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Our Instant Pot cranberry sauce is gently sophisticated but still widely popular, with hints of orange, apple, and spice. It’s ready in minutes, or you can simmer it on the stovetop if you prefer. Make it way in advance if you like. Refined sugar-free option.
Why we love this recipe
Real talk: I’m not sure cranberry sauce will never be anyone’s favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. As a Jersey girl, though, I have a certain innate respect for cranberries — and this well-balanced recipe really helps them shine. It’s:
- Just sophisticated enough, with hints of orange, apple, cinnamon, ginger, and clove that complement but don’t overwhelm the cranberries
- Bright, tart, and not too sweet (but you can make it sweeter if you prefer)
- Ready in just a few minutes in the Instant Pot, or in under an hour on the stovetop
- Flexible: make it with honey or maple syrup if you prefer to avoid refined sugar
- Super make-ahead and freezer-friendly
I originally published this post here in 2009, with an adaptation of Williams-Sonoma cranberry chutney. We’ve long since preferred this updated version of cranberry sauce, but if you are looking for the original recipe, you can scroll below the recipe card at the bottom of the post. The cookbook from which it came is long since out of print, so I’ve taken the liberty of including a photo of the WS recipe.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make a great batch of homemade cranberry sauce.
- Fresh cranberries are widely available in the fall. They should be very firm and plump.
- A navel orange provides both the zest and freshly squeezed juice you’ll need
- Apple cider adds a mellow depth and sweetness
- I like to use regular sugar because it lets the other flavors shine through. But if you prefer to avoid refined sugar, you can use honey or maple syrup instead.
- Fresh ginger is nice in this recipe, but you can substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger if that’s what you’ve got.
How to make it
Here’s what you’ll to do make Instant Pot cranberry sauce. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get the details in the recipe card below.
- Use a microplane to zest the orange.
- Cut the orange half and juice it. No need to remove the pulp. You should have roughly 1/2 cup of juice. If you have a lot less, either squeeze some juice from another orange or add a little extra apple cider to compensate.
- Place all the ingredients in a 6-quart Instant Pot or a medium pot. See the recipe card below for easy, detailed instructions for each cooking method.
- Simmer until thickened, keeping in mind that the sauce will thicken more as it cools. Cool to room temperature before serving.
Expert tips and FAQs
Yes! You can make this cranberry sauce up to a week in advance and keep it in the fridge, or up to a year in advance and freeze it.
Store leftovers in the same way!
This recipe makes a fairly tart cranberry sauce.
If you would like to make it sweeter, you can add additional sugar. Cool a small spoonful after simmering, taste, and stir in more sugar (from 1/4 to 1/2 cup) if you like. We never do this, but we like things on the tart side.
If you prefer to avoid refined sugar, you can substitute an equal measure of mild-tasting honey or maple syrup for the sugar in this recipe. It will change the taste, but if you like the taste of those ingredients, you’ll probably like the result.
We prefer to use regular sugar to let the flavors of the other ingredients shine through.
More Thanksgiving classics
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- Zest of 1 medium navel orange
- Juice of 1 medium navel orange, about 1/2 cup
- ½ cup apple cider
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ½ cup sugar, see note
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Use a microplane to zest the orange.
- Cut the orange in half and juice it. You should end up with somewhere around 1/2 cup of orange juice. A little more or less is 100% fine. If it’s a lot less, add more juice from another orange or — if you don’t have one — add a little more apple cider than called for.
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions- Place all the ingredients into a 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Position the lid and set the vent to sealing.
- Cook on manual, high pressure, for 3 minutes. The pot will take 10 minutes or so to come up to pressure, during which time you’ll see some steam escaping.
- When the cooking time ends, carefully perform a manual pressure release.
- Open the lid. Cancel the keep-warm function and then press the sauté button. Cook, stirring frequently, for just a few minutes, until the sauce is a little bit thicker. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Cool to room temperature before serving.
- Stovetop Cooking Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a medium pot with a heavy bottom.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring from time to time, until cranberries have burst, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Uncover and simmer until thickened, keeping in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- This recipe makes a fairly tart cranberry sauce. If you would like to make it sweeter, you can add additional sugar. Cool a small spoonful after simmering, taste, and stir in more sugar (from 1/4 to 1/2 cup) if you like. We never do this, but we like things on the tart side.
- If you prefer to avoid refined sugar, you can substitute an equal measure of mild-tasting honey or maple syrup for the sugar in this recipe. It will change the taste, but if you like the taste of those ingredients, you’ll probably like the result. We prefer to use regular sugar to let the flavors of the other ingredients shine through.
- You can definitely make this recipe in advance — well in advance if you like. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for up to a year.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The Williams-Sonoma cranberry chutney recipe
For those of you who have asked about the original recipe that was posted on this page, here you go. I don’t remember whether I made any major adaptations, but this was the original source.
What happened to the recipe for your Spiced Cranberry Chutney? I’ve been making that version for years and it’s a hands-down favorite at my house and work potlucks. Thankfully I have a printed copy, but was sad to not be able to find it online to share the link.
Sorry, Elizabeth. I wasn’t enjoying that recipe anymore, so I wanted to share the one that we’ve been using and loving here for a while now. It retains the sophisticated flavors of the original but I find is more widely liked. Glad you have a printed copy, and I’m happy to hear that your crowd likes the original.
Hi Elizabeth, I updated the bottom of this post to include a photo of the out-of-print WS cookbook page with the original recipe. I can’t remember what adaptations I made if any, but maybe this will help you share it.
I have been making this Chutney for years. My daughter gives small jars of this special cranberry chutney to neighbors and co-workers. I use sterilized jars and lids. It keeps forever!