Basic Cranberry Sauce
This easy recipe for a Basic Cranberry Sauce, made with just 3 ingredients, can take your main dish to a whole different flavor level. Serve it as a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, over pork, chicken, or turkey, or on sandwiches and sliders.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 116kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.1 cup water, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Stir in the cranberries and cinnamon, if using.12 ounces fresh cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cook until the cranberries start popping, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- When cooking cranberry sauce, you can break up the cranberries some with a wood or silicone spoon. If you prefer more of a whole berry cranberry sauce, don't mash them. Some of the cranberries will still burst, while some will stay whole.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 14 days.
Variations
- Swap Out The Water: you can swap out the water for orange, pomegranate, or cherry juice, or use a 50/50 mix of water and juice.
- Change The Sugar: you can use brown sugar or a mix of granulated and brown sugar. I have also made this recipe with a mix of granulated sugar and coconut sugar. For a low sugar cranberry sauce, you can use 3/4 cup of Swerve Granular or 1 cup of Allulose in place of the sugar.
- Add Some Fruit: adding diced apple or pear is a nice way to amp up the flavor of plain cranberry sauce.
- Mix Ins: you can mix in orange or lemon zest, slivered almonds, walnuts, or pecans to add flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.004g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg