Looking for The BEST Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce? Look no further. This cranberry sauce is made in less than 20 minutes and is full of all the familiar flavors of the holiday season. Our family loves this sweet, yet tart cranberry sauce to go along with our Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.
What Ingredients Do You Need?
Making cranberry sauce is very easy. I will warn you though, once you have fresh cranberry sauce, you will never go back to that canned stuff again! This recipe uses a few simple ingredients that all can be found at your local grocery store, especially during the holiday season.
- Fresh Cranberries
- Apple Cider
- Brown Sugar
- Orange Zest
- Ground Nutmeg
- Salt
How Do You Make Cranberry Sauce From Scratch?
Making cranberry sauce is very easy. I will warn you, that once you have fresh cranberry sauce, you will never go back to that canned stuff again! Here is how it’s done:
- Combine all of your ingredients together in a pot over medium high heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low.
- Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10-12 minutes until cranberries pop and mixture reduces.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator.
After cooking, it’s important to let the cranberry sauce cool in the refrigerator. This allows time for the sauce to thicken and also give the flavors more time to infuse together. I recommend letting it cool for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. This will also make one less thing for you to worry about on Thanksgiving or Christmas day!
The BEST Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup apple cider
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 medium orange, zest only
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pot and stir to combine.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat and then reduce to a simmer over medium low heat. Continue to simmer, stirring and mashing the berries occasionally for about 10-12 minutes. Once all of the cranberries have popped and the sauce is reduced down, remove it off of the heat.
- Cool completely in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight for best results.
Notes
Whether you are a die hard canned cranberry sauce fan or just looking for a new cranberry sauce, I hope you take the chance with this recipe. If you are looking for more classic Thanksgiving recipes, here are some of our families favorites:
- Thanksgiving Roast Turkey with Maple Glaze
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
- Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Happy Cooking!
