Wondering how to make fresh Cranberry Sauce? This easy recipe has only 7 ingredients –cranberries, dried apricots, currants, ginger, orange zest, honey, and water. Better yet? This deliciously tart cranberry sauce is naturally gluten-free!
Each fall, when I see fresh cranberries in the grocery store, I know fall is upon us. My boys love cranberry sauce and love this special recipe that I make for them with dried fruit.
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cranberries
- 1½ cups water
- ½ cup dried apricots, cut into quarters
- ¼ cup currants
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- ¼ teaspoon ginger zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Place cranberries and water in pot
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes
- Add apricots and currants, simmer for 5 minutes
- Add honey, orange and ginger zest and simmer 5 minutes
- Serve
Now you know how to make fresh cranberry sauce. You can add another recipe to your gluten-free condiment repertoire by making this quick and easy recipe. Serve this healthy dish as a snack or over turkey!
Here are some of my other healthy Paleo recipes that use cranberries:
Meredith says
My family has been doing a similar cranberry recipe for years that’s maybe a little brighter, with a nice zesty tang from the apples and orange juice:
1 apple, diced small
12 oz (1 package) fresh cranberries
3/4 cups orange juice
1/2 cup golden rasins
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey
zest of 1 orange
nutmeg & cinnamon to taste
simmer all for 45 minutes, or until cranberries have burst and apples have softened into the mixture.
Gail Marcus says
Hi Elana,
I love your blog and have used several of your recipes, since my boyfriend doesn’t eat glutens. I’d like to make this cranberry sauce for my Hanukkah dinner. How many does it serve. There will be about 25 of us. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Gail
Michele says
Gail – Elana doesn’t answer comments any more but I thought I’d give you my input. This recipe makes about 2 1/4 of cranberry sauce. For 25 people I’d make at least three batches. It will last about a week so or you could freeze the leftovers. It would be yummy over cream cheese too or on top of oatmeal.
Vee says
I made the cranberry sauce yesterday, it was really good, a little tart though, I may add a little more agave nectar next time to cut some of the tartness. I will definitely make it again.
Patsy says
Vee,
I read your comment, and thought I would just chime in ……. if something is a bit too tart, vinegary, or acidic, try stirring in about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon baking soda. It might sound weird, but it really does work to soften the acidity of sauces on your palate. Something about what the soda does to the pH level of foods. Try it, before adding more sweetness to the recipe.
Barbara says
Okay, so I checked it again and when I told it to print, it left out the orange zest from the recipe.
Barbara says
I just finished making this and I really like it. When I printed out the recipe on 11/15, for some reason, the orange zest did not print, but I do see it online. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving to try it with the turkey.
Joelle says
I am curious about the ginger zest too, and also what if I cannot find currants in my area?
Laura says
Love this cranberry sauce! It’s not so syrupy sweet and I feel good about serving it….a lot! Just ate some on a yummy pile of quinoa. Thanks….again!
Rachel says
This is probably something I should know but don’t – what is ginger zest? I’ve never hear of it and to me zest is always related to citrus. I’m looking for a good cranberry sauce recipe so now I just need to know what ginger zest is. Thanks.
Rachel
~M says
This was excellent! I added a total of 4 Tbsp of agave, since my family likes it sweet (and my dad still added further sweetener). I could see this being a great topping to chicken, turkey, brisket, salads, grapefruit, smoothies, chocolate cake, cheesecake, etc. :) I especially liked the stewed apricot bits (my husband even ate the apricot bits and he dislikes apricots) and may try making the two of us a batch with more apricots so I can cut back to 2 Tbsp of agave.
elana says
B,
You are welcome :-)
Elana
B says
I tried out your cranberry sauce. It was really great. Thanks for posting it.
elana says
Kate,
You are welcome and so glad you liked it. This recipe is a favorite in my house.
Happy Holidays!
Elana
Kate says
Elana thank you again for another wonderful holiday recipe. I made your honey cake for Rosh Hashanah and I made your cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. It was amazing! I was nervous-this was my first attempt at making cranberry sauce from scratch. It was so easy and delicious. This is definitely a new Thanksgiving staple. Thanks Elana and Happy Holidays!