If you have ever wished for a cranberry sauce that tastes like it was made with love in your own kitchen, then this Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe is your new best friend. Bursting with vibrant color and just the right balance of sweetness and tang, this sauce transforms any meal into a celebration. It’s the kind of recipe that’s so simple yet so satisfying, making it a must-have for holidays, family dinners, or whenever you crave a touch of festive flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe calls for a handful of straightforward ingredients, each playing a vital role in creating that perfect harmony of taste and texture. Together, they deliver a sauce that’s bright, sweet, and pleasingly thick without overwhelming your palate.
- Fresh cranberries: Choose ripe, firm cranberries for the best natural tartness and vibrant red color.
- Granulated sugar: This provides the perfect sweetness to balance the cranberry’s natural tartness.
- Water: Acts as the base to gently cook and soften the cranberries, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Step 1: Combine Ingredients
Start by placing your fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water into a large pot. This trio of ingredients forms the foundation of your sauce, where freshness and sweetness begin their delightful dance.
Step 2: Heat to a Low Boil
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Watch as the cranberries start to pop and release their juices, then bring everything to a gentle low boil. This is where the transformation from simple ingredients into a luscious sauce begins.
Step 3: Reduce and Thicken
Maintain the boil and stir often as the mixture reduces by about one-third, which usually takes around 40 to 50 minutes. During this gentle simmer, the sauce will thicken beautifully, concentrating both flavor and color in every spoonful.
Step 4: Strain for Smoothness
For those who adore a silky smooth sauce without bits of pulp, pass your mixture through a food mill. This step removes the solids, leaving you with a gorgeously smooth liquid that still holds all the vibrant cranberry goodness.
Step 5: Set in a Bundt Pan
Pour the strained sauce into a lightly greased bundt pan that holds about three cups. This pan will help your sauce to take a lovely shape and set evenly while chilling.
Step 6: Chill and Develop Flavor
Refrigerate the sauce for at least four hours, but preferably overnight. This chill time allows the flavors to deepen and the texture to firm up, making your Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe taste even more irresistible when served.
How to Serve Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Garnishes
Adding a few garnishes can elevate your homemade cranberry sauce to something truly spectacular. Try sprinkling fresh orange zest or a few whole cranberries on top for a pop of fresh color and a hint of citrus aroma that complements the sauce’s sweetness perfectly.
Side Dishes
This cranberry sauce is a fantastic companion to classic roasted turkey or chicken, but don’t stop there. It also pairs beautifully with pork, ham, or even seasonal roasted vegetables, adding a vibrant touch and refreshing contrast to savory dishes.
Creative Ways to Present
Take your Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe from basic to breathtaking by serving it molded from your bundt pan on a rustic wooden board, or dollop it atop creamy mashed potatoes for a colorful twist. You can even spoon it over vanilla ice cream for a surprisingly delightful dessert!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Its flavor often becomes richer after a day or two, so don’t hesitate to make it ahead of time for your celebrations.
Freezing
If you want to freeze your cranberry sauce, transfer it into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. Frozen cranberry sauce will keep well for up to two months and can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it again.
Reheating
When reheating, warm your cranberry sauce gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid high heat to maintain that perfect texture without breaking down the sauce too much.
FAQs
Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh?
While dried cranberries are delicious in their own right, they aren’t suitable for this recipe because they don’t have the moisture needed to create the sauce. Fresh cranberries are essential to achieve the ideal texture and bright flavor.
Is it necessary to strain the sauce?
Straining is optional and depends on your preference. Passing the sauce through a food mill creates a smooth texture, but if you like a chunkier sauce with whole cranberry pieces, you can skip this step.
How long will the cranberry sauce keep in the fridge?
This Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe can safely be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks when kept in a sealed container, making it perfect to prepare well ahead of any holiday.
Can I add other flavors to the sauce?
Absolutely! Adding ingredients like cinnamon sticks, orange zest, or even a splash of bourbon during cooking can impart lovely additional layers of flavor to customize your sauce.
What if I don’t have a bundt pan?
No worries! You can use any shallow dish or mold with a similar capacity to set your sauce. The bundt pan gives a nice shape, but it’s not a requirement for great flavor or texture.
Final Thoughts
There is something truly special about making your own Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe. It’s one of those simple pleasures that brings warmth and joy to the table in a way store-bought versions simply can’t match. I encourage you to give this recipe a try and watch it become a beloved tradition, lighting up your meals with its bright flavor and beautiful color.
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 0 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: Approximately 3 cups
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This homemade cranberry sauce recipe delivers a classic, tangy, and sweet sauce made from fresh cranberries, sugar, and water. Perfectly thickened and optionally smoothed through a food mill, this sauce enhances any holiday meal or winter dish with vibrant flavor and festive color.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 30 ounces (850.49 g) fresh cranberries
- 2 1/2 cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups (591.47 g) water
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place the fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water into a large pot, ensuring all ingredients are measured accurately for balanced flavor and consistency.
- Heat the Mixture: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a low boil, which helps dissolve the sugar and start breaking down the cranberries.
- Simmer and Reduce: Continue boiling the sauce, stirring regularly, until it reduces by about one-third, around 40 to 50 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the flavors to concentrate.
- Optional Smoothing: For a smooth cranberry sauce, pass the mixture through a food mill to remove the pulp, discarding the leftover solids and retaining the liquid for a smoother texture.
- Mold the Sauce: Pour the sauce or liquid into a lightly greased bundt pan with a 3-cup capacity to shape the sauce and ease serving.
- Chill to Set: Refrigerate the sauce for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight, allowing it to firm up and develop deeper flavors before serving, making it a perfect make-ahead condiment.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries for the best texture and flavor; frozen cranberries may change the cooking time and texture.
- If you prefer a chunkier sauce, skip the food mill smoothing step.
- Sugar amount can be adjusted based on desired sweetness.
- The sauce can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- This sauce pairs excellently with turkey, chicken, or roasted vegetables.
