Cranberry sauce will always have a spot on our Thanksgiving table. Adding the welcoming sweet-tart flavor and gorgeous color to the mix of brown turkey and rich, savory sides makes the meal sing. With just 3 ingredients, you can make this homemade cranberry sauce ready in a snap. It’s so easy, you’ll never go back to canned. And…best news ever…it can be made ahead to take the pressure off the big day.

Classic Cranberry Sauce

sugar

water

You’ll want to cool your homemade cranberry sauce to room temperature first, as hot liquids can crack pretty serving dishes! After that, chilling it will not only help the cranberry sauce thicken and gel, but it preserves it as well. If you’re making it the same day, you can choose if you want it runnier or more set up, depending on how much time it gets in the refrigerator. Or you can make it in advance, which will let it gel as much as possible, and then either serve it cold, straight from the fridge, or at room temperature by taking it out of the fridge about 1/2 hour before serving!

Should homemade cranberry sauce be served cold?

Yes, it can, and it’s a perfect way to take the heat off preparing a big meal! Follow our <a href="https://www.bettycrocker.com/special-occasions/thanksgiving-recipes/cheat-sheet">Step by Step Guide</a> to pulling off a spectacular Thanksgiving meal.

Can easy cranberry sauce be made ahead?

Since fresh cranberries are only available for a short time, and can easily be frozen, be sure you have enough on hand for all your holiday needs! See <b>How Long Can Fresh Cranberries Be Stored?</b> above. Try them in any of these delicious holiday recipes <a href="https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cranberry-orange-pound-cake/30374ec7-b45a-4fae-a607-decd0525b803">Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake</a>, <a href="https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cranberry-sangria/e86b6f5e-6a7d-455a-9efb-ef004aa19a0e">Cranberry Sangría</a> or <a href="https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/extra-easy-cranberry-apple-pie/19583e11-1c42-4722-8d5b-94927964d765">Extra Easy Cranberry Apple Pie</a>. Add fresh cranberries to your centerpiece, fill a clear glass vase with them for festive decoration or string them, using a needle and thread, to add old-fashioned charm to your Christmas tree.

What Can I Do with Leftover Cranberries?

Place cranberries in a strainer; rinse with cool water. Remove any stems or blemished berries.

In 3-quart saucepan, heat sugar and water uncovered to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 5 minutes.

Stir in cranberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to pop. Cool uncovered to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pour into serving dish. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until thickened or 3 hours or until chilled.

classic cranberry sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total: 1 hours, 45 minutes

Servings: 16

Author : Betty Crocker Kitchens

Ingredients

Instructions

Top Similar Recipes from Across the Web