Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce is effortless and will WOW your guests! The BEST homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe hands down! You'll never buy canned sauce again! This simple recipe contains only a few ingredients: fresh cranberries, orange juice, orange marmalade, sugar and some special spices. It's made in only one saucepan and takes less than 15 minutes!
How to make ahead the BEST cranberry sauce
Have you ever wondered how to make homemade cranberry sauce? Are you a no longer a fan of the can-berry sauce and looking for an easy alternative? Or maybe you're just trying to mix it up from your regular Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe. Well, have I got a recipe for you! This effortless recipe is a bit on the tart side, as most cranberry sauces should be, but the flavors—oh my! The mix of orange and cranberry is divine!
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And the leftovers—did I mention how to use this with your turkey leftovers? You will love smearing make ahead cranberry sauce on a bagel with cream cheese and the turkey the very next day. And good news - it's just as good all year long! I usually always have a batch of homemade cranberry sauce on hand. I love to put the whole berry jelly in the crockpot with a pork tenderloin on busy winter days. During the summer, it's a fun mix in with lemonade.
I've updated some photos to give this popular recipe some justice! (We've come a long way baby!). I originally published this post in November of 2014! Holy cow, that was a while ago! And you know what? Every year. Without fail. People flock to this recipe. Because it's just.that.good!
I can't believe how sad this photo looks to me now. The good news is even though I wasn't a fantastic photographer, Y'all were forgiving and tried my cranberry sauce anyways! For those of you who initially started to pin it on Pinterest, thank you. For those of you who are new and are pinning it this year- thank you! Blogging can sometimes be an isolating world, but the feedback keeps us going. Your feedback is truly appreciated!
I make cranberry sauce throughout the year because I adore turkey, cream cheese and cranberry jelly sandwiches. Loaded on a bagel, smothered in cream cheese, with big chunks of yesterday’s Thanksgiving turkey taking center stage. Mmmmm. Want to make it even better? Ditch the bagel and use yesterday's rolls!
Nice whole berry cranberry sauce. Cooked to perfection. Our family and most of my readers prefer whole berry, but it's just as easy to make smooth. A simple immersion blender will make it more like the traditional solid can-berry sauce. This is my FAVORITE immersion blender!
Another twist I love to do is to add pickled jalapenos and to make a sweet & spicy jelly for sandwiches and roasts. We eat spicy cranberry pork tenderloin sandwiches all year long (easiest weeknight meal ever!)
I love to serve the cranberry sauce in white dishes. The color of it is just so fantastic. I love that this dish goes with the antique ladle I picked up at Round Top (yep, Joanna Gaines favorite place is mine too!). This dish comes with a cover, so I can simply place the cranberry jelly straight into it, cover it and pop it in the fridge until I'm ready to serve it.
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The color in the jellied cranberry sauce plays off the napkins from World Market as well! Funny how that works out! A sprig of rosemary gives a fun flourish to finish it off.
It always amazes me how quickly these cute little guys will burst and turn into the jellied friend we eat every November. I think this is my kiddos favorite part, waiting to see them "pop" in the pan.
I guess if you aren’t a whole berry fan and you don't have an immersion blender, you could smooth this out in a standard blender or food processor, but our family goes for the chunky.
This side dish is perfect throughout the winter. Toss your extras in the slow cooker and make cranberry bbq pulled pork, in a cranberry cream cheese coffee cake, or on sandwiches as shown above. We sometimes just smear it on toast alone.
By whipping up your make-ahead cranberry sauce, you’ll have one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving day!
Love my recipe? Chances are you found me on Pinterest. You can find more yummy goodness by following me on Pinterest!
I love the comments that I get from people every year. This recipe has been pinned over 60K times! WOW! It's been featured on major websites like MSN.com. I can't tell you how much I appreciate each and every share!
Some comments on my make ahead cranberry sauce recipe:
Thank you so much for sharing! This really is the best cranberry sauce ever and it was so easy to make. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Just made your recipe, will never eat canned cranberry sauce again.
Suggestions for substitutions in Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- If you don't have orange marmalade, use apricot preserves.
- Add a little bourbon for a bit of a fun boozy addition
- If you are out of orange marmalade, a bit more OJ will be okay.
- If you don't have orange marmalade, use apricot preserves
Can you make the best ever cranberry sauce in the Instant Pot, pressure cooker or a slow cooker?
Absolutely! I've done both. One Facebook fan raves about making this in the crockpot. Simply place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for several hours. If it isn't thick enough, you can remove the lid and allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Surprised to hear this? It's a technique used in my popular slow cooker apple butter recipe.
