Just 3 ingredients make this healthy, sweetener-free Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe. The perfect compliment to your holiday feast. Paleo, Whole30 approved, and vegan.
Last updated on November 5, 2019.
Yay or nay on the homemade cranberry sauce? I am for sure a yay!
I used to be anti homemade cranberry sauce though. You know the kind that comes in a can that is like one big solid thing of cranberry jello? That was my jam. It was a must that my mom had to buy that kind or my sister and I would throw a fit.
And not the chunky kind with pieces of whole cranberries. No, the full on jello kind. I know it’s not jello per say, but it practically should be.
Pretty sure that stuff is just sugar with some cranberry flavoring. Wherever we were going on Thanksgiving, the house had to have some, or we would bring our own.
My poor mother though. She is a veggie lover and raised us eating our veggies and healthy meals. But she also wanted us to be happy and splurged on things like fruit loops, fluff for peanut butter and fluff sandwiches, Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, canned cranberry sauce for holidays, and many other things.
Moms are legit the best!
So this is dedicated to my momma. This homemade cranberry sauce is actually her recipe! I’m pretty sure she didn’t make it for a few years since we thought it was so weird.
I’m so glad my taste buds have evolved over time and I have moved away from processed foods. Because this sauce is so good. I made it a few years ago for friendsgiving and my friend requested it again the next year!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
It’s just 3 ingredients! Can I get a heck yes?! No artificial sweeteners, thickeners, or weird additives. Fresh fruit adds some sweetness to balance out the tartness from the cranberries and it cooks down into a thick chutney consistency. It will be your new favorite holiday side dish!
Here is what you need:
- cranberries
- pineapple
- apple
First start off by prepping your fruit by dicing the pineapple and apple. Add the cranberries and pineapple to a medium size sauce pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broken down.
Next add the apple and cook for another 15-20 minutes until sauce is thick and apple is softened. The consistency will be a like thick chutney.
If you want to add any add-in or sweeteners (see below for suggestions), now is the time. Stir to incorporate and let cool. Serve it up with your favorite holiday dishes and enjoy!
For reference, pictures below are after 10 minutes and after 20 minutes of just the cranberries and pineapple.
Substitutions or Additions
I love this recipe as is. It is definitely on the tart side though and I know not everyone loves super tart things. There are quite a few ways to adjust the recipe to your liking.
To make it sweeter, add one these (the recipe will no longer be Whole30 if you add maple syrup, honey, or sugar):
- maple syrup
- honey
- date paste – homemade or store bought
- coconut sugar or white sugar
- fruit juice – apple juice or orange juice would be great!
To change up the flavors some, add some of these:
- orange juice and zest – mentioned above, but both would be a great addition
- spices – a few of you guys have added cinnamon and say it’s a great addition! I also think cloves, nutmeg, or cardamon would be good.
- vanilla extract
- lemon juice – this will add to the tartness so I would balance it out with something sweet
How long does Homemade Cranberry Sauce Last?
You might not believe me when I say this, but this recipe will keep for up to a couple months in the fridge. We never have it that long as we use it in a bunch of different things (oatmeal, on rice cakes, in yogurt…) if we have leftovers, but it does. Just make sure it is in a tightly sealed glass jar (I love these weck jars!).
For those of you that don’t like the idea of keeping fresh food in your fridge that long, it will also freeze well. Store in a tightly sealed container or glass jar (just leave some room for it to expand), and then defrost when you are craving a taste of the holidays.
More Healthy Holiday Side Dishes
Kale Salad with Butternut Squash & Pomegranates
Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
Honey Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup
Ginger & Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranates
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole cranberries (400 grams)
- 2 cups diced pineapple (300 grams)*
- 1 small apple, finely diced (about 150 grams)
Instructions
- Add cranberries and pineapple to a medium sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broken down. Be careful that it doesn't burn.
- Add apple and cook for another 15-20 minutes until softened and combined. Consistency should be a thick chutney.
- Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Notes
Nutrition
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November 18, 2016 at 10:49 amLove the idea of using pineapple! Since pineapple is so naturally sweet it’s a brilliant idea.
Kelly
November 20, 2016 at 12:55 pmYes, right?! Credit goes to my momma 🙂
Sarah Coleman
November 6, 2017 at 12:24 pmI have this great cranberry sauce recipe that requires one bag of frozen cranberries, a whole orange, and some sugar… You just blend it in the food processor and don’t cook it at all… It’s so refreshing and citrus-y. This year, I’d like to omit the sugar – or may use coconut sugar if push comes to shove, but do you think if i threw pineapple in there, that would sweeten it enough?
Kelly
November 7, 2017 at 9:45 pmOh yum that sounds so good!! I love that you don’t have to cook it either. I think you could def sub the pineapple for it! It adds some sweetness and I think will balance the cranberries. Let me know if you try it and how it goes!
Anne
November 18, 2017 at 3:05 pmI came across this recipe and was wondering what type of apples you use and if they have to be peeled.
Kelly
November 18, 2017 at 7:42 pmI think any kind of red apple will work. I recently used am ambrosia apple, but usually use gala. I just always use red and not green since they are a little sweeter. Hope you enjoy Anne!
Stacy
November 20, 2017 at 6:17 pmThanks so much for sharing this recipe! I’ll be making this year for Thanksgiving, wondering how many people this serves as is? (trying to decide if I should double it, but there will only be 8 of us total)? Thanks again! -Stacy
Kelly
November 21, 2017 at 6:34 pmIt makes about 3-3.5 cups. I would say that is plenty for 8 people, but I guess it depends how much those people love cranberry sauce haha. It keeps for up to a month so I use it on a bunch of things after the holidays if I have extra. Hope you enjoy Stacy!
