Making your own homemade canned cranberry sauce is surprisingly easy, and the end result is far tastier than anything you can buy off the shelf.
Whether you're using it to glaze a ham, top a cheesecake, or stir into your morning oatmeal, homemade cranberry sauce is a pantry staple that's well worth the investment of time and effort. So, why not get started today?
Homemade Cranberry Sauce is the perfect side dish for the upcoming holiday season. It is one of the easiest canning recipes a beginner canner can start with.
Disclosure: This Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe and post has been sponsored by Newell Brands, makers of Ball® Fresh Preserving Products. All opinions are my own.
If you're looking for a versatile ingredient that can add a burst of flavor to almost any dish, look no further than fresh cranberries.
These tart little berries are packed with a unique taste that pairs well with both sweet and savory flavors. And the best part?
With our homemade cranberry sauce recipe, you can easily stock your pantry with this delicious ingredient all year round!
Serve it alongside your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. My Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete if I didn't serve cranberry sauce. It is one of those family traditions that I have passed down to my children.
I found this very easy canned homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe in the Ball® Canning Back to Basics cookbook.
As soon as I saw how easy to make this homemade cranberry sauce recipe was I knew I would be stocking my pantry this Fall with a few canned jars of homemade cranberry sauce.
If you have ever wondered how to can homemade jellied cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries then this easy homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe is for you.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe
This easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe is made with only 3 ingredients. Fresh cranberries, sugar and water.
This is a small batch homemade cranberry sauce recipe that you can process and eat all year long or you could make a batch for you Thanksgiving dinner if you don't want to can the cranberry sauce.
It is so easy to make.
All you do is prepare the cranberries, run them through a food mill or I use the (affiliate link) Ball® freshTECH HarvestPro™ Sauce Maker to remove the cranberry peels and seeds like I did.
I love the Ball® freshTECH HarvestPro™ Sauce Maker. It makes canning recipes like this homemade Cranberry Sauce so easy. It comes in very handy when you are making salsa recipes like my Roasted Tomato Tomatillo Salsa (which won the 2016 Ball Can It Forward recipe contest.
If you are a hardcore canner like I am then put the Ball® freshTECH HarvestPro™ Sauce Maker on your Christmas gift list.
Anyone who loves canning salsa, tomato sauce and this homemade cranberry sauce recipe will jump for joy the first time they use it and see how easy it is puree fruits and vegetables while canning. It will cut hours off a day of canning.
Easy Holiday Hostess Gift Idea
With the holiday season fast approaching this homemade cranberry sauce recipe is perfect for gift giving or the perfect hostess gift during the holidays.
Imagine the delight when you show up with a jar of freshly canned homemade cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with family and friends.
For more information on canning, Ball brand canning products and the Ball® Collection Elite® 16 oz. Sharing Jar, visit the Ball® Fresh Preserving website.
*Recipe can be found in the Ball® Canning Back to Basics Book (Time Inc. Books, 2017)
Makes about 4 (½ pint) jars or 2 (1-pint jars)
Got leftover turkey? Make these amazing Turkey Sliders and top them with this homemade canned cranberry sauce.
How To Make Low Sugar Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups fresh cranberries ( I used almost 2 bags of fresh cranberries)
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 2 cups sugar
Directions
- Rinse the cranberries well under cold running water; drain.
- Discard any crushed or bruised cranberries.
- Combine the cranberries and water in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Boil over medium-high until the skins begin to split. Puree the mixture using a food mill or food strainer to remove peels and seeds; discard solids. Return the mixture to large saucepan.
- Add the sugar to the cranberry mixture, and cook over medium-high, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil the mixture almost to the gelling point (220 F.)
- Ladle the hot cranberry sauce into a hot jar, leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Process the jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove the lid and let the jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
Basic Canning Supplies Needed
You will need some basic canning supplies to make this recipe. I use the canning supplies below every single time I am canning.
- half-pint canning jars with new lids. This is one of my favorite jars.
- a large heavy-bottomed canning pot to cook the peach butter in. I used this 8-quart stainless steel pot with a lid. Any size smaller pot is not recommended. This canning recipe will boil over in a smaller pot.
- I used a wide-mouth funnel
- I use this canning scoop for filling the jars with hot preserves.
- Ball Canning Utensil Kit: I always use the lid wand and Bubble Remover and Headspace Tool is a must-have. I don't like the jar lifter but it is fine for the beginning canner.
- Ball Secure-Grip Jar Lifter is a heavy-duty jar lifter that I feel is safer.
- Water Bath Canner: If you are just starting out with canning you will need the Ball Enamel Water Bath Canner or a similar-sized pot with a rack to hot water bath can your fruit preserves.
- Ball Electric Canner: For more advanced canner who love the convenience of an electric canning pot. Or if you have a glass top stove and can not hot water bath can on it the Ball Electric Canner is perfect. This canning appliance has changed my life. It is an investment but well worth it if you can every year.
- Flour Sack Towels: These are not needed but I use them every day in my kitchen and put my jars on them on my counter when canning.
More canning recipes
Print the Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe below
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups fresh cranberries (I used almost 2 bags of fresh cranberries)
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries well under cold running water; drain. Discard any crushed or bruised cranberries.
- Combine the cranberries and water in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.Boil over medium-high until the skins begin to split. Puree the mixture using a food mill or food strainer to remove peels and seeds; discard solids. Return the mixture to large saucepan.
- Add the sugar to the cranberry mixture, and cook over medium-high, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil the mixture almost to the gelling point (220 F.)
- Ladle the hot cranberry sauce into a hot jar, leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove airbubbles. Wipe the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Process the jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove the lid and let the jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Recipe can be found in the Ball® Canning Back to Basics Book (Time Inc. Books, 2017)
- Makes about 4 (½ pint) jars or 2 (1-pint jars)
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
I love this because it is so simple. Lovely lovely cranberries are so delicious and don't really need jazzing up with spices and other flavours. Perfect get ahead for Christmas recipe.
Arlene Mobley
Thank you so much Helen sometime the simplest recipes are the best.
Denise Wright
I have never heard of this sauce maker. I'm so excited because my husband has really been getting into canning with all of his garden goodies. This will be so nice for his homemade salsa. Now I know what to get them for Christmas! Your cranberry sauce looks beautiful and delicious also.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Homemade cranberry sauce is the best. I never could figure out what the big deal was....till I made it for the first time...and have NEVER bought it again. That was YEARS ago!! Your recipe looks delicious.
Arlene Mobley
Gloria
There is really no comparison to the store bought version. Homemade is always the best. Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
I love homemade cranberry sauce. Use to make it in the US in fall. Here I have to rely on frozen or dried cranberries which aren't the same..! I love the deep color you have on this sauce. Looks so pretty. This is a great post. Glad to know the donations will help many in need especially after all that recent devastation.
Arlene Mobley
Veena thank you. Sorry you can't get fresh cranberries anymore. I love that Ball canning gives back to the community!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
I used to can just about everything. Soups, fruits, veggies. sauces, broth, jellies. But I did not do cranberry sauce. It looks delicious and you make it look very easy. I miss canning and having fresh flavorful goodies in jars. When I was canning it was a long process and couldn't wait to see it end. Now I miss it.
Arlene Mobley
Marisa
You should get back to canning again. It can be a long process but it is so worth the effort.