Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish made from scratch with just 4 ingredients! Perfectly sweet and tarty!
I always stock up on cranberries during the season. My Cranberry Bread is on rotation all through winter, my Cranberry Crumb Bars are perfect for guests and my Cranberry Orange Cheesecake is always the star on our Christmas dinner table.
Cranberry sauce is hands down my favorite side dish to make and eat on holidays. I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am always so excited to see cranberries show up in our grocery stores. This easy homemade classic Cranberry Sauce recipe is my go-to because it’s easy and absolutely delicious. All thanks to the combination of cranberries and ground cloves! This Cranberry Sauce calls for only a handful of ingredients: fresh or frozen cranberries, water ( or orange juice or a combo ), sugar and ground cloves.
Ingredients:
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- water
- sugar
- ground cloves
How to make Cranberry Sauce?
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to boil, then simmer until the sauce thickens.
- You can mash the cranberries or even puree the sauce if that’s the texture you prefer. I love a chunky cranberry sauce with some berries whole.
- If you have any cranberry sauce leftover, you can use it to make my Cranberry Crumb Bars for a dessert or layer it with brie and leftover turkey to make a fantastic grilled cheese.
My secret to the best homemade cranberry sauce:
I know that most recipes for cranberry sauce call for cinnamon. It’s good but it’s not my favorite. The best spice for a cranberry sauce, in my opinion, are ground cloves. You don’t need much, just 1/4 teaspoon so they are not overwhelming. The cranberry and cloves combo is so perfect, sweet and tarty, warm and spiced.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely! I always make it the day before. Prepare as directed in the recipe below and store in a container with lid, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
More holiday side dish recipes:
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
A classic Thanksgiving side dish made from scratch with just 4 ingredients! Perfectly sweet and tarty!
- 12 oz. bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup water see note
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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Place all ingredients, stir well.
-
Bring to boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes. Smash cranberries, leaving some whole.
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Remove from heat and cool. It will thicken even more as it cools.
This sauce can be made 3 days ahead.
Laura Reese says
This was just what I was looking for! It is so delicious.
Kristyn says
Such an easy & delicious recipe!! This is the way to go…no more buying!
Stephanie says
Absolutely the best cranberry sauce I’ve ever made! Such a great recipe.
Alli says
Homemade sauce is the best. This is our favorite!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you so much, Alli!
Sommer says
This is such a brilliant perky cranberry sauce. We love it!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Sommer!
Lori says
Cloves are a nice addition- yum!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I agree! Thanks, Lori!
Kimberly says
Nothing beats homemade cranberry sauce, SO much better than the store-bought stuff!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Absolutely! I don’t remember the last time we had store-bought sauce! Thanks, Kimberly!
Aimee Shugarman says
Such an easy recipe, and perfect for the holidays!
Rachael Yerkes says
I can’t even do thanksgiving anymore without homemade cranberry sauce, thanks for the great recipe.
Krista says
Homemade sauce! Count me in!
Amy says
Everyone needs to make this for the Holidays! Love homemade!
Dee says
I love homemade cranberry sauce, and yours looks perfect!
Catalina says
This would go fast in my house! Yummy!
Patricia says
I love cranberry sauce and all that you can pair with it – Thanksgiving or not! I want to make this soon — before the big day — and will add the nutmeg!
Amanda says
Cranberry sauce is such an underrated holiday side dish… this looks tasty!
Kimberly says
Absolutely NOTHING compares to homemade! I won’t touch the canned stuff but THIS, I’ll eat it by the spoonful! 🙂