Cranberry Sauce with Frozen Cranberries

When the grocery store is out of fresh berries, fear not- you can make your own cranberry sauce using frozen cranberries instead! Naturally sweetened and made with a lot less sugar than the canned stuff, this great recipe belongs on your holiday table.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• Dietary Notes
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Cranberry Sauce
• Comments

I was older than I want to admit when I discovered that cranberry sauce didn't have to come from a can. And what a wonderful realization it was!

I will warmly remember my days of eating canned cranberry jelly- it was my first taste of those sweet-tart red berries and the beginnings of my infatuation with them (a fondness that led them to be the star in this dessert crisp and smoothie!).

But once I had tasted a couple of homemade versions, I knew there was no going back. And so I set out to make my own perfect cranberry sauce recipe.

Opting to use frozen berries, which I can find at any time of the year, and maple syrup in place of brown or white sugar, I came up with this easy recipe worthy of all of your holiday meals.

The Ingredients

• Frozen Whole Cranberries- No need to thaw- just use them directly in the recipe. Fresh cranberries will also work.
• Orange Juice- You can use pure orange juice from a carton or get fancy and squeeze fresh orange juice. If using fresh, feel free to add in a bit of the orange zest as well for extra orange flavour.
• Maple Syrup- Honey will also work. As written, this recipe is a sweet-tart sauce, which is how I like it but feel free to add a bit more at the end to suit your tastes. For more alternatives, see this post on maple syrup substitutes.
• Cinnamon
• Cloves- Feel free to leave it out if you don't have any on hand.
• Sea Salt

The Method

1. Simmer. Place cranberries, juice, syrup and seasonings in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes stirring often and breaking up the cranberries with the back of your spoon. Cook until the sauce is nearly at your desired consistency- it will thicken a little bit more once it cools.

2. Cool. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature to allow it to fully thicken before serving.

3. Serve.

Leftovers

Make Ahead: This recipe stays well up to a week and needs to cool after preparing so it is the perfect recipe to make ahead when preparing for your Thanksgiving meal.

To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Make it Your Own

• Smooth Cranberry Sauce- Allow to come to room temperature and then transfer to food processor and puree until smooth.

Serving Ideas

Wondering how to enjoy your homemade cranberry sauce? I have plenty of ideas- you might even want to make a double batch because there are so many delicious and fun ways to enjoy the leftovers!

• Serve it with roast turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner (obviously)
• Or have it with Swedish Meatballs in place of Lingonberry Jam
• Spread on toast as your jam or use it as the "J" on a PB and J (one of my favorites!)
• Put your leftover turkey to good use and make a Cranberry Brie Turkey Sandwich
• Spoon it over ice cream or enjoy it on top of a cheesecake
• Eat it straight from the spoon...

Dietary Notes

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If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

• Dairy Free
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Paleo
• Vegetarian
• Vegan

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like these other homemade sauces!

• Apple Sauce
• Barbecue Sauce
• Chimichurri
• Pizza Sauce

More Festive Recipes!