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    Home >> Recipes >> Vegan Holiday Recipes

    Vegan Cranberry Sauce (No Refined Sugar)

    Updated Oct 19, 2022 by Lori · This post contains affiliate links.

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    Easy and delicious vegan cranberry sauce! Just 3 ingredients and great for so much more than Thanksgiving dinner. No refined-sugar and only 15 minutes of prep/cook time. And be sure to try the flavor variations - ginger, spiced, and boozy cranberry sauce!

    close up of deep red cranberry sauce in a white bowl.

    This recipe was originally published in November 2018, and has been updated with new photos and instructions.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love It
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Instructions
    • Flavor Variations
    • Batch Size
    • Ways to Use Cranberry Sauce
    • FAQs
    • More Vegan Cranberry Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Love It

    Did you know it's ridiculously easy to make amazing vegan cranberry sauce from scratch? It really is! No need for that jiggly, bland store-bought stuff. Homemade is lightyears better!

    Your family will be SO impressed with this healthy cranberry sauce. It's sweetened entirely with maple syrup which balances the tartness of the cranberries so nicely and really gives it even more cozy, holiday flavor.

    A lot of cranberry sauce recipes call for water, but I prefer not to water it down. Instead, the only liquid added to this recipe is freshly squeezed orange juice.

    And since we're not adding regular sugar, we're relying on the natural pectin in the cranberries to thicken the sauce. Adding water would make the sauce thinner.

    Another reason to love this cranberry sauce? The slice of orange peel simmering away in the pot smells heavenly!

    And if you're in the mood for a little fun, this 3-ingredient easy cranberry sauce recipe easily transforms into other flavor variations:

    • Boozy - with bourbon, rum, and/or Grand Marnier.
    • Spiced - add cinnamon and a pinch of cloves for fragrant, spiced cranberry sauce.
    • Ginger - add fresh ginger to the pot for irresistible warm aroma and flavor.
    • Extra Sweet - if your family prefers sweeter cranberry sauce it's easily adjusted. Simply add cane sugar or increase the maple syrup.

    Ingredient Notes

    Here's what you'll need to make a batch of the basic cranberry sauce:

    • Cranberries - either fresh or frozen. Fresh are easy to find during the holiday season, while frozen cranberries are available year-round.
    • Pure Maple Syrup - any variety/grade is fine.
    • Orange - you'll need 1 orange for its juice and peel.

    See recipe card below for amounts.

    Instructions

    If you've never made cranberry sauce before you might be surprised how simple it is. Start to finish, it only takes about 15 minutes. Then refrigerate the sauce for several hours or overnight.

    fresh cranberries, orange peel, and maple syrup simmering in a sauce pan.
    1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. One by one, the cranberries will begin to burst and release juice.
    juices releasing from cranberries in pan as cranberry sauce simmers.
    1. As the cranberries continue to cook, use a large spoon to mash some of them, helping them along in the thickening process.
    overhead view of thick cranberry sauce in small sauce pan.
    1. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat, and remove the orange peel. Let cool then transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Flavor Variations

    Boozy - while the cranberry sauce simmers, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your favorite vegan bourbon, whisky, or dark rum. And for even more orange flavor add a splash of Grand Marnier orange liqueur.

    Holiday Spice - add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, scant ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and scant ⅛ teaspoon cloves.

    Ginger - peel a small, thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, and slice it into coins. (Keep track of how many coins you drop into the pot.) Add the ginger to the pot along with the other ingredients. Remove the ginger when the sauce is done.

    Extra Sweet - for sweeter cranberry sauce, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of organic cane sugar to the pot, or drizzle in more maple syrup until it's as sweet as you like. With the addition of sugar, if the sauce gets too thick, simply whisk in a splash of water or more juice.

    Batch Size

    This recipe makes just a little over 1 ½ cups of cranberry sauce, so it's great for small households or every day use.

    If you're cooking for a crowd during the holidays you'll definitely want to double or triple the recipe.

    cranberry sauce with orange zest on top of vegan parfait.

    Ways to Use Cranberry Sauce

    For vegan Thanksgiving dinner, pair this cranberry sauce with homemade Vegan Turkey, Classic Seitan Roast, Beyond Meat Meatloaf, or Wild Rice & Chickpea Loaf.

