Healthy Cranberry Sauce {no sugar added}
Give this Healthy Cranberry Sauce recipe a try and you’ll never want to buy canned again! Homemade is SO much better and incredibly easy to make. It’s packed with delicious fresh flavor and is the perfect blend of sweet and tart. You’ll need just 4 key ingredients and 15 minutes!
This cranberry sauce recipe is a major family favorite, and one of those classic holiday side dishes! The pairing of tart, slightly sweet cranberry sauce with savory turkey and cornbread dressing is such a tasty combo!
Like many families, there are those certain foods that must be served for the big Thanksgiving feast. We simply cannot let the holidays pass by without pumpkin pie bars, broccoli rice casserole and homemade cranberry sauce. This recipe is the best, it’s just the right amount of sweet while still remaining true to the delicious tart profile of cranberries. The texture is perfect and with how easy it is to make, you’ll never want to go back to the cans!
Even if you’re not in charge of Turkey Day dinner this year, I recommend trying out this low sugar cranberry sauce recipe! You’ll definitely need it for these leftover turkey sliders and it makes a great snack, mixed with Greek yogurt and vanilla ice cream, too.
Tried it for Thanksgiving and it was delish! Had the leftovers for breakfast with toast. Now making it for Christmas Eve and used the orange juice instead of the zest. Thanks for this diabetic friendly recipe.
— Yvonne
Ingredients needed
This healthy cranberry sauce recipe tastes amazing and will complete your holiday meal! As an added plus, the ingredient list is short and sweet! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh or frozen cranberries. We typically use fresh cranberries to make this, but frozen will work just fine. No need to thaw frozen cranberries.
- Water. The water is needed to thin the sauce a bit, so it’s not too thick.
- Orange zest. For wonderful fresh flavor.
- Sugar or stevia. The type of sweetener you choose is really up to you. You can use regular granulated sugar. The recipe is still healthier than most because we’re only using 1/3 cup, whereas most recipes use 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar. Brown sugar also works great and gives the sauce a lovely richness. To make a ‘no sugar added’ cranberry sauce, substitute sugar with stevia. Stevia in the Raw (and many other stevia blends) measures cup-for-cup for sugar, so no conversion is needed.
- Optional add-ins. I’m sure you have ground cinnamon and vanilla extract in your pantry, and I highly recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of each to this sauce to really take it to the next level.
How to make this recipe
This has to be the simplest of all Thanksgiving dishes — from start to finish, this healthy cranberry sauce takes only 15 minutes to make! Here’s the simple process, but for the full, printable recipe, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Combine ingredients in medium pot. Start by combining cranberries, orange zest, water and stevia (or sugar) in a medium saucepan or large saucepan over medium heat.
- Boil then reduce to a simmer. Set over medium-high heat and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Watch closely and stir frequently. The cranberries will begin to become soft, break down, and thicken the sauce (thanks to the natural pectin in cranberries).
- Cool and serve. You can use a fork or potato masher to smash the cranberries as they become tender. Once you remove the sauce from the heat, the natural pectins in the cranberries will continue to thicken the sauce. I like to let my cranberry sauce cool for about 20-30 minutes before serving. And that’s it. I told you homemade cranberry sauce is actually SO easy!
Serving tip
For a festive presentation, add a bit of orange zest over the top of the cranberry sauce before serving.
Expert tips
- Choosing cranberries. When you’re buying cranberries at the store, look for full and unbroken cranberries. They will be bright pink or red in color.
- Fresh cranberries. If you are using fresh cranberries, gently rinse them and remove any stems or debris on them. Add in your cranberries whole.
- Frozen cranberries. If you don’t have fresh cranberries available then frozen will work! No need to defrost them first.
- Added flavor. For more citrus flavoring, use orange juice instead of the water. You can also use other juices to replace the water.
- Fresh orange juice. If you can find freshly squeezed orange juice, or squeeze your own, it tastes amazing and adds extra freshness to your cranberry sauce recipe.
- Thicker sauce. The longer you simmer the berries after they have burst, the more thick the sauce will become. Keep in mind that your sauce will seem runnier while it’s hot and will thicken as it cools and sets.
Frequently asked questions
Many cranberry sauce recipes contain quite a bit of white sugar but this one is low in sugar, or can be made without sugar at all. It contains nutrient rich ingredients, including cranberries. According to Healthline, they are rich in many vitamins and minerals and are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese.
The traditional way of plating jellied canned cranberry sauce is sliced into rounds. Once removed from the can, place the column on its side, slice into ¼-inch thick rounds and then arrange the slices on a serving platter.
Cranberry sauce can be served warm or cold, and is just a matter of personal preference. If homemade, many prefer to have it served fresh and warm, straight out of the pot, while others enjoy it cooled down to room temperature or even chilled.
