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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Sauces and Condiment Recipes

    Homemade Cranberry Sauce

    Published: Dec 25, 2023 by Ned Adams ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 18 Comments

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    Branded split image for social media of Homemade Cranberry Sauce
    Split branded image of homemade cranberry sauce for social media.
    Branded image of homemade cranberry sauce in a mini dutch oven for Pinterest.
    Homemade Cranberry Sauce branded split image for Pinterest
    Thanksgiving themed collage of ingredients in text with graphics and an image of the cranberry sauce.
    Christmas themed collage of cranberry sauce with ingredients in text, graphics, and an image of the recipe.

    Skip the canned jellied stuff, grab a few simple ingredients and make your own slightly tart, slightly sweet easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce.

    Probably the most underrated side dish of Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner, but it really should be the star for bringing everything together in one bite.

    Bacon Green Bean Casserole and Sausage Stuffing along with our fresh cranberry sauce make for one delicious holiday meal.

    Homemade cranberry sauce in a white bowl garnished with fresh orange peel, a bowl of meatballs and gravy in the background.
    Jump to:
    • What is cranberry sauce
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • How to make Easy homemade cranberry sauce
    • Other Related Thanksgiving Recipes
    • Get the Recipe

    What is cranberry sauce

    Cranberry sauce more than likely wasn't among the side dishes at the first Thanksgiving in American with the Pilgrims. They might have been used in a stuffing, but that's not really known either.

    Amelia Simmon published American Cookery in 1776. It is the first American cookbook every published and contains the first American recipe for cranberry sauce.

    Cranberries are native to North American but are now enjoyed world wide. Those in the UK enjoy this sauce with their Christmas meals and a bit more tarty, whereas Americans tend to use it more for Thanksgiving and a whole lot sweeter.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make Homemade Cranberry Sauce: water, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt, cranberries, and cinnamon.
    • Cranberries — the star of the show! Grab a bag of fresh cranberries in the produce section of your local grocery store.
    • Liquids — water and orange juice turn the berries into sauce.
    • Seasonings — fresh zest from an orange, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon.
    • Brown sugar — turns your tart berries sweet.

    How to make Easy homemade cranberry sauce

    first four Step by step directions images for making homemade cranberry sauce.

    Step 1 — Rinse and pick through the bag of cranberries, removing undesirable berries, and add to a 2 quart Dutch oven.

    Step 2 — Add the orange juice and water and begin to cook on medium high heat.

    Step 3 — Add the orange zest.

    Step 4 — Add the brown sugar.

    Photo steps five through eight for step by step directions for making homemade cranberry sauce.

    Step 5 — Add the salt and cinnamon. Stir well.

    Step 6 — Stir frequently. As the sauce begins to boil, the berries will spit and pop. This is normal.

    Step 7 — Allow to boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until you see it start to reduce and slightly thicken; stir frequently.

    Step 8 — Reduce heat to medium low and allow it to simmer away for another 10-15 minutes, stirring often. It will not have a thick, gelled consistency at this stage. Remove from heat. Allow to cool down, then put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.

    Easy and simple homemade cranberry sauce ready to serve with turkey and stuffing meatballs and gravy.

    Other Related Thanksgiving Recipes

    • Glistening breast portion of the turkey on a platter garnished with herbs, oranges, and cranberries.
      Herb Butter Turkey
    • Close up of turkey gravy in the skillet garnished with fresh herbs.
      Easy Turkey Gravy
    • A large portion of sausage stuffing served on a blue plate with a fork.
      Skillet Sausage Stuffing
    • Dutch Oven Honey Glazed Carrots in a green serving bowl garnished with fresh thyme.
      Dutch Oven Honey Glazed Carrots

    If you tried this Homemade Cranberry Sauce or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    Get the Recipe

    Freshly made cranberry sauce garnished with orange zest.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Homemade Cranberry Sauce

    Skip the canned jellied stuff, grab a few simple ingredients and make your own slightly tart, slightly sweet easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Chill2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Course: Condiments, Sauces, and Gravy
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 15
    Calories: 102kcal
    Author: Ned Adams
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 2-quart Dutch oven

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz fresh cranberries cleaned and sorted
    • 1 cup orange juice
    • ¾ cup water
    • 1½ cups dark brown sugar
    • ⅙ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ⅙ teaspoon salt
    US Standard - Metric

    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients to the mini Dutch oven.
    • Cook over medium high heat and bring to boil. The cranberries will begin to pop.
    • Boil, stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken.
    • Reduce heat to medium low and allow it to simmer away for another 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
    • Remove from heat. Allow to cool down, then put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

    Did you try this recipe?Leave me a comment and rating below or Tag @DutchOvenDaddy on Instagram to show us your photos!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 17 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. D

      November 10, 2024 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      Excellent cranberry dish.

      Reply
    2. Spencer Adams

      October 31, 2024 at 2:05 pm

      The Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a delightful blend of tart and sweet, perfectly balancing flavors for a festive treat. Its vibrant color and rich texture make it a must-try for any holiday meal. I love it!

      Reply
    3. TAYLER ROSS

      April 08, 2024 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      My family LOVES this cranberry sauce! We make it all the time, not just at Thanksgiving

      Reply
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    the Dutch Oven Daddy! Iโ€™m a full-time computer nerd and part-time cook. My passion is cast iron cooking with tips, tricks, and delicious recipes. I love using my recipes to bring together family and friends. I believe everything is made better in cast iron!

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