Description
This classic homemade cranberry sauce recipe is simple, quick, and a perfect complement to any festive meal. Made with fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water, it can be easily customized with nuts, citrus zest, fruits, or warm spices to suit your taste. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s an essential make-ahead side for Thanksgiving or holiday dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 4 cups (12 oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Pinch or two of orange zest
- Raisins (to taste)
- Currants (to taste)
- Blueberries (to taste)
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of allspice
Instructions
- Prepare the Cranberries: Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse them under cold water. Pick out and discard any damaged or bruised cranberries to ensure the best flavor and texture.
- Make the Sugar Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Cook the Cranberries: Add the rinsed cranberries to the boiling sugar syrup. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add Optional Ingredients: Once the cranberries have burst, you may leave the sauce as is or enhance it by stirring in optional ingredients like chopped pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, or a pinch of warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice. Start with small amounts and adjust according to taste.
- Cool the Sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the cranberry sauce to cool completely at room temperature; it will thicken as it cools. Then transfer it to a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- This cranberry sauce is a classic and essential accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner.
- It can be made ahead of time and stored chilled in the refrigerator.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries both work well for this recipe.
- Feel free to customize by adding nuts, zest, dried fruits, or warm spices to suit your palate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup (approximately 56 grams)
- Calories: 103
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
