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Homemade cranberry sauce with maple syrup in a bowl from the top view.
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Cranberry Sauce with Maple Syrup Recipe

This Cranberry Sauce with Maple Syrup is the perfect, satisfying balance of sweet and tart, yet it's also refined-sugar-free, vegan, and low-sugar. Serve this make-ahead friendly sauce as a light side dish for your holiday dinner, or enjoy it year-round with sandwiches, desserts, breakfast, and more!
Course Condiment/Sauce
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 489kcal
Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

  • 1 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup more as needed
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 1 cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon - optional
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest

Instructions

  • Rinse cranberries: Place cranberries in a colander and rinse with cold water. Pick the old, shriveled ones and discard them.
  • Add ingredients: Transfer the rest of the cranberries to a medium-sized pan and add the maple syrup, water, orange juice, and a cinnamon stick.
  • Cook: Heat over medium heat, bring it to a boil, give it a stir, turn the heat down to medium-low*, and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. Be sure to stir it a few times.
  • Taste and adjust: As it simmers, cranberries will soften and pop, so don’t be alarmed. Taste for sweetness and add more maple syrup (in 1-tablespoon increments), if needed.
  • Remove from heat and serve: Off the heat, carefully remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the orange zest. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Notes

  • Servings: This recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of cranberry sauce. 
  • *Popping is completely normal. The cranberries will pop and sputter as they cook, which is completely normal. This means they are breaking down and releasing their natural sweetness.
  • Make ahead: Cook the cranberry sauce as directed, cool it completely, and transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
  • Storage: Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • Freeze: Once cool, store the cranberry sauce in a freezer-safe airtight container. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw: Thaw the frozen cranberry sauce overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 124g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 1mg