    And it's delightful tucked inside these low-fat cranberry cornbread muffins!

    But don't stop at the holiday table....

    Cranberry sauce can even be incorporated into desserts, like this Cranberry Cream Pie, and used as garnish for ice cream, muffins, and pancakes.

    Still have cranberry sauce leftover? Use it as a:

    • spread for sandwiches, wraps, and burgers
    • topping for oatmeal and yogurt
    • topping for vegan cheese on a snack board - try it with this Almond Feta or Queso Fresco
    • a salad dressing, thinned with water or orange juice
    • and stirred into BBQ sauce for a tart twist!

    FAQs

    Is cranberry sauce served warm or cold?

    Technically there is no right or wrong way to enjoy cranberry sauce. So I like to consider the way it's being served. Alongside hot dishes, like Thanksgiving dinner, room temperature or slightly warm tastes great. But there may be other times you prefer cranberry sauce chilled, like spread on a cold sandwich or when paired with cheeses.

    How long does it keep?

    Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator cranberry sauce is good for 5 to 6 days.

    Can I freeze cranberry sauce?

    Absolutely. Once it has cooled completely, transfer cranberry sauce to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

    More Vegan Cranberry Recipes

    • bright red cranberry salsa in a bowl surrounded by crackers and chips.
      Fresh Cranberry Salsa
    • close up of vegan tart
      Vegan Cranberry Tart (Gluten-Free)
    • close up of pink cheesecake topped with candied pecans
      Vegan Cranberry Cheesecake (No-Bake)
    • apple cranberry baked oatmeal in a white square baking dish
      Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal

    You might also like this apple cranberry compote. It's lightly spiced, sweet, tart, and just as easy and versatile as classic cranberry sauce!

    📖 Recipe

    spoon scooping up naturally sweetened cranberry sauce.

    Vegan Cranberry Sauce (No Refined Sugar)

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Easy and healthy vegan cranberry sauce! Just 3 ingredients and great for so much more than Thanksgiving. No refined sugar and only 15 minutes of prep/cook time. *See the Notes section below for flavor variations.
    Yield: makes about 1 ½ cups cranberry sauce; double or triple the recipe if serving more than a few people.
    Servings: 6 servings
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
    Total Time: 20 minutes mins

    Equipment

    • small saucepan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 large orange
    • 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and sorted - discard soft or bruised ones
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup - see Notes for sweetener options depending on end use.
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    Instructions
     

    • Slice a 2-inch piece of peel from the orange. Place in a small sauce pan along with the juice from the orange. Turn the stove eye to medium-high heat. Add the cranberries and maple syrup, and bring to a low boil. 
    • Reduce heat to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, cook until cranberries burst and the liquid thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes (takes a little longer if using frozen cranberries).
    • Let the cranberry sauce cool, remove the orange peel, and refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours to overnight.

    Notes

    Variations
    Boozy - add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your favorite vegan bourbon, whisky, or dark rum. And for even more orange flavor try a splash of Grand Marnier orange liqueur.
    Holiday Spice - add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, scant ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and scant ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
    Ginger - peel a small, thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, and slice it into coins. (Keep track of how many coins you drop into the pot.) Add the ginger to the pot along with the other ingredients. Remove the ginger when the sauce is done.
    Extra Sweet - for sweeter cranberry sauce, you can add 2 to 4 tablespoons of organic cane sugar to the pot, or drizzle in more maple syrup until it's as sweet as you like.
    Storage
    Cranberry sauce can be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. May also be frozen for several months.
    This recipe makes about 1.5 cups cranberry sauce. For large gatherings it's best to double or triple the batch (be sure to use a large pot).
    Choice of sweetener
    If you're making this cranberry sauce for use in my Cranberry Cream Pie recipe, which is sweetened with sugar, feel free to sub sugar for the maple syrup in this recipe, and increase the amount to ½ cup. Either way you choose to sweeten the cranberry sauce is fine. It just depends on whether you want a hint of maple in the finished pie.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18g

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Tried the recipe?I love hearing from you! Share your feedback below.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mary

      October 11, 2022 at 8:28 pm

      Delicious and you're right, so easy. We included the orange and a pinch of cinnamon. Trying with bourbon next. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply

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    author Lori Rasmussen in her kitchen

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

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