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The best things in life are often the simplest — and this fresh cranberry sauce, made with just three ingredients, is proof.
![fresh cranberry sauce in a glass bowl with a spoon for serving](https://www.allrecipes.com/thmb/opVBxz_cIBAO1IyCcdgWDopY0os=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/239960-fresh-cranberry-sauce-baking-nana-4x3-1626611-a8232754481b40dd8a292295f6f64c56.jpg)
Baking Nana
French Cranberry Sauce vs. Canned Cranberry Sauce
Every November, Americans debate the merits of canned cranberry sauce vs. fresh cranberry sauce. The canned sauce, with its signature shape and jiggly texture, is certainly nostalgic. Fresh sauce, meanwhile, usually has a more complex flavor (and a less gelatinous texture). Plus, when you make cranberry sauce from scratch, you're able to customize the ingredients and ratios to suit your taste.
Whether you're Team Can or a fan of the homemade stuff, we think you should give this fresh cranberry sauce a try. you definitely won't be disappointed!
How to Buy and Prepare Cranberries
Buy cranberries that are plump, firm, and unblemished. Avoid bags that contain soft, shriveled, or moldy berries.
Before you start cooking, sort through the berries and discard any that don't look plump and fresh. Place the remaining cranberries in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water before using.
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How to Make Fresh Cranberry Sauce
It couldn't be easier to make this fresh cranberry sauce with just three ingredients. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:
Bring the water to a boil, then stir in the sugar and cook until it is dissolved. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the berries have popped and the sauce is chunky. Transfer the sauce to a serving dish or jars to cool completely. Mix with a fork before serving.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
"I have made it the basic way, but I've also used orange juice instead of the water … delicious," says Lisa Raulston. "It adds another layer of flavor while still keeping it simple."
"Loved this recipe," raves Mary Marler Ewing. "The only change I made was I added a couple of cinnamon sticks to the recipe while it simmered for 10 minutes. Made the kitchen smell great and was wonderful in the cranberry sauce."
"I have used this recipe a few times in the last couple of years," says Kim. "It is my "go to" recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so simple, I don't know why anyone would buy cranberry sauce from a can."
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
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1 cup water
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1 cup white sugar
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1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries (such as Ocean Spray®)
Directions
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Gather all ingredients.
Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
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Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; add sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
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Stir cranberries into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until cranberries have popped and sauce is chunky, about 10 minutes or longer for desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the less chunky it will be.
Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
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Pour sauce into a serving dish or jars and cover until ready to use; the pectin in the cranberries will make the cranberry sauce gel as it cools.
Oana Ennis/Allrecipes
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Mix cranberry sauce with a fork before serving.
Cook’s Note
If you like a sweeter cranberry sauce, you can use up to 2 cups white sugar in this recipe. I prefer a tart sauce, so I only use 1 cup.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
58 | Calories |
15g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 16 | |
Calories 58 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Sodium 1mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 15g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Total Sugars 13g | |
Protein 0g | 0% |
Vitamin C 3mg | 3% |
Calcium 2mg | 0% |
Iron 0mg | 1% |
Potassium 18mg | 0% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.