Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe will be the perfect finishing touch to your Thanksgiving meal. So simple and delicious!

And with only three ingredients, you’ll be surprised how simple it is to make. My mom usually makes this a few days ahead of the Thanksgiving meal, and she keeps it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve it.

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I will show you how to make it on the stovetop, and in your Instant Pot. (Amazon affiliate link)

It is so delicious with her oven roasted turkey breast and southern cornbread dressing!

How to make homemade cranberry sauce

First, gather your ingredients.

Ingredients

For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to. For this homemade cranberry sauce recipe you will need the following ingredients:

• fresh cranberries
• sugar
• water

That’s it! You can do some optional add ins, such as orange zest if you wish. We like it plain the best.

Stovetop method

To make this easy homemade cranberry sauce on the stovetop, you start with a twelve ounce bag of fresh cranberries.

After giving them a good rinse, you make a simple syrup by bringing one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a boil. Add the cranberries, and then simmer until they all burst, about 10 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate, and that sauce will thicken up on its own.

An voila! It’s ready for turkey and dressing!

How easy is that?!

How to make Instant Pot cranberry sauce

I am adding an extra set of instructions this year!🤓🙌🏻 To make Instant Pot cranberry sauce (or any other brand electric pressure cooker), add your three ingredients to the stainless inner pot, and stir. No need to dissolve anything, just dump it all in.

Put the lid on, lock it and set the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for two minutes.

Let it naturally release for about ten to twelve minutes, and quick release the rest. Letting is naturally release a bit helps lower the chance of splatter.

Another tip along those lines: to avoid any potential cranberry splatter, place a kitchen towel over the vent release. Be sure and wash the valve well after you are done with warm soapy water. This will remove any residue.

Refrigerate, just like the stovetop version, and it will thicken.

Storage and leftovers

How long is homemade cranberry sauce good in the fridge? It has a long storage date of 10 to 14 days. You can also freeze it! It will be good for 2 to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.

One of our favorite things to do with leftovers is to spoon some over some oatmeal. Yum!

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Note: This recipe originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy November 15, 2017.