Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Cinnamon is made by simmering whole fresh cranberries in water and sugar, then adding a pinch of cinnamon for a holiday taste. Ready in less than 15 minutes. Three simple ingredients and tastier than the jellied store-bought cranberry sauce. A perfect holiday side that pairs excellently with turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, or lamb roast!

The holiday baking continues today with fresh cranberry sauce!
Cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving dinner staple. so today I've perfected the fresh cranberry sauce that we'll be enjoying every Thanksgiving and Christmas from here on out. This recipe adds a few pinches of cinnamon at the very end for a lovely little holiday warmth. It can also be made in your Instant Pot!
Thanksgiving dinner in my house is never complete without cranberry sauce. Other than turkey and this mouth-watering sun-dried tomato basil bread, cranberry sauce is the only other thing that is absolute must.
Fresh cranberry sauce is incredibly simple to make and so much tastier than the jellied stuff you buy in the store. Many years ago we used to serve the canned cranberry sauce, and we loved it. If you think canned cranberry sauce is delicious, then you don't know what you're in for with the fresh stuff.
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Ingredients
This cranberry sauce recipe uses only 3 simple ingredients:
- fresh cranberries
- sugar
- cinnamon
Making fresh cranberry sauce does require a lot of sugar, which I try to avoid in recipes. But it's a must to counter the tartness of the cranberries.
However, the white sugar in this recipe is better than the loads of high fructose corn syrup and fructose in the store jellied sauce. Not to mention, cranberry sauce stuck in the shape of a can.
Step-By-Step Directions
To make it, first boil the sugar and water over high heat.
It takes around 2 minutes for the water and sugar to form a thick paste-like liquid.
Once this happens, add the cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Most of them will pop at this point. Stir occasionally as it's simmering.
Then remove from the heat and transfer to a serving dish. Add a few pinches of cinnamon, taste, and add more if desired.
Be careful with cinnamon! A little goes a long way.
Serving
Fresh cranberry sauce can be made the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas and kept stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
Whether you serve this warm, cold, or room temperature is your choice. I like to warm mine just a little bit in the microwave so it's slightly above room temperature. To me the warm cranberries bring out the sweetness of the recipe and help the cinnamon to shine a little more.
I also like to put fresh cranberry sauce on the table with cinnamon on the side for those who'd like to add some more spice to it. You can also substitute or compliment the cinnamon with other winter warming spices, like nutmeg or cloves.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Recipe
Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Cinnamon
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2 pinches cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large saucepan heat water and sugar on high until sugar is dissolved, whisking constantly.
- Add cranberries and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, until most cranberries pop. Stir occasionally.
- Remove from the heat to a serving bowl and add 2 pinches cinnamon (optional). Use a masher or immersion blender to mash the sauce into a smoother consistency if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Joe Reynolds
I Never cared for cranberry sauce before, but my relatives love it so I decided to make some homemade this year. I followed your simple recipe and added a couple of my own touches I added a shot of Jim Beam Honey to the mixture and let me tell you I became a cranberry sauce fan. I'm 66 years old and never ate it in my life except one time when I was a kid. Your recipe has changed my taste buds or maybe old age did LOL LOL
Kristina
That is wonderful to hear! And the addition of Jim Beam honey (which my husband loves) sounds amazing. Enjoy it for many years to come!
Kevin
I had a couple spoonfuls of the cranberries...you know, to give it a fair taste, ha ha! I liked them and would eat them again at any holiday party. I tend to like my cranberries extremely tart and these were more balanced so they would probably appeal to more people.
Pam
We love cranberry sauce. I usually make mine using orange juice and we’re kind of spoiled to that taste. Having said that, I really liked this. It’s more sweet, where mine is more tart. The preparation is simple. Anyone who doesn’t make fresh cranberry sauce needs to try this today!