- Why make cranberry sauce at home? So that you will be in charge of freshness, sweetness, ingredients, and unusual flavor additions.
- Make one jar of this quick and easy sauce, or can some for later too.
Make Your Own Cranberry Sauce
“Why don’t you just buy a can of cranberry sauce?”
My mother had a point: cranberry sauce is simple, inexpensive, and available year-round. Still, making it at home gives you control over flavor, texture and ingredients, and it’s quick enough to prepare while you finish other holiday tasks.
Freshness: Homemade cranberry sauce tastes brighter and more vibrant because you’re using fresh ingredients rather than a processed product. The natural tartness of cranberries comes through and the flavors feel more lively.
Sweetness: If you intend to preserve this recipe by canning, follow the recommended sugar amount for safety and shelf stability. If you’re only making enough for immediate use or plan to freeze the extra, you can reduce the sugar to suit your taste. Prefer tart? Cut the sugar back.
Ingredients: Making your own sauce lets you avoid high fructose corn syrup and choose real cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar for different flavor profiles. These alternatives change the character of the sauce—brown sugar adds a caramel note, while maple syrup or honey add depth.
Flavorings: This recipe adds blueberries for a pleasant twist, but you can experiment: apples, raspberries, warm spices like cinnamon or ginger, orange or lime zest, or a splash of orange liqueur all work well. Small additions can make the sauce uniquely yours.
Cranberry Blueberry Sauce
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 4 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
Method
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Rinse the berries and discard any soft or bruised fruit.
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In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the cranberries, blueberries, sugar and water.
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Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves evenly.
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Continue boiling until most cranberries pop, usually 10–15 minutes; the berries will break down and the sauce will thicken.
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If you want a firmer set, use a candy thermometer—the sauce sets around 217–218°F (about 5°F above boiling water temperature).
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For canning: ladle the hot sauce into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth.
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Seal with two-piece lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
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After processing, let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes, then remove and cool undisturbed for 12 hours.
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Yield: about 3–4 pints.
Make It Quick
If you only need sauce for one meal, halve or quarter the recipe. Cook the same way, then let the sauce cool. Skip the canning step and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers for up to several months.