15 Easy Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipes

Updated May 27, 2020
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Kick that canned stuff to the curb. From classic recipes (like this traditional old stand-by) to new favorites (you'll love this gin-spiked newcomer), our best cranberry sauce recipes will be the star of your Thanksgiving table. Hungry for more holiday inspiration? Check out 30+ Thanksgiving Casserole Recipes That'll Steal the Show next. 

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Roasted Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Roasted Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Cranberry sauce is an essential to any Thanksgiving meal. Make this easy cranberry sauce recipe this year by following these instructions.

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Roasted Grape, Apple, and Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Roasted Grape, Apple, and Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Roasted grapes—especially black grapes—are super sweet and slightly tannic, with a concentrated fruit flavor. They help balance the tangy, astringent quality of the cranberries, allowing you to use less added sugar.

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Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Caitlin Bensel Food Styling: Tina Stamos and Gordon Sawyer Prop Styling: Kay Clark

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This powerful cranberry-apple sauce carries enough flavors to make it go far. Keep it traditional and serve with turkey, or think outside the box and use a dollop on this Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup. Although it's quick and easy to make, we'd suggest prepping it a few days in advance—this Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce only gets better with time. 

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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Waffles

Credit: Photos by Teresa Sabga / Styled by Jiselle Basile

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Waffles Recipe

Very important question: Do you have any leftover cranberry sauce? Assuming that you do (or will next week), you should consider adding cranberry sauce to your waffles for an amazing day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast.

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Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Photo by Teresa Sabga / Styling by Jiselle Basile

Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce Recipe

When Thanksgiving rolls around, you might opt for canned cranberry sauce over the fresh kind. (No shame—it's convenient and delicious.) If, however, you’re hosting a feast for friends and family who are opposed to jiggly red gelatinous logs, try this homemade cranberry sauce, infused with fresh rosemary sprigs and combined with white balsamic vinegar.

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Cranberry Sauce with Gin

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Robyn Valarik

Cranberry Sauce with Gin Recipe

This gin-soaked cranberry sauce with a welcome boozy kick is sure to kick things up a notch this Thanksgiving.

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White Balsamic and Rosemary Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey

White Balsamic and Rosemary Cranberry Sauce Recipe

If you’re looking for a way to amp up your traditional sauce, this is it. Fresh rosemary gives the sauce a light herbal flavor (the berries are robust enough to stand up to the piny herb). White balsamic vinegar balances the sweet and adds a dimension of fruity tang to the tart cranberries. If you don’t have white balsamic, use white wine vinegar or cider vinegar—regular balsamic is a bit too strong and would darken the finished sauce. Beyond your holiday plate (and inevitable holiday leftovers), add to a cheese plate or sandwich buffet.

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Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce Recipe

What makes this sauce extraordinary isn’t the orange liqueur, though it rounds out the tart and sweet flavors beautifully. It’s the whole fresh cranberries reserved before cooking and stirred in just before serving. You might think the fresh berries would be too tart without simmering—we did too—but the result is simply outstanding: jammy sauce punctuated by pops of tart, juicy berries. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute fresh orange juice. Double the batch and use as a breakfast jam or sandwich spread, or spoon warm sauce over frozen yogurt.

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Pure and Simple Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen

Pure and Simple Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Nothing on your Thanksgiving menu is easier than cranberry sauce, whether you keep it classic or spice it up.

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Cranberry and Blenheim Apricot Sauce

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen

Cranberry and Blenheim Apricot Sauce Recipe

There will be nothing easier to make on your Thanksgiving menu than homemade cranberry sauce. Keep it simple and very basic or spice it up with dried fruit, juice, citrus zest, and/or spices.

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Basic Cranberry Sauce

Basic Cranberry Sauce Recipe

This tangy-sweet homemade cranberry sauce is delicious served with turkey, chicken, quail, duck, or ham. 

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Roasted Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Dried Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Dried Cranberry Sauce Recipe

A tablespoon of grape jelly helps thicken the tangy-sweet sauce. Tenderloin is lean and juicy when properly prepared. Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.

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Three-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Chris Court; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Three-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce Recipe

You can "spike" your cranberry sauce by stirring in 1 to 2 tablespoons orange or black currant liqueur at the end. If you like it spiced, stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.

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Simple Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Simple Cranberry-Orange Sauce Recipe

This lower-sugar cranberry sauce is fruity and tart, the perfect complement to the richness of turkey, stuffing, and gravy. A comparable amount of canned whole-berry sauce contains 60% more sugar and lacks the fresh flavor of ours.

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