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I’ve always thought that homemade versions of classic recipes taste much better than store-bought versions, and cranberry sauce is a perfect example of this. Although I loved the canned jellied cranberry sauce that we always ate on Thanksgiving when I was young, after I tried making cranberry sauce from scratch one year, I was hooked.
Now I have a whole list of re-invented, healthier recipes for the holidays, most of which call for real food ingredients, little prep, and a lot less sugar.
Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
Most homemade cranberry sauce recipes call for a lot of sugar… enough that I’d classify cranberry sauce a dessert and not a side dish!
For those who haven’t tried them, plain cranberries are very tart, so I wasn’t sure how much it would be possible to reduce the sugar and still have an enjoyable sauce. I shouldn’t have worried, because unrefined natural sweeteners (honey) and delicious applesauce filled in the gaps.
This recipe still has more natural sugars than we normally eat, but is a much healthier option than the ones that actually contain refined sugar and is a delicious treat for Thanksgiving dinner.
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, also check out my healthy versions of green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, butternut squash soup, and root vegetable stuffing.
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 oz fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup pineapple juice or orange juice
- ½ cup no sugar added applesauce
- ½ cup water
- juice and zest of one orange
- 3-4 TBSP honey or to taste optional
Instructions
- Put cranberries, pineapple juice, applesauce and water in a sauce pan and and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to medium heat and stir constantly until the cranberries start to explode (about 10-15 minutes).
- Reduce to a simmer and add the juice and zest to the cranberry mixture.
- Simmer 10-15 minutes and remove from heat.
- Cool completely and store in fridge at least 4 hours but preferably overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Do you eat cranberry sauce? What foods do you always have at Thanksgiving? Share below!
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Do you think I could use lemon juice instead of orange? I can’t have orange or pineapple, but I really want cranberry sauce. I think I’m going to give it a try, although I love orange with cranberry.
You can, but you might need to add some honey or something to balance out the sourness…
I made the recipe exactly as written but I did need to add more honey and a little stevia to take out some of the sourness. It was very tart. But now it is delicious!! Thanks!
Pomegranite, raspberries, just about any berry would be good in it!
My husband and I can’t do sugars, including honey , pineapple
Or orange!
I have made up this recipe that is great for those who can’t
Do even the sweeter things like pineapple.
3 bags of frozen or fresh cranberries( 30oz)
12oz blueberries
12oz strawberries
12oz raspberries
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
All above put in large pot and bring to a slow boil, immediately turn to
Low and
Summer
For
5 min or so and Mix in :
3 tbsp beef gelatin, mixed in while hot stirring well
3-4 drops of lemon essential oil
Put in refrig after cooling on counter top for about an hour!
All berries used can be of the frozen organic
Kind
So u can
Make
This all year round! We also use it as a pie filling! Firms up nicely with the gelatin
You really should never ingest any essential oil. Why not use real lemon so you can get the health benefits?
I’m thinking it might be great with crushed pineapple too. Has anyone tried it? Thoughts?
I know I’m late, but that sounds great to me!
My homemade cranberry sauce is simmering on the stove right now…2 bags of cranberries, 2 cans of crushed pineapple with juice, and some agave to sweeten. If it doesn’t thicken I may add some cornstarch or arrowroot to it at the end…it tastes yummy!
Hi Rhea,
You might want to know, that regular, or organic Agave is the same as eating , High Fructose corn syrup.
I’ve been looking for a sugarless cranberry sauce and was excited to find this one! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you! Love your site. [email protected]
this looks good. Have you ever tried adding quince to your cranberry sauce. i am just learning about making marmalade, and last year made experimented a little – this year I was thinking of putting these two items together…?
Just finished making this for tomorrows Thanksgiving dinner. I added some honey, but love that it doesn’t require the huge amounts of sugar my old recipe called for. I also made your pumpkin cheesecake (double recipe) and am using your brussel sprout recipe too.
Thank you for all the healthy ideas and Happy Thanksgiving.
Just finished making this for tomorrows Thanksgiving dinner. I added some honey, but love that it doesn’t require the huge amounts of sugar my old recipe called for. I also made your pumpkin cheesecake (double recipe) and am using your brussel sprout recipe too.
Thank you for all the healthy ideas and Happy Thanksgiving.
Adding a pinch of cloves & pinch of ginger & some dry mustard to this gives it a lot more flavor with no more sugar. I might try adding a bit of port next time too. Yum! Thanks for the great idea!
How would you make cranberry sauce from dried cranberries?
I haven’t actually tried it, but I’d think just rehydrate them by soaking in water overnight and then boiling like normal to get them to thicken..
Thanks, I’m going to try it. I’ve been looking for a recipe for a while. I can’t find fresh cranberries here in South Africa.
I have a recipe that uses whole cranberries, dried cranberries and pears, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger. It’s yummy. I make it for Thanksgiving. Years ago we had a cranberry bog in a town I lived in, in Maine. I would dawn the orange clothing of hunting season, put tall gum rubber boots on and trudge through the woods into the bog, about a half mile and pick all I could get. I made the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and froze the rest for muffins, breads etc.
Now I live in Las Vegas, no bogs here, I just buy fresh from the market.
I like squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnip, green beans for veggies on Thanksgiving.
Oh Cheryl, if it is not too much bother, would you share the recipe? It sounds amazing? The sugarless cranberry sauce sounds great, too!
Please, can creamed onions and creamed spinach be on the menu???
Like Mom made:) YUM
I love homemade cranberry sauce! I especially love it with orange flavors, so I’m looking forward to trying this one!