With lemon zest and a hint of spice, this delicious homemade cranberry sauce is perfect for your Thanksgiving table! It takes less than ten minutes to make, and it's a guaranteed crowd favorite.
Growing up, I was never a fan of cranberry sauce.
During Thanksgiving dinner, I would always reach for the sweet potato casserole, turkey, and bread rolls. And, of course, the dessert. But, I would always steer clear of the cranberry sauce, never daring to give it a try.
However, my tastes have definitely changed over the last few years! Now, I can't get enough of the cranberry sauce, and it's honestly one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving.
Today, I'm sharing with you my ultimate recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. The addition of lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg takes this cranberry sauce to the next level, and I promise your friends and family will love it too.
Tips for Making Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Here are a few tips to get perfect cranberry sauce every time:
- Make sure to cook the cranberry sauce on medium-low heat. As the mixture heats up, it will start to liquefy and boil. If your heat is too high, the sauce can spill over the sides of the pan or even burn. To avoid that, keep the heat low and steady as the mixture cooks.
- Be careful not to overcook the cranberry sauce. I like to cook the cranberries until they have almost all burst. The sauce will continue to cook and thicken once you remove it from the heat. And, if it hasn't cooked all the way, you can always return it to the stove to cook a bit more.
- Make this recipe ahead of time! I always find myself really overwhelmed on Thanksgiving day—why are there always so many dishes to make? Save yourself some time later by making this recipe a few days ahead of time.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce FAQ
Fresh, uncooked cranberries can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you are going to purchase your cranberries earlier than that, I would recommend freezing them in the original bag until you make the cranberry sauce. Then, you can just follow the recipe directly using the frozen cranberries—no thawing necessary!
Yes! To achieve perfect cranberry sauce every time, I recommend cooking on low-medium heat. This will prevent the mixture from burning, and it will also protect you from popping berries that might burn you. Once the mixture starts to bubble up, you can also turn the temperature down even further for added safety.
For cranberry sauce and other jams, sugar helps the mixture firm up. If you use less sugar in the recipe, the cranberry sauce will set much more loosely. In addition, sugar acts as a preservative, which helps maintain the color of the cranberries and prevent mold growth.
This cranberry sauce can be served chilled or at room temperature—totally up to you! I personally like pairing cold cranberry sauce with warm dishes.
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Ultimate Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: about 1 ¾ cups 1x
- Category: Jam
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Description
With lemon zest and a hint of spice, this delicious homemade cranberry sauce is perfect for your Thanksgiving table! It takes less than ten minutes to make, and it's a guaranteed crowd favorite.
Ingredients
- 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries (340 g)
- ¼ cup water (55 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (194 g)
- Zest of 1 lemon (3 g)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (1 g)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (1 g)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, water, granulated sugar, lemon zest, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
- Cook the mixture over medium-low heat until the cranberries burst, stirring occasionally. The cooking time will depend on your heat, but it usually takes about 5-10 minutes.
- When the cranberries have burst, remove the saucepan from the heat, then add in a pinch of salt to taste.
- Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature before serving. Store the cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
- If you are using frozen cranberries, you don't need to defrost them before cooking.
- Want to save yourself some work on Thanksgiving day? Make this cranberry sauce a few days ahead of time! It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
Keywords: cranberry sauce, cranberry, thanksgiving, thanksgiving side dish
Love this recipe - cook with the Christmas and New Year’s ham 😋. I like mine tart so only use 1/8 c sugar.
★★★★★
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, Yvonne! I made a batch of it for Christmas too 😊
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season!