Best Ever Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a fast, easy delicious recipe that is the perfect addition to your Holiday Dinner. Either made in the Instant Pot or on the stove-top (your choice!), the cranberries, orange, cinnamon and sugar make this The Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe ever! 
Cranberry Orange Sauce- Fresh, Easy and Festive
Prepping for the holidays always gives me ALL THE FEELS!! I know, your thinking ‘Karli, settle down! It’s only October 2nd!’. Well to that I say, better to be prepared!
Really though, Cranberry is just a classic fall flavor that deserves to be spotlighted all season long!
Whether the cranberry sauce is smothering your Turkey on Thanksgiving day, spread onto some toast or added into your yogurt this homemade Cranberry Sauce is the bomb.com. (Yes, I really just said bomb.com ?)
I love to make this in my Instant Pot (don’t worry, I’ll include stovetop directions too for all of you out there who haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet.) because it is so speedy fast, plus no babysitting and stirring a hot pot. I love that I can clean up my kitchen while the sauce is doing it’s thang in the Instant Pot.
I’m excited to show you how! Keep on scrolling to see step by step photos on how I make this sauce in my Instant Pot.
How to make Fresh Cranberry sauce in the Instant Pot
Making Cranberry Sauce in the Instant Pot honestly couldn’t be easier! Just dump the ingredients in and go!
For the Cranberry Sauce, you’ll need a bag of fresh cranberries, an orange, cinnamon sticks, water and sugar.
Pour the water into the base of the Instant Pot. Add in the cranberries, cinnamon sticks and the juice of 1 orange. I squeeze the juice out of the orange and then toss the peels into the pot for that extra little bit of flavor.
Sprinkle the sugar into the Instant Pot. The is really where you get to control the sweet vs tartness of your cranberry sauce! I would suggest using anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar. I use 1/2 cup of sugar, it is still tart but not overly so.
Cook on manual HIGH for 2 minutes. Quick release the pressure.
Remove the cinnamon sticks, use tongs and squeeze any liquid out of the orange peels and remove those also.
Use either a potato masher or immersion blender to mash the cranberries and make the Cranberry Sauce.
You can really control how smooth or chunky your sauce is here.
How to make Fresh Cranberry Sauce on the Stovetop
To make the Cranberry Sauce on the Stovetop, simply combine all of the ingredients into a sauce pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks. Mash to the desired consistency.
How to Store Cranberry Sauce
Store the cranberry Sauce in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 1 week. (If it lasts that long. ?)
Can I make the Cranberry Sauce with Frozen Cranberries?
Yes, you sure can!! Follow the same instructions.
Is Cranberry Sauce Bitter or Sweet?
You get to pick this! The more sugar you add the sweeter it will be. If you like it more tart, I suggest using 1/2 cup of sugar. If you like it sweet I’d go for the whole 1 cup of sugar.
What else can I use Cranberry Sauce for?
Besides the classic Thanksgiving Dinner, you can add cranberry sauce to your Turkey sandwiches, use as a topping for yogurt or ice cream, slather it on to pancakes or waffles, or even toss it into your next smoothie! The possibilities are endless!
Best Ever Cranberry Sauce Recipe {Stove Top and Instant Pot!}
(Printable Recipe Below)
Best Ever Cranberry Sauce Recipe is a fast, easy delicious recipe that is the perfect addition to your Holiday Dinner. Either made in the Instant Pot or on the stove-top (your choice!), the cranberries, orange, cinnamon and sugar make this The Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe ever!
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, quartered
- 1 cup water
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar*
Instructions
- For the Instant Pot: Squeeze the juice from the orange slices into the liner of the Instant Pot. Toss the peels into the Instant Pot and add the remaining ingredients to the liner.
- Cook on Manual HIGH for 2 minutes. Quick release the pressure when the cook time is over.
- Remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks.
- Either use a potato masher or immersion blender to mix and mash the contents of the Instant Pot. Mash until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- Store in the fridge.
- For the Stove top: Simmer all of the ingredient in a saucepan for 15 minutes.
- Remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks.
- Either use a potato masher or immersion blender to mix and mash the contents of the Instant Pot. Mash until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- Store in the fridge.
Notes
*For a more tart cranberry sauce, use 1/2 cup of sugar. For a sweet cranberry sauce, use 1 cup of sugar.
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Best Ever Cranberry Sauce Recipe {Stove Top and Instant Pot!}
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
- 1 orange quartered
- 1 cup water
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar*
Instructions
- For the Instant Pot: Squeeze the juice from the orange slices into the liner of the Instant Pot. Toss the peels into the Instant Pot and add the remaining ingredients to the liner.
- Cook on Manual HIGH for 2 minutes. Quick release the pressure when the cook time is over.
- Remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks.
- Either use a potato masher or immersion blender to mix and mash the contents of the Instant Pot. Mash until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Store in the fridge.
- For the Stove top: Simmer all of the ingredient in a saucepan for 15 minutes.
- Remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks.
- Either use a potato masher or immersion blender to mix and mash the contents of the Instant Pot. Mash until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Store in the fridge.
Heather says
I’m so excited to try this for this coming holiday season! I’m always on tap to make the cranberry sauce, because I can’t stand the canned version! This makes it even easier than the stove-top method! Thanks for this!
Karli Bitner says
You are going to love it! I am so glad you came across my recipe!
Michelle A says
I’m new to the Instant Pot. Can you tell me what you mean by “Manual” High? Is that the Pressure Cook option, or something else? Very anxious to try your recipe!
Thanks,
Michelle
Karli Bitner says
Hi Michelle- Instant Pot has changed their button name on us!! The newer models have a ‘pressure cook’ button while the older models have a ‘manual’ button. They are the exact same button/function, just a different name. Use that pressure cook button and you’ll be golden!
Sigrid Howe says
So easy and yummy
Karli Bitner says
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Michelle A says
Thank you so much for responding! The cranberry sauce came out perfect! Now if I can just figure out how to keep the spewing to a minimum when releasing the pressure! 😀 Happy Thanksgiving!
Michelle