Homemade Paleo Cranberry Sauce is a Thanksgiving staple in my house! We've been making it for as long as I can remember. Over the last few years I've been making a lot more dishes on Thanksgiving so I can put my "healthy spin" on them! When I made this dish with less sugar, no one noticed! (And I cut the sugar in HALF!) If you've never tried making homemade Cranberry Sauce, you have to give it a try! It's a very simple recipe that only takes about 15 minutes to make. The hardest part is juicing the orange!
Start by adding your water, orange juice, and cranberries to your sauce pan. Cover it, and bring to a boil.
Once it's boiling, remove the lid and turn down to medium/low heat. Then stir in your coconut sugar and salt. (If you want to add any cinnamon or nutmeg, you can add it in now!)
Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes with the cover off, stirring occasionally. The cranberries should start to pop and break down.
Once it has thickened up, you can slowly stir in your arrowroot starch. If you add it all at once, it will clump up. Stir until it's fully combined, then turn off the heat.
Transfer the sauce into a glass container, and let sit on the counter until it's mostly cooled. Place a cover on the glass container, and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve! It will thicken up more once it chills.
Top with fresh orange zest when you're ready to serve!
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?Yes! Fresh or frozen will work for this recipe. Frozen will just take a little longer to cook down.
Can I make this Cranberry Sauce sugar free?Yes, you can use Lakanto monkfruit as a sugar alternative! I wouldn't recommend not adding any sugar because the cranberries are very tart!
Can I add spices to my Cranberry Sauce?Yes! I like keeping it simple, but you can simmer the sauce with cinnamon sticks, or sprinkle in a little cinnamon or nutmeg at the end!
Do I need arrowroot starch for this recipe?No! I like adding in a little to help it thicken up a bit more, but it will naturally thicken up once it chills.
Storing & Serving Cranberry Sauce
After your cranberry sauce cools, it's time to refrigerate! (It will thicken as it cools.) Store your Cranberry Sauce in an air tight glass container in the refrigerator. It will last about 5 days. You can also freeze your cranberry sauce for a couple months! I also make a double batch so I can have some in January when I'm craving Thanksgiving food. To defrost, just leave your frozen cranberry sauce in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. I like to serve mine chilled, but you can also heat it up in a sauce pan if you want it hot!