Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
This naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is made simply with fresh cranberries, honey or maple syrup and orange zest! It's ready in 10 minutes.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Let’s talk about cranberry sauce! It’s the neglected, afterthought condiment of Thanksgiving, but no holiday table is complete without it. Cranberry sauce adds a very necessary burst of sweet-tart flavor and ruby red color to an otherwise beige meal.
This naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is much prettier than store-bought, not to mention extra delicious thanks to the honey or maple syrup.
Plus, this homemade cranberry sauce couldn’t be easier to make. It’s ready in about 10 minutes. If you need a quick and easy Friendsgiving option, sign up for the cranberry sauce!
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cranberry sauce recipe:
- 1 bag of fresh cranberries
- Honey or maple syrup
- Water
- Zest from one orange, or orange juice
…and a pot to cook it in. That’s it.
Watch How to Make Cranberry Sauce
Naturally Sweetened vs. Conventional Cranberry Sauce
There is something fantastically retro about a gelatinous, shimmering cylinder of canned cranberry sauce on a plate. I’ve always wondered when we started buying cans of cranberry sauce instead of making it themselves. Did we experience a fresh cranberry shortage in the 50s? Maybe fresh cranberries weren’t readily available back then?
Fortunately for us modern Americans, grocery stores are overflowing with cranberries this season. I picked up a can of cranberry sauce at the grocery store recently and glanced at the list—cranberries, followed by high fructose corn syrup, and that’s about it. High fructose corn syrup is heavily processed, flavorless sweet stuff that I try to avoid, and I know you all do, too.
Most homemade versions call for about a cup of white sugar. Today, I thought I would offer you a more nutritionally redeeming, naturally sweetened option that calls for 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup.
Uses for Leftover Cranberry Sauce
- Swirl leftover sauce into yogurt with granola.
- Dollop it into your oatmeal (like this).
- Spread it onto toast topped with almond butter or goat cheese (like this).
- Basically, treat it like jam.
Please let me know how this cranberry sauce turns out for you in the comments. If you have any other fun ways to use up your leftover sauce, I’ll add them to the list.
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my roundup here.
Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
This naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is made simply with fresh cranberries, honey or maple syrup and orange zest! It’s easy to make and tastes amazing, too. Recipe yields about 2 cups cranberry sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (1 bag) fresh cranberries
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- Zest of 1 medium orange*, preferably organic (about 1 teaspoon)
- Truly optional add-ins: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and/or ¼ cup fresh orange juice
Instructions
- First, rinse the cranberries well and drain off excess water. Pick through the cranberries and discard any squishy ones.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, honey and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the mixture has thickened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in the orange zest. If you’d like to add cinnamon or orange juice, add it now. Taste and, if the mixture is too tart (keeping in mind that cranberry sauce is supposed to be a little tart!), add more orange juice, honey or maple syrup to taste.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. It will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my cranberry crostini.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Prepare in advance: You can make this sauce up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then let it warm to room temperature before serving.
*How to remove zest: I use a Microplane grater (affiliate link), which easily removes the zest. You could also use the fine holes of your box grater. If you want to simplify, skip the zest and stir in ¼ cup orange juice instead.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this today and it is absolutely divine!!! I made it with local honey. It is going to be filed in my Thanksgiving dinner recipes and part of the annual tradition. My husband loved it too! I have a small lime tree and I used lime zest from one of my fresh limes and cinnamon as add ins. Thank you so much for this recipe!
That is great! Fresh lime sounds wonderful :) Thank you for sharing, Jennifer!
Can this be frozen and made ahead of time?
I haven’t tried freezing all of my recipes so I can’t speak to this one specifically. But if you try it, let me know how it goes.
This is my second year making this. DELICIOUS! I eat most of it. I make it a few days in advance. My whole family enjoys it. Thank you!
That’s great, Bev! You are welcome. Thanks so much for your review :)
I really look forward to trying this recipe for Thanksgiving. Looking at the comments made me feel more confident. I also appreciated some of the added comments, such as why you don’t use agave (I had considered substituting). Thanks, nothing beats healthy and easy!!
