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Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce simmers fresh cranberries with sugar, water, and salt until most berries burst and the sauce thickens. It sets up further as it cools, making it easy to prepare ahead.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 116
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bag (12 oz) cranberries fresh, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 cup sugar granulated
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 0.125 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 2-quart saucepan

Method
 

  1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
  4. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
  6. Let the sauce cool for at least 30 minutes; it will thicken further as it cools.

Notes

For the best texture, let the sauce cool completely so it can thicken further. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 10 days; it freezes well for up to 3 months. For a lower-sugar option, replace some of the granulated sugar with a suitable sugar substitute.