Homemade Cranberry Sauce Make-Ahead

Homemade cranberry sauce is one of the easiest Thanksgiving recipes you can make. It's a simple way to upgrade and elevate a menu item on your Thanksgiving table. If you've never made homemade cranberry sauce form scratch, it is way more flavorful satisfying than the old can shaped jelly mold (I do still love it though).

What makes this recipe even better is that it takes about 20 minutes to make, and this recipe can be made ahead of time.

How long does homemade cranberry sauce last?

Stored properly in an airtight container, homemade cranberry sauce can last 10-14 days. This means you can make this way ahead of Thanksgiving before there is any chaos. Cranberry sauce also freezes so well! You can freeze homemade cranberry sauce up to 2 months.

How to make homemade cranberry sauce

All you have to do for this cranberry sauce is combine all the ingredients into a pot, bring it to a boil, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. That's the whole recipe.

I keep this recipe simple, but there are a few additional ingredients that you can add to spice it up. Add Grand Marnier for a boozy kick. Use maple syrup or brown sugar for a more complex yet subtler sweetness. You can add in a whole cinnamon stick to bring the sweetness down for a cinnamon cranberry sauce--it's really super easy to make it your own.

Yield: 2.5 cups

Homemade Cranberry Sauce Make Ahead

Print

Homemade cranberry sauce is far superior to the canned stuff. Yes, I will still buy and eat the canned jelly, but this is no where near the same. It's tangy, tart, sweet, and the easiest way to upgrade your Thanksgiving.

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz. frozen cranberries
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• ½ cup sugar (¾ cup for a sweeter cranberry sauce)
• ½ cup water
• 1 pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low heat to simmer.
3. Simmer, while stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until most of the cranberries are popped and soft.
4. Allow to cool to room temperature, uncovered, until room temperature. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 14 days.

Notes

The sauce will thicken and darken in the refrigerator.

Want More Thanksgiving Recipes?

Be sure to check out the 2020 Thanksgiving Guide that is the complete cooking guide to your Thanksgiving meal.