This homemade cranberry sauce is made with fresh cranberries, sugar, crushed pineapple and walnuts, and it cooks on the stove in about 35 minutes. Since it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, you can make it well before Thanksgiving and have one less thing to do that day.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Serves: 4 people

Main Ingredients: bag of fresh cranberries, canned or fresh pineapple (reserve juice and use remaining pineapple later), sugar, walnuts, lemon juice

Why You'll Love It: This homemade cranberry sauce is so easy and fun to make. With pineapple as the sweet compliment to the tart cranberries, this holiday side aims to impress.

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I love this homemade cranberry sauce recipe and it’s such a colorful addition to any Thanksgiving table. I might be biased, but I think it tastes so much better than store-bought sauce and it’s so easy to make. Trust me, you’ll whip this up quick as a flash and it’s sure to impress.

Now, most homemade cranberry sauce recipes include orange or orange juice. But my recipe includes pineapple instead. I think the sweet and juicy pineapple balances out the tart cranberries to make a sauce that’s fresh, zingy, and to die for. My classic cranberry sauce also features walnuts for that extra crunch and texture, and pecans work just as well if that’s what you keep in the pantry.

While fresh cranberry sauce, turkey breast, and mashed potato are the classic Thanksgiving dinner combo, this sauce is so versatile (another reason to love it). I’ve included some suggestions below about ways to use leftover cranberry sauce, but you can go down the sweet or savory road. Serve it over pancakes the next day or alongside some baked ham.

Recipe Ingredients

Sugar
Cranberries
Walnuts
Crushed pineapple
Lemon juice

How to Make My Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe

First, you need to drain the pineapple juice into a cup and add enough water to make one cup of juice.

Then place cranberries in a medium to large saucepot.

Add pineapple juice/water.

Sugar is next.

Stir that up and bring it to a boil, stirring every now and then.

Continue boiling until all of the berries are popped and the mixture is thickened.

You may actually hear them pop, which is pretty cool and impresses kids.

Once all of the berries are popped, remove from heat and add all other ingredients (including lemon juice).

Remember, if you’d rather not add nuts that’s fine, too!

Ooh yum!

Pour your homemade cranberry sauce into a bowl and allow it to cool.

You’ll know your sauce is ready to serve because the mixture will thicken and resemble store-bought cranberry cause in texture. However, it will obviously be much more impressive in taste because YOU made it!

Storage

Your sauce leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, so you can enjoy them again and again!
You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Notes

The walnuts are optional. Feel free to substitute pecans or pine nuts, or leave the nuts out altogether if you like.
Now, you could use fresh-cut pineapple if you can find it and it’s stored with the juices or you surely can buy a pineapple and juice some of it to use in this recipe. If you have those means, do whatever cranks your trailer.
Here are some other additions you can add at the end of the recipe alongside the pineapple and walnuts: lemon zest or orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, or a dash of cinnamon.
For a spiced cranberry sauce, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and allspice, and then 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger and clove.
If you want to make a sugar-free cranberry sauce, you can substitute the sugar for Splenda or another alternative.
I used fresh cranberries in my sauce, but you can also use the same amount of frozen cranberries.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this cranberry sauce recipe in advance?

This is one of the easiest dishes to get ahead on. This sauce will last in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and tastes best when it’s had time to cool and thicken. So I recommend making it at least the night before, if not earlier.

What can I do with leftover cranberry sauce?

The options are basically endless when it comes to leftover cranberry sauce. First, spread it on sandwiches with leftover baked ham or turkey breast. Alternatively, make a grilled cheese sandwich with the sauce, turkey, and brie.

Otherwise, use it like jam and spread it on scones or French toast. You could also drizzle it over ice cream, pound cake, or pancakes. I told you the options are endless!

What’s the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish?

People often ask how cranberry sauce is different from cranberry relish. The fact of the matter is the sauce tends to be sweeter because it’s cooked, while cranberry relish is still tasty, just not quite as sweet and it also is not cooked.