This Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce is made with fresh or frozen cranberries, water, sugar and spices. This quick and easy homemade sauce saves time and frees your stove for other dishes.
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Why This Recipe Works
My Instant Pot never fails me, especially during the holidays. I am blown away that I can make quick cranberry sauce right in my pressure cooker! It's very easy. All you need to do is place everything in the Instant Pot and it will cook it in minutes!
You can make flavor variations with orange juice, spices or even make it sugar-free. Make it in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to serve it.
Serve this sauce with my Instant Pot Turkey Breast or Instant Pot Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham.
Ingredients:
- cranberries: fresh or frozen;
- water or orange juice: necessary for building up pressure;
- sugar: to sweeten the sauce; brown sugar can be used as well;
- vanilla extract: adds sweet vanilla flavor;
- ground nutmeg: optional but complements the cranberries so well.
How to make cranberry sauce in the Instant Pot?
- Add cranberries to the Instant Pot.
- Add water and sugar. Do not stir.
- Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally.
- Stir the sauce and let it cool completely.
Variations:
- with orange: use 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of orange juice in the recipe;
- with more spices: add 1/4 teaspoon of each ground cinnamon and ginger;
- no sugar: use 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup.
Recipe FAQs:
This recipe serves about 4 people or 2 adults and 2 to 3 children. If you are making dinner for more people or simply have folks that love cranberry sauce, you can easily double the recipe. Use double the amount of ingredients. The cooking time stays the same.
Absolutely! You can make it up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge, in a container with lid. It will thicken even more while it chills.
I store my prepared cranberry sauce in a fridge, in a container with lid, for up to 4 days.
More Instant Pot holiday side dishes:
To learn more about the Instant Pot, check out my Guide for Beginners. If you experienced the “burn” message while using your IP, check out my Instant Pot Burn Message post to learn how to fix the issue and prevent it in the first place.
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Make sure the stainless steel insert is in your Instant Pot.
- Place cranberries in the pot. Add water and stir.
- Add sugar on top of cranberries and DO NOT stir.
- Close the lid and switch the valve to sealing position. Newer IP models do it on their own.
- Make sure the Instant Pot is set to cook on HIGH pressure.
- Press "manual" or "pressure cook" setting. Set timer to 3 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will beep and it will start coming to pressure, which can take up to 10 minutes.
- The timer will start after a few seconds.
- Once the timer is done, press "cancel/off" button. You can unplug your Instant Pot.
- Let it release the pressure naturally. It will take about 10 minutes.
- Carefully open the lid away from the face. Stir the sauce. It will look quite watery.
- Add vanilla extract and cloves and stir.
- Pour the sauce into a bowl and let it cool completely. It will thicken as it cools.
Notes
- If you like your sauce chunky, cut down the cooking time to 1 minute.
- I make this recipe for our family of 5 (two adults and 3 children). You can easily double the ingredients, cooking time stays the same.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use the calorie counter you are familiar with.
Alicia M White says
My family prefers less chunky so using an immersion blender brings about the perfect consistency. This recipe is perfectly simple and delicious. We make it the day before so it has time to set up.
Erin says
I never thought to make this in the Instant Pot, but it turns out perfectly. Love how hands off it is as well.
Anna says
That's fantastic, Erin!
Matt Taylor says
So many things you can make in an Instant Pot, I would have never have thought to make cranberry sauce in it as well! So awesome! 🙂
Anna says
I know, right? It's so easy!
Stephanie says
I love fresh cranberry sauce! I've never made it in the instant pot before but it was super easy and the taste was perfection!
Anna says
That's wonderful! Thank you, Stephanie!
Beth says
This will be such a time savor for me this week! No standing over the stove! Love that it's made in the instant pot!
Anna says
Exactly! Thanks, Beth!
Krissy Allori says
Quick, easy and delicious. What's not to love?