There are a couple of reasons why I would use a pressure cooker, and a few reasons why I wouldn't. So why would I? Well, it takes up one less burner on the stove when space is tight on a busy holiday like Thanksgiving. Another reason is that it doesn't require the constant stirring that the stovetop method does. To make it in an Instant Pot, place all ingredients in the pan. Seal and set on manual high for 4 minutes. Allow to naturally release (about 10-12 minutes). Remove lid, and switch to saute. Boil the mixture for 3-4 minutes, stirring about every minute. It will magically thicken up.
So why wouldn't I use the instant pot? It works, BUT the main thing I noticed-- the cranberries break down a lot. In the end, I had about ½ cup to 1 cup LESS cranberry sauce than the stovetop method makes. When feeding a crowd, this can really make a difference!
Storing cranberries and Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
- Can you make cranberry sauce ahead--- YES! Save yourself the struggle on the big day!
- Are you asking yourself, "How far ahead can I make cranberry sauce?" According to Oceanspray, "We do suggest making sauce ahead of time and storing it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week."
- How long can I let cranberry sauce sit out before chilling - food safety my friends! I let mine cool about 2o minutes. Be sure to put it in the fridge within 2 hours.
- How long can I keep cranberry sauce in the fridge? Mine doesn't last long, because we devour it so quickly, but 7-10 days seems to be the common answer.
- Can you freeze cranberry sauce? Yes! Use within 2 months of freezing.
- How do I store fresh cranberries? Pop those in your veggie bin in the fridge! Or place in your freezer for up to 10 months.
- Do I need to defrost cranberries? Nope! I love using frozen year round!
- How long can I keep cranberry sauce in the fridge? Mine doesn't last long, but 7-10 days seems to be the common answer.
FAQ's about Cranberries & Cranberry Sauce:
- Can I use frozen cranberries? Absolutely! I love them because I can use them year round! It will take just a bit longer for the berries to come to a boil.
- Can I substitute lemon juice for the orange juice? I wouldn't. This is less about the acidity and more about the flavor the orange brings.
- Do people in the UK eat cranberry sauce? Yes, my British cousins love it just as much. It's very popular at Christmas time, so it's not just an American dish!
- What meats do cranberries go with? Although turkey seems to be a favorite, cranberries work well with pork, chicken, cornish hens, and beef.
Doing lots of holiday cooking? I have more recipes to help you out on this!
Learn how easy it is to make sturdy whipped cream frosting! No more melting whipped cream all over that dessert you worked so hard on!
Ditch the box and make stuffing with sausage from scratch! Just like my cranberry orange cranberry sauce, this is way more simple than most people think! Not a fan of sausage? These stuffing balls are a bit more traditional without any meat and you can easily substitute gluten free bread for those guests who might have food allergies.
These Maple Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are a huge hit every fall! And they even use a box mix! If you are looking for a more traditional Thanksgiving dessert, it doesn't get much more traditional than this molasses pumpkin pie!
How about a side dish for your Thanksgiving Feast?
These cheesy jalapeño scalloped potatoes are a fun twist on the traditional mashed potatoes. Pressure cooker glazed carrots are also a big hit!
Can you tell I'm a HUGE fan of cranberries? I even have a whole tab of my recipe index for all things cranberries! See what I've done with any cranberry sauce that is leftover! Find all my cranberry love recipes HERE.
Cranberry Crush : A recipe collection from Major Hoff Takes A Wife
Happy cooking my friends! Be sure to follow me on Pinterest so you can see all the fun things I am cooking up!
EFFORTLESS MAKE AHEAD CRANBERRY SAUCE
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¼ cup brown sugar if you like it sweeter, you can double
- ¼ cup regular sugar
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 12 oz fresh cranberries, 1 bag in the produce or frozen section
Instructions
Directions for Stove Top Method:
- Combine the orange juice, both sugars, marmalade, cinnamon, ginger, all spice and the whole cranberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a gentle boil and stir for 10 minutes.
- The berries will burst (the kiddos love this part) and will eventually break down to the sauce we love.
- Let cool and then refrigerate. You can serve warm if you want to, but I like to chill for at least 2 hours.
- ENJOY!
Directions for making cranberry sauce in an Instant Pot:
- To make it in an Instant Pot, place all ingredients in the pan. Stir well to get the cranberries coated.
- Seal and set on manual high for 4 minutes.
