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Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Optional Nuts and Spices Recipe

4.7 from 89 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings, approximately 2 1/4 cups 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This classic homemade cranberry sauce is a simple and delicious accompaniment, perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday meal. Made with fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water, it can be customized with nuts, citrus zest, dried fruits, or warm spices to suit your taste. Ready in just 20 minutes, this sauce is easy to prepare ahead and pairs beautifully with turkey and other festive dishes.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Basic Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • 4 cups (12 oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries

Optional Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • Pinch or two of orange zest
  • Raisins
  • Currants
  • Blueberries
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Allspice

Instructions

  1. Rinse the Cranberries: Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold water. Pick out and discard any damaged or bruised berries to ensure a fresh and clean sauce.
  2. Boil Water and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Place the pot over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to fully dissolve the sugar.
  3. Cook the Cranberries: Add the rinsed cranberries to the boiling sugar water. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Cook until most of the cranberries have burst, releasing their natural pectin and thickening the sauce.
  4. Add Optional Ingredients: Once the cranberries have burst, you can serve the sauce as is or enhance it by mixing in optional add-ins like chopped pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, or a pinch of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice. Adjust the quantity of spices to your preference.
  5. Cool and Chill: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool completely at room temperature. Then transfer it to a bowl or container and refrigerate to chill. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, achieving the perfect texture for serving.

Notes

  • This homemade cranberry sauce is a classic and essential side for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.
  • It can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for several days.
  • You can customize the sauce with fruits and spices to match your taste preferences.
  • The sauce thickens further as it cools; keep this in mind when cooking and chilling.
  • Using fresh or frozen cranberries both work well for this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 cup
  • Calories: 103 kcal
  • Sugar: 24 g
  • Sodium: 2 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 27 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/homemade-cranberry-sauce-with-optional-nuts-and-spices-recipe/