I am happy you think so, Marti! Enjoy :)
I am going to try this tomorrow! Googled making cranberry sauce with no sugar and found you! I am trying to not buy things that have high fructose corn syrup in them and both jellied and whole berry canned sauce does(and also trying to back off of sugar)! My fam likes the jellied kind and I did buy a can for them but I will be eating this made with honey!
Will deff check out your other recipes!
And cool story about meeting Jennifer Garner in the elevator! She was great in her last movie about the little girl who was healed of a disease when she fell into a tree!
Let me know how it went! I am happy you came across this recipe. :)
great recipe! Sweet and tart and no sugar!
Happy you liked it, Barb! Thanks so much for the review.
Hello Kate, Thank you for the cranberry sauce recipe. I cant’t eat seeds and was wondering the best way to strain the cranberries so that i dont end up with all if those seeds. Thank you! I’m a big fan of yours snd love all of your recipes! Say hello to Cookie!
Hi Joanne! I’m sorry for the delayed response. That’s an interesting question and I googled the answer—one resource suggests that you can remove the seeds by slicing the cranberries in half and flushing with water. I haven’t tried this myself, but it sounds promising. Hope this helps.
Loved it! Quick Healthy and Tasty. Decided to make this while my husband was carving the Turkey.
That’s great to hear! Thank you, Marta for your comment and star review.
Oh such a delectable recipe. Just made it as the fresh cranberries were feeling left out of the holiday festivities…
I did not want to use sugar, so the honey & a splash of maple syrup, along with the bit of cinnamon & orange….well delicious! and it tasted so good when I drizzled it over coconut crisps! Heaven!
Thank you!! Love your recipes!
Cheers
Sounds wonderful! Thank you, Sheila. :) I appreciate your comment and review.
I will never buy cranberry sauce again. This is delicious and effortless to make, plus no processed sugar. The honey and orange zest with it are perfect!
That is what I like to hear! Thank you for your review.
Excellent recipie! turned out delicious. Very healthy ingredients, no sugar added. Thanks.
You are welcome! Thank you, for your review.
Thanks Kate. I made it and it’s my first attempt for any sauce or jam. It turned out well.
Wonderful!
Hello, my husband bought a packet cranberries and being first time we didn’t expect it to be horibbly sour. Its almost eye balls popping when we ate. And thats it..it was kept away in fridge for 2 months. Not wanting to waste it as it very expansive here in Singapore, i decided to do jam out of it and thank god i found your recipe. I made it and it turns to be really delicious. I added 3 tablespoons of honey and 1 spoon of palm sugar to sweetened it.
I’m glad you were able to use it and that it turned out well for you, Leena! Thanks so much for the review.
This comes out great with fresh or frozen cranberries. Can I freeze half of it?
Hi Nancy! I don’t freeze all my recipes, but you can see what other readers have tried. Thanks for your review!
I just took it off the heat and it is already delicious. Love that it is not over-sweet.
Thank you for sharing, Patsy!
Is it safe to leave the cranberry
Sauce out of the frig over night?
t
This sauced keeps well, refrigerated, for up to a few weeks! I personally wouldn’t leave it out overnight.
Thank you for giving a white sugar free recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
I have guests who prefer a smoother texture of cranberry and for them i always get the canned stuff. Any suggestions on the way way to soften it up- puréed?
Thanks again!
You can blend it some more if you like! Enjoy, colleen!
The best way to make smooth sauce is while it’s warm, pour it through a tightly weaved metal colander with a glass bowel underneath. Press with the back of a spoon or silicone spatula. Then refrigerate the bowl and it will gel similar to the canned variety but taste so much better. I sometimes make 2 batches during the holidays to satisfy everyone’s texture preferences.
I love this recipe. I have been known to eat a spoonful straight from the bowl.
I’m guilty as well! Thanks, Emily for sharing.
