The Easiest Cranberry Sauce You’ll Ever Make

I originally published this recipe in 2022 and have updated recently with a few photos and a couple more tips.

Okay, confession time: for years, I have never liked the cranberry sauce that plops out of a can. Oh I know so many people love this kind of Cranberry Sauce. Not me! But last year at Thanksgiving, I decided to try making it from scratch. Believe me when I say This is The Easiest Cranberry Sauce You’ll Ever Make.

Homemade cranberry sauce feels like one of those small kitchen victories — and every time someone asks, “You made this yourself?” you can just smile and say, “YUP.”

Friends, it is so easy. Like, 15 minutes easy. And it tastes like the holidays bottled up — sweet, tart, and just the right amount of fancy.

There’s something magical about cranberry sauce. It’s that bright, ruby-red dish that lights up your Thanksgiving table — sweet, tart, and just a little bit nostalgic.

🫐 The 3-Ingredient Magic

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water (or orange juice)
• 1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries

That’s it. Really.

If you somehow have leftovers (rare, but it happens):

• Spread it on leftover turkey sandwiches
• Stir into yogurt or oatmeal
• Serve warm over cheesecake, pancakes

Basically, cranberry sauce deserves to be more than a once-a-year side dish.

This is one of those dishes that actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge. The flavors meld and mellow, so feel free to make it up to a week ahead. Just store it in a covered container.

Once you realize how simple it is, you might find yourself making it all winter long.

So go ahead — skip the can this year. You’ve got this. 💕 Scroll on down for the complete recipe and let me know what you think.