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A bowl of homemade cranberry sauce surrounded by fresh cranberries, showcasing the rich red color and thick texture of a simple three-ingredient recipe.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Olivia Carter
Toss that jiggly canned log! In 20 minutes, you can have a sweet-tart sauce that actually tastes like real fruit. Feel free to make it your own.
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5 minutes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
COST $4-$6
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Servings 8 peoples
Calories 110 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 medium pot
  • a spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • An orange peel strip or a cinnamon stick

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the berries, toss any mushy ones.
    Fresh cranberries being rinsed in a colander as someone sorts out the soft berries before cooking.
  • Dump the sugar and liquid into your pot. Heat it until the sugar melts and it starts to bubble.
    Sugar melting into orange juice in a pot as a spoon stirs the mixture while it starts to bubble.
  • Add the cranberries (and your bonus flair if using). Allow it to return to a simmer.
    Fresh cranberries being added to a pot of heated orange juice and sugar during the beginning stages of cooking.
  • Turn the heat down to a happy simmer. Let it cook for 10-15 mins, stirring now and then, until most berries have popped open. It'll get thicker!
    Cranberries cooking in a pot as they burst open and thicken into sauce during the simmering stage.
  • Turn off the heat, fish out the orange peel or cinnamon stick. Let it cool down in the pot—it'll get even thicker.
    Warm cranberry sauce resting in a pot as it cools and thickens after cooking.

Notes

Make this up to a week ahead! It also freezes like a dream. If you don't like super-sweet stuff, start with ¾ cup sugar.
Health Stuff (per ¼ cup): Cals: 110 | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 28g | Sugar: 26g