I found this to be very bitter. Did I cook it too long?
It depends. It also could be your variety of cranberries or might need to adjust the taste. If the mixture is too tart (keeping in mind that cranberry sauce is supposed to be a little tart!), add more orange juice, honey or maple syrup to taste. That might help!
I love your recipes! I’m not a huge lover of orange flavoring… do I have to include the orange zest? And/or why do we put orange in cranberry sauces generally? I doubt that I can even taste it and am sure I’ve had cranberry sauce with orange before, but figured I’d ask!
Great question! The orange helps to balance the flavor of the cranberry and adds a little extra to it. I love it in there! It isn’t over powering, but you can always adjust to taste.
Super easy and delicious!!! Prepping for a large thanksgiving party.
Wonderful! Thanks, Rachel for your review. :)
Is this something that I may freeze and thaw at a later date?
I don’t freeze all my recipes but you can see what other readers have tried! I would think this would freeze well.
Regarding the brussell sprouts recipe. You don’t indicate non-sweetened dried cranberries, which are much harder to find than sweetened ones. Please confirm which you use. Thanks.
Heating up honey to high temperatures – especially to boiling point – destroys its nutritional benefits!
Whatever is easiest for you to find! You may want to adjust the maple to your own taste depending on what you use. Thanks, Harriet!
Outstanding! I added the optional freshly squeezed orange juice and the cinnamon plus just a bit more honey. Thank you for a simple but company worthy recipe.
Thank you, Jo Ann!
Hi Kate
I will be making this for the first time. I have two questions:
Do you think one version, honey or maple syrup, will appeal more to our group as a whole?
Also if I want to double or triple the recipe would I double or triple all of the ingredients?
Thanks!
Robert
Hi Robert! Great questions. I don’t think you could go wrong either way. If it was me, I would make it with honey. But both taste great! As for the increased quantity, you will want to maintain the ratios. I haven’t increased the recipe size like that, but make sure you have a large enough pot and adjust your cooking times as needed. Keep a close eye. Let me know what you think!
Thank you for this recipe, it’s wonderful! We love having leftovers so I always double cranberry sauce recipes and this one doubled perfectly in a 4 quart pan. I’ve been meaning to try making it with orange zest but was afraid to because I didn’t want it to overpower the cranberry flavor (I usually add 2 peeled, chopped apples). I measured the zest slightly under 2 teaspoons and I’m glad I did. If I had just zested 2 oranges, it would have been too much. It’s tasty with maple syrup, the added cinnamon, along with a pinch of Himalayan salt and a little grated nutmeg.
In using honey instead of sugar in cranberry sauce will it be thick as if you used sugar? I always thought sugar thickened it. Please reply and with any other tips. THANKS. SANDY
The cooking on the stove actually helps it to thicken up. Hope this helps!
Just made your cranberry sauce. Yummy! In the past I made it with sugar, but my guy has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, so sugar is out. I tried another recipe last year and it was edible, but not great. Your recipe is simple and awesome. Thanks.
I’m really glad this recipe works for you!
great recipe! I used 1/4 cup of fresh grapefruit juice. It turned out good
Thanks for sharing, Chip!
Made this- I added a pinch of Allspice and cinnamon. My teenager says it is yummy and not too sweet! :-) Hopefully, the rest of the family wont notice that it has no sugar!
Thanks for sharing! I always love cinnamon. :)
Just made this for Thanksgiving tomorrow and my family couldn’t stop sneaking spoonfuls of it so now i have make another batch!!! Seriously so delicious!
Love that, Holly!
Just made this in no time flat & it’s delicious!!
Thanks for the use of natural honey not white sugar!! Will taste even better tomorrow!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you!
what?! this was so easy and is so delicious! i almost feel guilty for volunteering to bring it to thanksgiving, it was so easy. I guess I thought it would be much more involved. Regardless, I love love love it! thank you!
I’m glad you love it! Sometimes easy is just what you need. Thanks for the review, Laura!
