Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce

To me, homemade cranberry sauce has always been one of the necessary elements of a classic Thanksgiving dinner, right up there with my grandma’s Thanksgiving turkey, gluten-free sweet potato casserole, and gluten-free green bean casserole. If I’m invited to a holiday meal, it’ll be the first thing I volunteer to bring, just to make sure it’s there.

Even once we cut out most sugar from our diet, cranberry sauce was one of the few things I kept making with my old recipe, just because I didn’t want to do without it. But, after some experimenting, I’ve finally created a healthy cranberry sauce recipe that’s just as good as the original!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic sweet and tart flavor – Just as delicious as the typical version with lots of sugar, this recipe goes perfectly with any holiday meal.

2-ingredient recipe – Yes, you read that right! It only takes two simple ingredients (plus a little water).

Clean holiday recipe – So many of the foods we love during the holidays are loaded with sugar or other unhealthy ingredients. While that may be fine in moderation, you can feel great about eating this cranberry sauce!

Customizable – While I love plain cranberry sauce best, if you prefer other additional flavors, feel free to add them! Orange zest or warm spices such as cinnamon are just a couple of ideas!

Quick & easy – It’s so easy to get too busy during the holidays, so quick recipes are even more important than usual. You can have this recipe finished in 20 minutes or less!

How to Store Leftovers

Cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 10-14 days.

It’s the perfect recipe to make well in advance! Since it gels in the fridge, it’s best to store it the dish you plan to serve it in.

Can I Freeze?

Yes! Cranberry sauce freezes wonderfully for up to three months. Simply place cold cranberry sauce in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it in the fridge.

Flavor Customization Ideas

I’ve always preferred the classic plain cranberry sauce, but I know that a lot of people love more complex cranberry sauce flavors. Since this recipe is so simple, it’s perfect for adding your own unique twist!

• Orange or lemon zest
• Vanilla extract
• Warm spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves
• Chopped jalapeño peppers
• Ginger
• Splash of red wine
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• Raspberries

For even more flavor, you can cook the cranberry sauce in fruit juice such as apple, orange, or pear juice instead of just using water.

How to Serve

Cranberry sauce is traditionally served as a side dish or condiment with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It can be served warm or cold, though most people prefer it cold.

Since cranberries are a popular fruit during all of the holiday season, there are also many recipes that use cranberry sauce from dips to cheesecake.

How to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

There are many dessert recipes (including my favorite gluten-free cranberry bars) that call for cranberry sauce.

You can also use leftover cranberry sauce as a topping for homemade yogurt, gluten and dairy-free pancakes, toast, healthy homemade ice cream, or anywhere you would usually use jam. It makes a delicious dip served over cream cheese or brie.

Tools You May Need

Saucepan

Cooking spoon

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Ingredients

Cranberries – Fresh or frozen both work great! If you’re using frozen, there’s no need to thaw first. Cranberries are often grown with extremely high levels of pesticides, so they’re one of the most important foods to buy organic.

Maple syrup – This is where this recipe gets its sweetness. It works extremely well with the cranberries and is the best natural sweetener for cranberry sauce that I’ve found.

Water – To cook the cranberries in. If you would like to add additional flavor, you can replace half of the water with fruit juice such as apple, orange, or pear juice.

Optional add-ins – If you want to make a more unique version of cranberry sauce, feel free to add some fun additional flavors such as spices, citrus zest, jalapeños, or anything else you can think of!

Step-By-Step Instructions

First, add the cranberries, water, and maple syrup to a medium saucepan and stir to combine.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Let the mixture continue to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Make sure to continue stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan.

Pour the cranberry sauce into a glass dish (preferably what you plan to serve it in), and let it cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Serve immediately as a festive holiday dish or store in the fridge for 10-14 days.