Easy Cranberry Sauce

This recipe for homemade Cranberry Sauce is easy to make and is best served with roasted turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving. You can make it in 15 minutes with only two ingredients. It packs a punch of flavor and will be the best side dish for your holiday meal.

I can remember standing at the stove and listening to the fresh cranberries pop in the saucepan as my mother made this quick and easy Cranberry Sauce. She used maple syrup to sweeten the cranberries, making this sauce a tasty addition to our Thanksgiving menu.

Simply simmer your fresh cranberries with water in a medium saucepan. Add pure maple syrup to sweeten the tart berries and give them a bit of maple flavor. Easy and so delicious! In 15 minutes, you’ll have a classic side dish for roasted turkey and dressing.

Serve Easy Cranberry Sauce with more homemade side dishes, including Mom’s Thanksgiving Dressing, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Fall Harvest Salad. Your family is sure to rave about these classic holiday side dishes.

What’s needed to make Easy Cranberry Sauce?

Cranberries– I use fresh cranberries for this recipe. I usually buy a few bags for use in cranberry sauce, desserts and holiday cocktails. You’ll want to wash them and remove any cranberries that are soft or bruised before making your sauce.

Pure Maple Syrup– Good quality syrup works best in this recipe. I begin with a half cup of syrup and add a bit more at the end of cooking as needed.

Variations to Easy Cranberry Sauce:

Fresh Orange– Cut an orange in half and squeeze the juice from it. Add this to 2/3 cup water and cranberries in the saucepan as they simmer on the stove. Cranberry and orange are a match made in heaven.

Sweeteners– Honey or granulated sugar can also be used to sweeten this recipe. Honey and pure maple syrup are natural sweeteners and provide such great flavor.

Cinnamon– Just a pinch of cinnamon can be added to the cranberries to give the sauce a warm cinnamon flavor.

Frozen Cranberries– Fresh cranberries are easy to find in the fall, especially before the Thanksgiving holiday. But frozen cranberries also work well in this recipe. When using frozen berries, I usually cut back slightly on the amount of water I add to the saucepan.

How to make Easy Cranberry Sauce

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Add 1 cup water and 3 cups of fresh cranberries to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
• Add 1/2 cup pure maple syrup and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool. It will thicken as it cools. Pour it into a serving dish and serve immediately or cover it and refrigerate until ready to use. Recipe makes 8 servings.

Can I make Cranberry Sauce ahead of time?

Yes! Making the cranberry sauce ahead of the holiday saves you time and reduces the number of dishes you need to make that day. This can certainly help to cut back on some of the stress of making a big meal.

I usually make Easy Cranberry Sauce the day before I want to serve it. I cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. But don’t make it more than 3 days ahead of time. When I need it for a meal, I reheat it in a saucepan or in the microwave. We often eat it at room temperature, it is simply the best.

More of the best Thanksgiving side dishes:

• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Spiced Pumpkin Baked Beans
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes
• Creamy Coleslaw
• Sheet Pan Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
• Bacon and Onion Stuffed Mushrooms

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