A Fresh Cranberry Sauce for the Holidays (Plus 3 Easy Variations)
Cranberry sauce deserves more love. Ten minutes on the stove and it tastes like the whole season.
Cranberry sauce is one of those holiday dishes people either love or skip entirely… usually because they’ve only tried the canned version.
But homemade cranberry sauce is a completely different animal. It’s bright, tart, fresh, and takes maybe ten minutes on the stove. Homemade cranberry sauce is the easiest upgrade you can make to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, and the flavor payoff is huge.
This is the version I make every year. It’s simple, reliable, and perfect as is, but also easy to customize. I’m sharing three variations I love (one smoky, one cozy, one grown-up and a little decadent), so you can make the sauce that fits your table.
The Base Recipe
A classic cranberry sauce starts with just a few ingredients:
12 ounces fresh cranberries this is normally the standard size you get at the grocery store.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
Bring everything to a simmer and cook until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. As the sauce cools, it becomes thicker and gets that fantastic glossy texture.
You can make your cranberry sauce up to a week ahead of when it is needed. The sauce actually gets better as the flavors settle.
Variation 1: Chipotle Cranberry Sauce (smoky + sweet)
This variation is my personal favorite. If you like a little heat with your holiday dishes, then you’re bound to enjoy this one. The chipotle adds a warm smokiness that balances the sweetness of the cranberries, without turning it into a spicy dish.
How to make it:
Add ¼–½ teaspoon chipotle powder (or a teaspoon of adobo sauce) while the sauce simmers. Start small, since a little bit of chipotle can go a long way. Add more powder to taste. This one is amazing with turkey, leftover sandwiches, and glazed ham.
Chipotle powder is what gives this variation its subtle, smoky heat.
Variation 2: Cinnamon–Nutmeg (classic baking spices)
This variation of cranberry sauce just tastes like the holidays. The combination of baking spices is warm, fragrant, and familiar. Think mulled cider meets cranberry sauce.
How to make it:
Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg during the simmer. The spices melt into the cranberries and give the sauce a nostalgic, comforting flavor. If you like your holiday table to taste “classic,” this is the one.
Just a little cinnamon and nutmeg is enough to make this cranberry sauce taste like the holidays.
Variation 3: Maple Bourbon (warm + decadent)
This is a fun one - the standout variation for sure. Maple bourbon cranberry sauce is rich, glossy, and mature. The maple syrup adds a caramel warmth, the bourbon adds depth. Together they turn a simple cranberry sauce into something you’ll want to keep spooning onto everything. I’ve had this variation on top of ice cream even - it’s such a good combination!
How to make it:
Stir in 2 tablespoons bourbon and replace half the sugar from the base recipe with ¼ cup maple syrup. Let it simmer for about a minute to cook off the harsher alcohol notes. The sauce becomes deeper, smoother, and perfect with turkey, ham, and even leftover sandwiches.
Just a touch of bourbon and maple syrup brings a smooth, warm depth to the cranberries.
How to Store
Cranberry sauce keeps surprisingly well.
Fridge: 7–10 days in a sealed container
Freezer: up to 2 months
The sauce thickens as it cools, so if you prefer a looser texture, just warm it gently before serving.
Closing
Every year I tell myself I’m going to try something different, and every year I come back to this recipe. It’s simple, dependable, and always tastes like the holidays. Whether you keep it classic or choose one of the suggested variations, homemade cranberry sauce is one of those tiny upgrades that really transforms your whole dinner.
If you decide to try any of these variations, take a photo and tag me: @najerakitchenrecipes on IG. And if you have any of your own variations you want to suggest, drop them in the comments! I could always use a little more inspiration.