- Allow to naturally release (about 10-12 minutes).
- Remove lid, and switch to saute.
- Boil the mixture for 3-4 minutes, stirring once about every minute or so. You just want to make sure nothing gets stuck to the bottom of the pan!
- It will magically thicken up.
- Serve warm, or cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours for it to really thicken up!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Heather says
Oh man. I used to loathe cranberry sauce, but now I love it! I'm going to try this one!
MrsMajor Hoff says
Me too Heather, but I think it was the can that turned me off. LOL.
Bee Windgate Lane says
yummmm!! gosh I wish I had any skills in the kitchen!
MrsMajor Hoff says
Bee-- you really don't need skills for this one! Give it a whirl!
Dee LeBrilla says
This looks delicious!!
Marilyn Clark says
This cranberry sauce looks delicious!
Erin says
Yum! I have a whole bag of cranberries I need to get rid of. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kaysi @ Keeping it Simple says
This looks sooooo good!!! I can;t wait to try it, thanks for sharing!
Anonymous says
This is delicious! Makes an awesome jelly/jam for toast or homemade buttermilk biscuits, which I've been enjoying for a couple of days. I added a little bourbon to mine while it was cooking. Thanks for the incredibly tasty cranberry sauce recipe. My favorite one so far and I've made several already this season! This is the best!
MrsMajor Hoff says
Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you like it!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know, and ummm...bourbon, will try that next time!
MrsMajor Hoff says
Thanks Kaysi! I know you like simple and easy too!
Jill Freire says
How long will this last? Can I make it like a week before?
MrsMajor Hoff says
Hi Jill! According to Oceanspray (whose cranberries I use), "We do suggest making sauce ahead of time and storing it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week."
Sylvia Ma says
Thank you so much for sharing! This really is the best cranberry sauce ever and it was so easy to make. Thank you, thank you , thank you!!
Shannon Howrey says
This is yummy! I didn't have orange marmalade on hand, so I used apricot preserves. It's a little strong for my youngest child's taste buds, so next time I'll make somewith just a little bit of cinnamon for him.
Cali4ever says
I don't have marmalade, what can I use for a substitute?
debbie plasket says
I dont have oj can I use lemon juice
MrsMajor Hoff says
Thank you Sylvia! That makes me so happy to hear that!
MrsMajor Hoff says
Thanks Shannon, yes, little taste buds are tricky! Great idea on the cinnamon.
MrsMajor Hoff says
Hi there! I've never made it without marmalade. A poster above mentioned using apricot preserves instead. If you don't have either, I would maybe add a bit more of OJ, but I'd just be guessing on how that would work out.
MrsMajor Hoff says
Hi Debbie, I wouldn't think lemon juice would work as well as it is so tart. Sorry about that.
Jill Freire says
Awesome! Thank you so much!
Amy says
This looks wonderful! Next to rolls, cranberry sauce is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner! But honestly, I have never made it from scratch! Pinning!
Aakriti Gupta says
How many people does this serve? I'm expecting 26 guests!
Christine Graves says
Your recipe looks just incredible! Thanks for sharing it at the DI & DI Link Party. Pinning this so I can try it!
The Freckled Rose says
Thank you so much for sharing with us at Dishing It & Digging It & congratulations on being featured this week!
Anonymous says
Just made your recipe, will never eat canned cranberry sauce again.
Tracy says
Super easy recipe and delicious!!! I make this for thanksgiving and Christmas. Love it!!
Jen says
Can you taste the orange in this? My mom loves cranberry sauce however I want it to be more like traditional cranberry not flavored if that makes sense?
MrsMajHoff says
The recipe tastes like traditional cranberry with maybe a hint of orange? I have never had someone say it had an overwhelming orange taste.
Tina says
Love this recipe. What do you think about canning the cranberry sauce? I want to give as gifts.
MrsMajHoff says
I've never personally canned it, but it is possible. I'd just review the food safety rules, to be sure the proper steps are taken. Let me know how it goes for you (might just have to do the same!)
Miranda says
I was going to use pumpkin pie spice (it has all of the same spices as listed in the recipe, with the addition of nutmeg), how much should I use?
MrsMajHoff says
I've never tried that, but I could see where it would work. If you are replacing all 3 (cinnamon, allspice and ginger) then I would use somewhere between 3/4 tsp to possibly one teaspoon.
Hannah says
I have been making my own cranberry sauce for a few years now but my mom said this is the best one yet. Thank you for a winning recipe!
