12 Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipes

Skip the can — homemade cranberry sauce takes fifteen minutes and tastes a world better. These twelve recipes go way beyond basic: spiced, boozy, citrusy, and even savory versions for your holiday table.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Homemade Cranberry Sauce

The simple, glossy original every holiday table needs.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Combine water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil; add cranberries.
3. Simmer 10 minutes until berries pop.
4. Remove cinnamon; stir in orange zest.
5. Cool to room temperature; chill before serving.

2. Orange Liqueur Cranberry Sauce

A splash of orange liqueur makes it party-worthy.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp Grand Marnier
• 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions

1. Simmer juice, water, and sugar 2 minutes.
2. Add cranberries; cook 10 minutes until popped.
3. Stir in liqueur and zest.
4. Cool completely.
5. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

3. Spiced Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce

Warm spices and cider for maximum fall flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves

Instructions

1. Bring cider, brown sugar, and spices to a boil.
2. Add cranberries.
3. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring.
4. Mash slightly for a chunkier sauce.
5. Cool and refrigerate.

4. Pecan Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

Toasty pecans and vanilla add richness and crunch.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Boil water and sugar; add cranberries.
2. Simmer 10 minutes until berries burst.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Cool 15 minutes.
5. Fold in toasted pecans; chill.

5. Maple Star Anise Cranberry Sauce

Maple-sweetened with a whisper of licorice spice.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 star anise
• 1 strip lemon peel

Instructions

1. Simmer water, maple syrup, star anise, and lemon peel.
2. Add cranberries; cook 10 minutes.
3. Remove star anise and peel.
4. Cool to room temperature.
5. Chill until ready to serve.

6. Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

Boozy, bold, and just a little bit fancy.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil water and sugar; add cranberries.
2. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Off heat, stir in bourbon, vanilla, and pepper.
4. Cool completely.
5. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

7. Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce

Jewel-bright with popping pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

1. Simmer pomegranate juice and sugar 2 minutes.
2. Add cranberries; cook 10 minutes.
3. Stir in lemon zest.
4. Cool 20 minutes.
5. Fold in arils; chill.

8. Savory Rosemary Honey Cranberry Sauce

Herby and peppery — made for roast meats.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Simmer water, honey, and rosemary 3 minutes.
2. Add cranberries and pepper.
3. Cook 10 minutes until popped.
4. Remove rosemary sprigs.
5. Cool and chill.

9. Ginger Ale Cranberry Sauce

Fizzy-sweet with a zing of crystallized ginger.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 2 tbsp crystallized ginger, minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Bring ginger ale and sugar to a boil.
2. Add cranberries and ginger.
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Stir in lemon juice.
5. Cool and refrigerate.

10. Pear Cardamom Cranberry Sauce

Soft pear and floral cardamom tame the tartness.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 pear, diced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamom

Instructions

1. Boil water, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom.
2. Add cranberries and pear.
3. Simmer 12 minutes until pear is tender.
4. Mash lightly.
5. Cool and chill.

11. Jalapeño Lime Cranberry Sauce

Sweet heat that wakes up turkey and pork.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest

Instructions

1. Boil water and sugar.
2. Add cranberries and jalapeño.
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Stir in lime juice and zest.
5. Cool and chill before serving.

12. Red Wine and Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Deep, wine-dark, and studded with chewy cherries.

Ingredients

• 12 oz cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Simmer wine, sugar, and cinnamon 2 minutes.
2. Add cranberries and cherries.
3. Cook 10 minutes until berries pop.
4. Remove cinnamon.
5. Cool completely; chill.