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This is the ultimate taste of Christmas. Cranberry Sauce made at home is SO much better than shop bought. BONUS – it’s also super easy and has just 3 ingredients.

A board with a white bowl filled with cranberry sauce, with cranberries and an orange at the side.

This beloved condiment is the classic accompaniment to Roast Turkey at Christmas in the UK or Thanksgiving in the USA. 

While I’m all about making life simpler and taking shortcuts wherever possible, I assure you this Cranberry Sauce recipe is worth taking the time to make fresh. 

It’s so much tastier than from a jar and it’s incredibly easy to make. 

Leftovers also keep well in the fridge (perfect for turkey sandwiches!) and you can make it up to a week before you need it.


Why you’ll love this Cranberry Sauce recipe

⭐️ Fresh, homemade and super delicious

⭐️ Can be made ahead of time

⭐ Impressive but simple – just 3 ingredients!


Cranberry Sauce Ingredients Notes

The ingredients for making cranberry sauce laid out on a counter top, including a bowl of frozen cranberries, an orange and sugar.
  • Cranberries – I use frozen but fresh is fine too if you struggle to find them in the supermarket
  • Orange – You’ll need the zest and the juice (about 75ml)
  • Caster sugar – We’re using 75g in this recipe but if you prefer it sweeter, you can add a little more

How to make Cranberry Sauce

A pan with a wooden spoon stirring cranberries for step 1 in the recipe for Cranberry Sauce.

1. Put the orange juice, zest and sugar into a saucepan over a medium heat and warm through until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add in your cranberries and bring to the boil.

Cranberry sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon, stirring.

2. Once the mixture has reached the boil, reduce the heat and simmer as per the recipe below, until the cranberries have burst from their skins and the sauce has begun to thicken. Remove from the heat and leave to cool and thicken as per the recipe below.


More Christmas recipes…

Storing

You can make the Cranberry Sauce up to 1 week ahead.

Just refrigerate it in an airtight container. Give it a good stir and ideally, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Tip

This sauce is quite tart, to compliment a rich roast dinner, if you like a sweeter sauce you may want to add some more sugar.

FAQs

Do I need to thicken the Cranberry Sauce?

No, the sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t worry. After about 15 minutes, it should be the right consistency.

Should I defrost the cranberries before using?

No need! Just add them into the pan and the heat will thaw them quite quickly.

Is it easy to get hold of cranberries?

Usually larger supermarkets tend to stock frozen cranberries year round (but it is hit and miss), and stock fresh ones in the months leading up to Christmas due to demand.

How many does this recipe serve?

This makes enough for about 6-8 helpings, so adjust the amounts accordingly if you need less or more.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

5 from 1 vote

Cranberry Sauce {Easy Recipe}

This is the ultimate taste of Christmas. Cranberry Sauce made at home is SO much better than shop bought. BONUS – it’s also super easy and has just 3 ingredients.
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

  • 200 g Cranberries, Fresh or frozen
  • 1 Orange, Zested & juiced (approx 75ml)
  • 75 g Caster sugar

Instructions 

  • Put the orange juice, zest and sugar into a saucepan over a medium heat and warm through until the sugar has completely dissolved.
  • Add in your cranberries and bring to the boil.
  • Once the mixture has reached the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes until the cranberries have burst from their skins and the sauce has begun to thicken.
  • Remove from the heat and leave to thicken – this should take approx 15 minutes.

Notes

Make ahead: You can make the cranberry sauce up to 1 week ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container. Stir well and allow to come to room temperature before serving
Sweetness: This recipe is not too sweet, if you like a sweeter sauce you may want to add some more sugar

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.2gFiber: 1.1gSugar: 11g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Family Food
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Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

5 from 1 vote

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