Make ahead
You can make cranberry sauce up to 3 days before you plan to serve it. I always make my cranberry sauce at least one day in advance because I feel like the flavors have more time to develop as it sits in the fridge. Simply, allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Flavor variations
We really love this cranberry sauce as-is. It’s simple, but so tasty! However, if you’d like to change up the flavors, here are some options:
- Add more spices. Simmer with a cinnamon stick and/or add a few pinches of ground nutmeg and cloves.
- Juice. Substitute water with fresh orange juice, unsweetened cranberry juice or a cranberry juice blend.
- Boozy. Add 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier, bourbon, brandy, amaretto or scotch whiskey.
- Nuts. Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts after cooling.
- Fruit. Stir in diced apple or applesauce, cherries, crushed pineapple or diced pear.
- Maple syrup or honey. You can replace the sugar/stevia with 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey.
Leftover serving suggestions
No worries if you have leftover cranberry sauce. There are sooooo many great ways to enjoy it!
- Serve it over top of pancakes or waffles with a side of whipped cream. Yum!
- Spoon over baked or mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole.
- Use it as jam and spread it over toast or smear it with cream cheese over a bagel.
- Make sweet and savory leftover turkey sandwiches.
- Serve a scoop over the top of your favorite oatmeal.
- Make these delicious leftover turkey sliders.
- Add it to yogurt and granola and make a parfait.
- Serve warm over vanilla or pumpkin ice cream.
- Spoon over the top of cheesecake.
- Pour leftover sauce over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers.
Storing leftovers
- Refrigerator. Let your cranberry sauce cool completely. Then, add it to an airtight container where it can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
- Freezer. Once it is cooled, add it to an airtight container or a ziplock bag to be frozen. Lay flat if it is in a ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month in the freezer. When reheating, your sauce will not be as thick with the added water from being frozen. You can thicken it up by simmering for a few extra minutes. Thaw in the refrigerator over night before warming it up.
- Reheating. When you are ready to warm sauce, simply reheat it over medium heat in a pot or small pan. Simmering the sauce will help thicken it back up from being frozen.
More Thanksgiving recipes
Here are some of our family favorite holiday recipes. Hope you get to try one or more of them!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Healthy Cranberry Sauce {no added sugar}
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 oz) bag of fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons orange zest*
- 1/3 cup stevia that measures like sugar**, (or sugar or brown sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, (optional)
Instructions
- Combine cranberries, water, orange zest, and Stevia in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the mixture has thickened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use a fork or potato masher, if desired, to further mash up cranberries. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and cinnamon, if using.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. It will keep in the refrigerator in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I used sugar, but the 1/3 cup called for here is a fraction of what other recipes call for and it was wonderuflly tart. I substituted cardamon for cinnamon. Used the microplaned orange zest and gave it the full 10 minutes cooking. Would have used the vanilla but could not find my bottle and I struggle to think it would have been notably better with it. This is the forever recipe.
Thanks so much for your feedback! So happy you enjoyed!
How much dried orange peel could I use in place fresh orange zest?
How much of dried orange peel spice used I used to replace orange zest.
I’m not sure. I’ve never tried that. I would try googling to find out an equal ratio.
Would it be safe to water bath can this recipe?
For canning? I’m not sure. I’ve never cooked it like that.
When do I need to remove orange zest from my dish and what happens if you don’t. Is it a big deal or can I just leave it in. I do have the dry orange spice, but have never used it until now.
You do not need to remove the zest from the cranberry sauce. The note about removing the zest was for removing it from the actual orange to go into the recipe.
Instead of stevia would Splenda or equal give the same results ?
That should work as long as you’re calculating the amount of Stevia or Equal that is equivalent to the amount of sugar/stevia in this recipe.
Does this keep well frozen? If so, any idea how long in a mason jar?
It will keep well in the freezer. Pack it in an airtight container or freezer-safe plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. For best results, use the frozen cranberry sauce within a couple of months, and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
this was delicious and I loved that its healthier, my son is diabetic so I always look for recipes like this one
This is the best low sugar cranberry sauce recipe. The cinnamon with the orange zest makes it amazing. A must for the holidays.
Tried it for Thanksgiving and it was delish ! Had the leftovers for breakfast with toast . Now making it for Christmas Eve and used the orange juice instead of the zest. Thanks for this diabetic friendly recipe.
So happy to hear this, Yolanda! Thanks so much for your comment and happy holidays!
This was so yummy! Made for a Friendsgiving and I’ll be making again for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
How long would this keep for in a mason jar in the fridge? Sounds great, just don’t know how much to make at once…
I would say, close to 2 weeks.
This recipe was a hit in our household! I used 1/3 cup of regular sugar and it was great!
My dad is diabetic and this was perfect! Thank you!
This no added sugar version was an absolute winner! So good and easy too!
Can I substitute the Stevia with honey? What would be the measurement, the same?
Yes! I would use about 1/2 cup. Enjoy!
This cranberry sauce was delicious. I used Stevia and no one knew it was healthier. I will definitely make again!
Thank you! This was so good! Especially delicious served over vanilla ice cream and non fat Greek yogurt too!
Oh…. I love that idea! Adding it to the list! 😍