MrsMajHoff says
Yay Hannah! That warms my heart so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me. Enjoy your holidays!
Fiona says
Gorgeous recipe very easy to make, I added Zest of one orange and three tablespoons of Jack Daniels.
Janet soanes says
Best ever recipe!!!! I tried this and it is a family fav now for 4 years. Everyone asks for it!! Thank you. Thank you
MrsMajHoff says
Thanks Janet. It truly warms my heart when people tell me how much their families enjoy it! Hope you have a great turkey day!
KarLa says
I've made this recipe two years in a row, and one of my friends has requested it again for her Friendsgiving she's planning this year. It's so flipping amazing. Even though it's super easy and not overly time consuming on the stove top, how would I go about making this in an instant pot?
MrsMajHoff says
Hi Karla! I'm so glad you love it as much as us. I am actually going to post the recipe for the instant pot- because I'm so excited to try it out. The funny thing is - my store doesn't have fresh cranberries yet. Right now, it's only frozen 🙁 I'm stopping by about 3 x's a week, so hopefully they will be here soon. I will let you know when they are and I've updated it. Thanks again!
Erica Acevedo says
I am a cranberry sauce fiend - seriously, I can eat a whole bowl in one sitting, canned OR homemade! I'm in charge of sides for Thanksgiving this year, and I'm looking forward to giving this a whirl. 🙂
Liz says
I'm going to make extra this year as it is SO good! And I love the idea of putting it on a turkey sandwich!!
Ruth says
Is this prepared orange juice or concentrate orange juice?
MrsMajHoff says
Great question Ruth! I use prepared orange juice! You can use fresh squeezed as well!
Ellen says
So flavorful! So easy and I love that it's make ahead.
Alida | Simply Delicious says
Fantastic recipe!
Brenda says
Love this! Made it today and had to taste as the smell was so decadent! Yes, a little tart but I like it that way. Most people may want to add a little more sugar but I like it just as is.
MrsMajHoff says
Yay! So glad you liked it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Charlotte says
I love this recipe! I've been making it every year since my son was born three years ago, and this year, he got to help. He loved seeing the berries split open and hearing them sizzle! He also loved the smell. Several close family members have been converted after tasting this recipe over the years, and now I'm the designated cranberry sauce maker. Love it!
MrsMajHoff says
You have no idea how much your comment warmed my heart! Thanks so much for letting me know that you've been using this recipe for years- that is truly wonderful to hear. My boys are old enough that they can make it now- but they never out grow the fun of watching cranberries burst. I've heard it's converted a lot of can-berry loyalists! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are able to find some other gems in the recipes on my site!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
That looks so easy and delicious!
MrsMajHoff says
Thanks Toni! We all love easy during the holidays!
Lindsay Cotter says
This cranberry sauce is a must for the holidays! Looks so delicious!
MrsMajHoff says
Thanks Lindsay! Have a Merry Christmas!
maki says
I made cranberry sauce for the first time following your recipe.
It turned out wonderful.
Thank you!!
I got a big bag of fresh cranberries at Sam's Club, and only used 1/3 of it.
Now I have to find recipes to use them up LOL
Any idea?
MrsMajHoff says
Hi Maki!
I have a free e-book on what to do with leftover cranberry sauce. Feel free to whip up another batch or 2 with what you have left! Thanks, so glad you enjoyed it!
Lynn Bonneau says
This looks really good. I am going to make it for family even though I won’t be able to eat it myself. It interferes with my blood thinner. 😢
MrsMajHoff says
Oh no Lynn, I had no idea about this! So sorry! I hope the rest of your family enjoys it, but still sad you will miss out!
Marianne says
Best if you can make it a day ahead so it will gel better. Everyone loved it & so easy.
Abigail Scheibner says
I've been making this recipe now for 3 years! I'm so glad I came across it. It's my signature side. I married into a large family who loves Thanksgiving and everyone had their dish. The cranberry sauce was woefully missing. It was a hit when I brought it last year and my parents also can't get enough! I usually double the recipe and jar it up as a gift
MrsMajHoff says
You are so sweet Abigail- thank you so much for sharing this! It made my day to read this and I'm so glad you've found your signature dish 🙂 Enjoy your holidays!
Jennie says
Hi!
Looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving, how long and what temperature should it cook in a crockpot? Thanks!
MrsMajHoff says
Hi Jennie, my friend told me this about cooking it in the crockpot: It took about 3 hours on high. I served it hot, and today after refrigeration it is very nice. The flavors are great! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, thanks for stopping by!