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4.82 from 11 votes

Basic Cranberry Sauce with Variations

Basic Cranberry Sauce is a staple on many holiday tables, but sometimes you may want to change it up a bit. We have lots of wonderful ideas to make your cranberry sauce your own.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time12 minutes
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberries, cranberry, cranberry sauce
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 77kcal
Author: Tara Noland

Ingredients

  • 3 cups 12 oz. bag cranberries
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of water

Instructions

  • Stir ingredients together in a small saucepan. Add additions if using.
  • Bring to a boil, and on a high simmer, cook for 10 minutes or until almost all of the cranberries have burst.
  • Let cool for 30 minutes, and then cover and refrigerate. The cranberries will thicken and gel with cooling.
  • Cranberry sauce can be made 3 days in advance, keeping it refrigerated.  

Additions:

  • Fresh fruit like pineapple, apples, and oranges. Try 1/2 cup first to see if you like it. Add in before or after cooking.
  • Orange zest, zest of one orange or about 2 tsp. Add in before cooking.
  • Orange juice, substitute half the water for orange juice.
  • Orange liqueur like Grand Marnier, add a tablespoon at the beginning of cooking.
  • Nuts, add in 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. Add in toasted nuts after cooking.
  • Dried fruits, chopped-up dates, figs, raisins, cranberries, cherries, and apricots will add texture and flavor. Add at the beginning of cooking.
  • Spices, add in a dash of nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon to taste before cooking.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Sodium: 1mg | Sugar: 20g