Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce is, for me, a quintessential part of the thanksgiving meal. It brightens up the plate and provides a foil to all the rest of the heavy, creamy food on the table. This version is as straight up as you can get.

Optional Flavors

I like a very plain and simple cranberry sauce. There is so much else going on in the meal I don’t want to overcomplicate and overwork the sauce. But that’s just me. If you’re looking to mix things up here are some suggestions.

Salt & Pepper

The first and most obvious is adding salt and pepper. This will enhance the flavor and give the sauce a more savory tone. 

Pink Peppercorn 

Along with black pepper, pink pepper would also be a fun addition. Pink peppercorn tends to taste more fruity to me and goes well with red fruit like cranberries. Make sure it’s freshly ground to get the most taste out of it.

Bay

Bay leaf will add an herbaceous yet savory note to the sauce. Add in a leaf or two from the beginning and don’t forget to take it out once the sauce is cooked!

Orange juice

If there is one way I like to mix up my cranberry sauce it’s with orange juice. Replace all the water 1:1 with orange juice and proceed with the rest of the recipe as normal. The resulting sauce is bright, fruity, and something a bit different from the norm. We love to see it.

Ginger

Ginger is another great option for mixing it up while still keeping it traditional. Add in a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger from the beginning and let it really meld with the cranberries. The spiciness of the ginger pairs well with the bitterness of the cranberries.

Hot Sauce

Speaking of spicy, my last suggestion is definitely anything but traditional. Spice and fruit go great together and adding a bit of spice would definitely liven up the otherwise heavy meal. Add your favorite hot sauce to the cranberry sauce at the end of cooking. Chili flakes would also work well. Do this little by little so you can really dial in how spicy you’d like your sauce to be. And don’t forget to tell your guests! They probably aren’t expecting the cranberry sauce to bite back. 

IMO

In my opinion there is no reason to buy cranberry sauce. It’s honestly one of the simplest things you can make. Take any of the suggestions above and combine them as you’d like. There are endless variations so you can flavor it to your taste. Make your own this year and mark the difference!

Print Recipe

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 225 g cranberries fresh or frozen
• 130 g sugar
• 160 ml water

Instructions

• In a medium-sized pot, combine the cranberries, sugar, and water.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Let the cranberries simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until all the berries have “popped” and become somewhat squishy. The sauce will thicken during this time.
• Once the cranberry sauce has reached the desired consistency, remove the pot from the heat.
• Allow the sauce to cool down in the pot for a few minutes.
• Pour the cooked cranberry sauce into a clean container or jar.
• Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Notes

If using fresh rinse the cranberries thoroughly under cold water and remove any stems or debris.
The cranberry sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for several days, or in the freezer for several months.