Description
This easy 3-ingredient cranberry sauce is a simple, flavorful, and festive side dish perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal. With its sweet-tart balance and vibrant color, it’s a holiday essential you can make in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 tsp orange zest or ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until cranberries burst and sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and let cool before serving.
- For a smoother sauce, blend partially or fully with an immersion blender or food processor.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries for the brightest flavor and color.
- Adjust sugar to taste depending on tartness preference.
- Chill in the fridge at least 1 hour for deeper flavor.
- Sauce can be served warm or cold.
- Customize with spices, citrus, or berries for new variations.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg