Cranberries are a very tart fruit and most products like cranberry sauce and cranberry juice, have a large amount of added sugar. After testing several ways of making homemade cranberry sauce with less sugar, I came up with a simple recipe that is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. This recipe uses 100% juice instead of water and less sugar than a typical recipe. You can change up the flavor by using different types of juice, by adding zest (orange, lemon, lime) and/or different spices.
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 package fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
1 cup 100% juice - we typically use pomegranate blueberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
1. Rinse cranberries in cold water and remove any steams
2. In a medium pot combine cranberries, juice and sugar
3. Cook over medium-high heat, bringing mixture to a boil
4. Boil for about 5 minutes or until most of the berries have popped open, be sure to stir often
5. Carefully pour cranberry sauce in a bowl and set aside to cool.
6. Cranberry sauce will naturally thicken as it cools. Serve once cool or store in refrigerator
*Carefully taste-test sauce as it boils. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can add additional sugar - either 1/4 or 1/2 cup
**I typically double this recipe each time I make it
