Homamade Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Life's Ambrosia (2024)

Ditch the can and make your own Homemade Cranberry Sauce with fresh berries! 2 steps, 6 ingredients is all you need for this holiday classic.

I’ll be the first one to admit that cranberry sauce was never one of my favorite sides when it came to Thanksgiving dinner. It was just so…log like. But that, my friends, was before I was introduced to the wonderful world of Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce.

It’s a little sweet. It’s a little tart. It is so full of flavor and really, no holiday table is complete without it. Let me show you just how easy it is to make and you’ll be ditching the can too!

First let’s talk about what you need:

What ingredients do you need to make homemade cranberry sauce?

FRESH CRANBERRIES: You’ll be able to find bags of these in the produce section during the holidays. If it’s not Thanksgiving or Christmas, they may be harder to find. If that is the case you can substitute frozen cranberries.

ORANGE JUICE and ORANGE ZEST: You can use fresh squeezed orange juice or bottled. If you use bottled keep in mind that will be sweeter so you might need less sugar depending on your taste.

WATER

BROWN SUGAR AND GRANULATED SUGAR: Cranberries are tart, they need the sugar. This recipe uses a combination of brown and granulated sugar. I like the depth of flavor that brown sugar adds. You can use only one or or the other if you prefer.

Instructions:

Guys, homemade cranberry sauce could really not be easier!

Step #1: In a sauce pot combine orange juice, water, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Stir in cranberries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until cranberries begin to soften, about 10 minutes. They will pop during this time. Stir in orange zest.

STEP #2: Transfer to a serving dish. Allow to cool at room temperature or place in the refrigerator to chill completely. Serve.

That’s it! Only 6 ingredients. Only 2 steps. You can do it! You can make your own cranberry sauce. And trust me, once you do you won’t go back to the cans.

Looking for more Thanksgiving or Christmas recipes? Your holiday meals aren’t complete without these:

Foolproof Gravy Recipe

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Easy Stuffing Recipe

Other great recipes using cranberries:

Farro Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad

Cranberry Turkey Rollups

Cranberry Apple Crumble Pie

Rosemary Cranberry Spread

Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2010. It was updated with new photos and nutrition information in 2020.