Name: Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 12 oz bag fresh cranberries (can also use frozen); ½ cup maple syrup; a few strips organic orange peel ((optional)); ¼ cup orange juice; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; pinch of salt

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Homemade whole berry cranberry sauce is a holiday favorite with a vibrant ruby-colored hue and sweet-tart flavor. This easy recipe is way better than canned cranberry sauce and takes less than 15 minutes.

Looking for more holiday recipes? Try my vegan orange candied sweet potatoes, harissa roasted cauliflower with fresh herbs, or dairy free green bean casserole.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Not too sweet – Tart cranberries, sweet maple syrup, warm cinnamon, and a hint of citrus create a flavor that’s not overly sweet.
Simple ingredients – This fresh cranberry sauce is made with whole berries and contains no artificial colors or flavors, or tons of added sugar, unlike store-bought jellied cranberry sauce.
Quick and easy – You’ll never go back to the canned stuff. Especially once you realize how easy and quick it is to make your own cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make whole berry sauce:

Fresh whole cranberries – fresh is best, but frozen will work too. If using frozen, no need to thaw them first, you can just add them directly into the saucepan.
Maple syrup – to balance out the tart flavor from the cranberries.
Fresh orange zest and orange juice – add brightness and more dimension.
Ground cinnamon – adds a warm, earthy flavor.
Pinch of kosher salt.

How to Make Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce: Step By Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!

Add the fresh cranberries to a colander, rinse well, and drain off any excess water. Sift through the cranberries, discarding any bruised berries.
Bring the cranberries, maple syrup, orange peel, orange juice, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer over medium heat and continue to cook stirring often until the cranberries have popped open and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, discard the orange peels, and let the cranberry sauce come to room temperature. Chill in the fridge before serving.

Helpful Tips

Make it ahead. If you’re making this homemade cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner (or Christmas dinner) and you have a million other things to do, you can make this sauce a day or two ahead.
Make a double batch. Especially if you’re feeding a big crowd. It’s such a big hit and it’s always nice to enjoy with leftovers.

Quick Tip: Avoid cooking the cranberry sauce longer than 15 minutes or the natural pectin in the cranberries will start to break down and the sauce won’t set as well.

Storage

Store the cooled cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this easy whole berry cranberry sauce recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

No fresh cranberries? – you can also use frozen (no need to thaw), but you may need to simmer the sauce for an extra 1-2 minutes since frozen fruit releases more liquid when cooking.
No maple syrup? – you can also use honey or granulated sugar such as brown sugar or organic cane sugar.
No orange juice? – apple juice or apple cider also works well.

How to Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

There are many ways to enjoy leftover cranberry sauce. You can add it to a parfait with homemade cinnamon granola with vanilla and a dollop of yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Put some cranberry sauce on crackers with a smear of cheese of choice. It pairs nicely with cashew ricotta or dairy free mozzarella.

Spread it on toast with homemade cashew butter or peanut butter for a seasonal spin on a classic sandwich or on leftover turkey sandwiches. The options are endless.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

I hope you love this Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!