Honey Cranberry Sauce

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This Honey Cranberry Sauce is literally the easiest holiday side dish you can make. It’s naturally sweetened with honey to balance out the tart cranberries.

Cranberry Sauce with Honey in a white bowl with a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I thought I only liked canned cranberry sauce. I wouldn’t even try homemade versions because I was so convinced canned was better. Like, I’m talking about the jellied kind from the can. This cranberry sauce with honey has completely changed my mind!

I literally don’t know why I’ve never made homemade cranberry sauce until now. It’s so easy and so good! It has so much more flavor and tastes SO FRESH. It’s filled with fresh tart cranberries, honey to make it sweeter, orange zest for a pop of flavor, ground ginger, and cinnamon.

All you have to do is put it all in a pot with a little bit of water and let it simmer for 10 minutes. That’s it! The best part is that you can make it a few days in advance. This will save you time whether you’re cooking a Christmas meal or a Thanksgiving turkey dinner.

It’s not just for holidays either. Try it as a sandwich spread, mix it in some yogurt or oatmeal, or use it to make a fun new cocktail or mocktail.

Looking for more Thanksgiving Recipes? We have plenty! You’ll especially love this Cranberry Turkey Salad!

Ingredients

Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries both work in this recipe. If you’re using frozen cranberries, there’s no need to thaw them first. You may need to add a couple extra minutes to your cooking time.
Honey: To naturally sweeten the sauce. You can swap out for pure maple syrup if you prefer.
Water: Just a little bit of water to help soften the cranberries and give it a nice saucy texture.
Orange Zest: Some orange zest will brighten your cranberry sauce. You can leave this out, though it adds a nice flavor.
Ground Ginger and Cinnamon: I love adding ground ginger and cinnamon. It’s completely optional if you want to leave it out. The warming spices add an excellent depth of flavor.

*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.

How To Make Honey Cranberry Sauce

Combine the cranberries, honey, water, orange zest, ginger, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.
Lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, stirring often until the cranberries pop and burst, and the sauce starts to thicken.
Remove from heat. It will thicken more while it cools, so remove it just before your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the amount of honey, ginger, and cinnamon as desired.
Let it cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve it.

Honey Cranberry Sauce Ingredients in a small pot.

Cranberry Sauce with Honey in a pot with a white silicone spatula.

Expert Tip: Remove the cranberry sauce from the heat just before it reaches your desired consistency. It will continue to thicken as it cools at room temperature.

Variations

Orange cranberry sauce. Swap out the water for some fresh orange juice for a citrusy flavor. What better flavor pairing than cranberries and orange?
Swap out the sweetener. You can swap out the honey for pure maple syrup, brown sugar, or granulated white sugar.
Adjust the thickness. For a thinner sauce, don’t simmer it for as long. For a thicker sauce, simmer it for a couple extra minutes.
Smooth cranberry sauce. Like a smooth cranberry sauce? Once you remove it from the heat, use an immersion blender to puree it until smooth.
Make it vegan. To make this a vegan cranberry sauce, swap the honey for pure maple syrup or your preferred plant-based sweetener.

Serving Suggestions

Since fresh cranberries are in season throughout the fall, this cranberry sauce recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and Christmas.

The most popular way to serve cranberry sauce is as a side dish with your Thanksgiving turkey, but you can do so many other things with it! Leftover cranberry sauce is great for so many things.

For breakfast, stir it into yogurt, cottage cheese, or oatmeal. Or simply spread it on toast like you would a jam. It’s also great to use it as a sandwich spread on turkey sandwiches or as a pairing on your cheese board with brie and goat cheese.

A spoonful of honey cranberry sauce with the bowl of cranberry sauce in the background.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: Cranberry sauce is the perfect make-ahead holiday side dish! You can prepare it, then refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving.

To Store: Once it’s cooled a bit, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Be sure to leave about an inch of space at the top of the container for expansion. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Can I make it without honey?

Absolutely! Since cranberries are naturally very tart, you’ll still want to use some sweetener, like pure maple syrup or granulated sugar.

What if my cranberry sauce is too tart?

Once you remove it from the heat, carefully taste it and stir in more honey as needed. You’ll want to do this while it’s still warm so the honey will incorporate fully.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes! Frozen cranberries work well in cranberry sauce. There’s no need to thaw them first, just add a couple extra minutes to the cooking time, if needed.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

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