Made it! My girls don’t eat sugar yet, so I was looking for cranberry sauce with an alternative sweetener. It’s even better this way. The flavor of the cranberries shines through without being dulled by sugar. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Anna!
Kate, your recipes always are amazing! I made this tonight to bring to a friends for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Taste tested it! Wow! Amazing!! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
You’re welcome, David! I’m glad you love this sauce.
Just wanted to drop by and let you know this has been my go-to cranberry sauce recipe for 3 years now. This year my mom specifically requested I make it haha. Winner!
Love that, Samantha! I appreciate you stopping to let me know. Thanks for the review!
Fabulous! I used maple syrup and it’s divine. My new favorite.
Thank you, Scott!
The naturally sweeten cranberry sauce is a great recipe I make the day before Thanksgiving. I’m going to be using this particular recipe for my go to for cranberry sauce henceforth.
Great!
Hi, This was my first time ever making cranberry sauce. I hate the canned stuff because to me it always tastes like metal. I made this using 1/4 cup each of honey and maple syrup. Came out great and tastes amazing!! I was so excited by the cooking process and watching the cranberries swell and pop, lol. Just like a kid!! Thanks so much!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you tried it, Kelly. Thanks so much for the review.
Yum! I am planning to make this tomorrow. Do I use less maple syrup since it is sweeter than honey?
Hi Michelle! You can use the same amount unless you want to add it to taste. I don’t find maple syrup sweeter than honey so I usually use equal amounts.
Made this the last couple years now, always comes out a perfect balance of just sweet enough! Love that there’s not more sugar than there needs to be. (I usually include the orange juice but not the zest because I don’t want it to be too orange-y). Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Lisa!
What size bag of cranberries?
Hi! You need 12 ounces for this recipe.
Turned out absolutely perfect. I used half maple syrup and half honey, added the orange zest and juice of the orange.
I’m glad you loved it, Connie!
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and it was DELICIOUS!! I used maple syrup rather than honey. It was slightly tart with a nice sweetness, finished w the taste of orange. It was a huge hit.
I’m glad you loved it, Frances!
I don’t think it was as much a lack of fresh cranberries as it was more this odd focus on “food of the future” and space age kinda stuff. I remember reading something about the idea of getting food in a pill form. Hey, I’m with you, I like my real food, but just wanted to mention that it was a weird trend. Much like the idea of wearing leggings like they’re pants. I’m pretty sure two or three generations from now fashion bloggers will be asking “weren’t there any real clothes available, no good natural fabrics?” :-) And to get back to the topic, I made this today with honey. Love the idea of half the sugars, thanks for sharing!
Yum! Great way to enjoy cranberries without white sugar. Maple syrup and cinnamon for the win. Will make this again and again.
Thank you for your review, Kaye!
I love this recipe this time of year! I also chopped up some apples and pears and threw them in, it was so delicious I can’t wait to make it for Thanksgiving. I know it will be a big hit:)
Oh that sound delicious!
Wonderful! I also added the juice from one mandarin orange and it’s terrific!
Thank you.
Yum! I just made this for our family dinner tomorrow and it’s so good even my husband who doesn’t care for cranberry sauce liked it. I chopped up the orange into small pieces and added it to the sauce and added a little cinnamon too. I’m so glad that I found this recipe and tried it. I know you are not supposed to try new recipes for a big gathering but I really wanted something that had less sugar. I know I’ll be making this one again! Thanks
That’s great! I’m happy you all liked it, Angel.
I love your recipes! They are simple and healthy with good flavors.
Just made this Tuesday for Thanksgiving and it’s YUMMY!!! I used honey and did add 1/2t Saigon cinnamon. It was really good when done, but I felt it needed *something* so I added 1/4t dried ginger and that was exactly what it needed for my taste buds.
I just kept reading the recipe over and over because I thought I was missing something….the recipe seemed too simple….too few ingredients or steps or SOMETHING….but nope, it is just amazing! Thanks for sharing!