Anggie
December 21, 2017 at 3:48 amDo you use the pineapple juice or just the pineapples firts time making the recipe 🙂
Kelly
December 21, 2017 at 11:23 amJust the pineapples! The fruit will break down and give some liquid while you cook it. Hope you enjoy!
Michelle Blevins
November 21, 2017 at 9:56 amSo yummy…. I added some orange zest and the juice of a orange!
Kelly
November 21, 2017 at 6:36 pmYum, orange and cranberry are so good together! Thanks for trying and so glad you liked ti Michelle!
Allie
November 21, 2017 at 3:22 pmIf I use canned pineapple, should I drain the juice first?
Kelly
November 21, 2017 at 6:36 pmYes! Just use the pineapple itself. Hope you enjoy Allie!
Shea
November 21, 2017 at 8:13 pmWas really good as written! Decided to experiment though and I put the juice of a lemon it. Also added a tsp of cinnamon and a tsp of vanilla. Holy smokes it is this good. The cinnamon really adds a depth to it.
Kelly
November 22, 2017 at 10:26 amWow! The cinnamon and vanilla sounds like an amazing addition! I am definitely going to try that. Thanks so much for trying Shea!
Jamin
November 21, 2017 at 9:44 pmCan you tell me if you peeled the apples?
Kelly
November 22, 2017 at 10:26 amI don’t peel the apple, but you can if you like. Hope you enjoy Jamin!
Annc
November 22, 2017 at 1:51 pmI just made this and it is so sour I doubt anyone will touch it, it is not sweet at all. I just double checked the recipe and I made it correctly. I’m trying it for my husband who doesn’t eat sugar but this is not going to work. I think I will mix with a container of applesauce and see if I can salvage.
Kelly
November 22, 2017 at 6:49 pmHi Annc, I’m so sorry to hear that. I have had a lot of people make it and like it. The pineapple and apple definitely sweeten it, but it depends on your taste buds on how sweet you like things. I hope it didn’t inconvenience you too much.
Britny
November 22, 2017 at 3:48 pmBringing this baby to our Thanksgiving brunch! Cannot wait to try this. Thanks for the recipe!
Kelly
November 22, 2017 at 6:46 pmYay!! Hope you enjoy and thank you for making it!
Christine Fitzer
November 23, 2017 at 9:08 amThank you for this delicious recipe. It was a little tart for us so I added Spends, cinnamon, vanilla and some water. Yum.
Kelly
November 26, 2017 at 4:30 pmA few people have added cinnamon and I’m going to have to try that myself. Thanks so much for trying it Christine!
Robin
November 24, 2017 at 7:18 pmEverybody raved about this chutney. I loved the idea of this recipe. I made it but way too sour. I ended up adding cinnamon/sugar sprinkled in, orange zest and orange juice. You have to let this sit in the fridge overnight to blend the flavors. I loved the tart, lightly sweetened and chunkiness of the apples and pineapple. Thank you! My new go to!
Kelly
November 26, 2017 at 4:33 pmSo glad to hear that Robin! A few others have added cinnamon and I need to try that – I am thinking I am going to make some more haha. Thanks so much for trying it!
Dominique
December 19, 2017 at 3:05 pmHi Kelly! thank you for the recipe! I liked it a lot so I am going to make it for my christmas dinner. I also added your recipe to my latest blog. You can see it here: https://omdetox.com/21-vegan-christmas-recipes/
Merry christmas!
Kelly
December 21, 2017 at 11:22 amSo glad you liked it Dominique! I think I am going to make it for Christmas too 🙂 and thanks for including me in the round up, everything looks so good on it! I will share it!
Megan
February 10, 2019 at 10:41 amI love this recipe. It’s the only cranberry sauce I make now!
Kelly
February 11, 2019 at 4:07 pmYay! This is my absolute favorite come the holidays. So glad you liked it Megan!
Vicki Crow
November 29, 2019 at 4:31 amThis was my first time making from scratch. I loved how easy it was to through together! It was a little tart but added a drizzle of honey and it was an absolute hit! Definitely going to make this again, thanks!
Kelly
December 9, 2019 at 10:29 amYum, I love the addition of honey! Glad you found it easy and so glad it was a hit. Thanks for trying it Vicki!
Nancy
November 29, 2019 at 11:20 amI made this cranberry sauce and used it to top freah salmon. It was so delicious! Now i know i can make this for more than just my Thanksgiving turkey! Super easy to make too!! A must try!
Kelly
December 9, 2019 at 10:30 amSuch a great idea!! It really is so versatile – I love stirring it in oats or topping with yogurt! Thanks Nancy!
Colleen
November 30, 2019 at 5:35 pmSo glad I made this! My family and I loved it! I used a gala apple and it was perfect. Also it’s almost better the next day! Definitely going to make this more
Kelly
December 9, 2019 at 10:16 amYes, I love the leftovers too! So glad everyone enjoyed it Colleen and thanks for trying it!
Regina
December 2, 2019 at 1:29 amI put everything in my rice cooker for 20 minutes and stirred twice, so easy! I put a sugar bowl next to the sauce when serving for those who wanted sweeter, but half my guests liked this as is and it disappeared way too fast.
Kelly
December 9, 2019 at 10:18 amOMG this is genius Regina! So glad everyone liked and thanks so much for trying it!