better? ›

Top with dried or fresh fruits

Sure, you can go all meta with some dried cranberries or sliced fresh raw cranberries, but I also like to think about complementary flavors — dried cherries, dried mulberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots. All work great with cranberry sauce.

What's healthier homemade or store bought cranberry sauce? ›

Nutritional Facts Face-Off

We can see there is a significant difference in the nutrition facts between the two sauces. The homemade cranberry sauce has nearly half the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars compared to the store brand. It also has more fiber as well as potassium!

How do you doctor up a can of cranberry sauce? ›

Stir-in one (or more) of the following add-ins to one can of whole or jellied cranberry sauce:
  1. 2 Tbsp. of orange juice plus 1 tsp. of finely grated orange peel.
  2. ½ can of mandarin oranges.
  3. ½ cup pineapple.
  4. ½ tsp. cinnamon.
  5. ½ cup chopped dried apricots.
  6. ½ cup toasted pecans.
  7. 2 Tbsp. Zinfandel Wine.
Aug 11, 2022

What takes the bitterness out of 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)."

What can I add to canned sauce to make it taste better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
  2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
  3. 3 - Meat. ...
  4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
  5. 5 - Red wine. ...
  6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
  7. 7 - Cheese. ...
  8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
Feb 26, 2018

What thickens cranberry sauce? ›

Sugar helps the thickening process, and while it's nice to try to keep your cranberry sauce from being too sugary sweet, you will need at least some sugar to make it work well (about 1/2 cup sugar per 12-ounce bag of cranberries).

What brand is the best cranberry sauce? ›

Best Jellied Cranberry Sauce: Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce. The Ocean Spray brand is pretty much synonymous with all things cranberry, so it's not really a surprise that they have their cranberry sauce dialed in.

Is it worth making your own cranberry sauce? ›

Homemade cranberry sauce has bigger, bolder flavor. Canned cranberry sauce often has a fuzzy, muted taste from too much sugar. It doesn't capture the pure tartness of fresh cranberries. When you make it from scratch, you can control how much sugar you put in, or use other sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.

Is homemade cranberry sauce better than canned? ›

Everyone found the biggest difference between the two to be texture; the homemade sauce had a distinct Jell-O springiness. The Health Nut: Store-bought. "The homemade's flavor is a little more mild and the texture more gelatinous, which isn't what I'm looking for in a cranberry sauce." The Foodie: Store-bought.

Why is the label upside down on a can of cranberry sauce? ›

According to Ocean Spray, that's intentional: It creates a seamless serving experience. The cans are "filled and labeled upside down with the rounded edge on top and the sharp can-like edge on the bottom to keep the jelly whole," an Ocean Spray spokesperson told CNN Business.

Are you supposed to cook canned cranberry sauce? ›

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Why is my homemade cranberry sauce not thickening? ›

One possibility is that you may not have used enough sugar: Sugar helps the sauce firm up, so be sure to use the full amount called for in a recipe. Another possibility is that the cranberries need to boil for longer, releasing their pectin and ensuring a jelly consistency.

Why is my homemade cranberry sauce runny? ›

You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture. It is also important to let the cranberry sauce cool at room temperature. Moving it to the refrigerator too soon may also affect the gel.

What if I add too much water to cranberry sauce? ›

What to do if the cranberry sauce is too thin or loose. If you inadvertently added too much water, simply bring the cranberry sauce back to the stove top and bring it to a low boil, cooking it down just a bit to help thicken it up.

Should cranberry sauce be served hot or cold? ›

Is cranberry sauce supposed to be hot or cold? Either! Some prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others need it completely cooled down to enjoy the flavours. Personally, we prefer cooled sauce.

How do you remold canned cranberry sauce? ›

The technique is simple: Take warm cranberry sauce, ladle it into greased mini Bundt molds, and put it in the fridge. (You want to do this in advance; you'll need 7 to 9 hours, total.) To unmold, dip the Bundt pan carefully into a 9 x 11-inch cake or roasting pan full of warm water for just 30 seconds.

What can I mix with cranberry juice to make it taste better? ›

I sweetened my juice with honey which adds a sweet floral touch to the beverage. I also use a couple of freshly squeezed oranges which gives the juice a nice hint of citrus flavor. I'm sure apple juice or apple cider would work well too. I think moving forward I'm going to call this drink cranade (like lemonade…).

Should you chill canned cranberry sauce? ›

Cranberry sauce is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. (You've got enough things on the menu to warm up! Don't make the list longer!)

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