Ready for the best cranberry sauce recipe that is easy and healthy? We have tried this Spiced Cranberry Sauce with the Porcini Mushrooms Stuffing in warm Rosemary Christmas Bread Buns, and it is heaven! This gem is the best fresh cranberry sauce we have tried!

Although Cranberry Sauce is associated with Thanksgiving dinner and the holiday table, we crave them year-round. We use it for our breakfast fruit bowls and topping for porridge (warm oatmeal), just as we would use our applesauce.
It is also a staple on our Thanksgiving table. We love cranberry sauce and pairing it with our easy vegan buttermilk and gluten-free cornbread recipe with vegan chili and pumpkin pie, made with a 5-minutes pumpkin spice mix and the no-roll vegan pie crust.
If you love the fall season and all its yummy produce recipes, you may love our compilation of fall season recipes.
Jump to:
🧾 Ingredients
This healthy cranberry sauce has the right and simple spiced to make it perfectly suitable for all your guests, with a couple of secrets to make it memorable.

- Dried cranberries
- Fresh ginger
- Cinnamon stick
- Nutmeg
- Maple syrup
- Cloves
Optionally the two ingredients will take it to the NEXT LEVEL: English Breakfast Black tea and one clementine or one orange (use the orange juice and orange zest).
Making a healthy cranberry sauce is easy. We don't use white sugar or brown sugar. We replace it with maple syrup and use only spices, which a calorie-free. Then we use clementine or orange juice, more added natural sweetener power.
See quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card.
🔪 Instructions
Wondering how to make cranberry sauce from dried cranberries?
Suppose you don't have much time to make cranberry sauce; worry not! Making homemade cranberry sauce requires no experience to make an exceptional one. Start by:
Step 1. Hydrate the dried cranberries with a teabag of your preferred tea for five minutes (we like English breakfast tea). If not using tea, hydrate the cranberries using warm water.

Step 2. Heat a medium saucepan and add the cranberries with its water. If using the clementine or orange, add the freshly squeezed juice and zest, the cinnamon, sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the cranberries wilt, add the grated ginger and nutmeg and simmer further. You can add water if the cranberries are drying too much.

Step 3. Final touches. Add the maple syrup (or agave) and briefly simmer.
Remove the cinnamon stick and the cloves, and there you go; your cranberry sauce is healthy, delicious, and quickly done in minutes.
As you can see, making cranberry sauce is a breeze!
📖 Variations
Cranberries - instead of dried cranberries, you can use fresh or frozen cranberries or even canned stuff. You won't need to hydrate them before using them. I find fresh cranberries to be a little more acid, so you may need to adjust the sweetness.
Citrus - we love the citrusy notes that clementines provide, but you can use orange juice if you prefer making cranberry-orange sauce. You can even use lemon juice. The orange peel is excellent because you can use the orange zest to add an even more complex and unique flavor. You can even use bottled orange juice.
Some people like adding orange liqueur or Grand Marnier, which adds an interesting note. If doing so, ensure you add it at the beginning of the simmering process, so the alcohol evaporates.
Ginger - if you don't have fresh cranberry, you can use candied ginger and hydrate it along with the dried cranberries. You can even use ground ginger; just adjust the seasoning accordingly to your liking.
Spices - you can play with the spices, and instead of using ginger and cinnamon sticks, use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix. If you do so, add them one at a time and taste. Pumpkin pie spice has in it the four main spices present in this cranberry sauce recipe: cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Pro Tip: you can make cranberry sauce simply using cranberries, pumpkin spice, tea bag, and citrus. Voilà! That's the easiest way to make homemade cranberry sauce.
I like using fresh ingredients like freshly grated ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves for my cranberry sauce recipe, but sometimes you put convenience on top of nostalgia!
🫙 Storing
You can freeze cranberry sauce. This fresh cranberry sauce freezes and thaws perfectly well. Just leave it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
I like to use leftover cranberry sauce on top of my Homemade Granola Bowls and use it both on my Oats and Chia Pudding or Breakfast Fruit Bowl as an option when we run out of fresh fruit.

💡 Tips for using
Apart from enjoying this delicious sauce on Holidays, you can also enjoy it year-round.
Pair the Cranberry Sauce with some nice Vegan Bread Buns or in your morning breakfast fruit bowl.
Not only does it adds a beautiful flavor but some delicious spices to our mornings... and spices are great for our health!
🫐 Health benefits of cranberries
These bitter and sour fruits have some profound benefits. Cranberries are superfoods as they are high in antioxidants and have compounds that may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
They may also:
Help with gut and urinary tract health, keep your mouth healthy and improve eyesight and cardiovascular health.
More Vegan Sauce Recipes
Our suggested Vegan Christmas Menu Post
- Truffled Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans with Flaked Toasted Almonds
- Vegan Sweet Potato and Eggplant Casserole
- Onions Stuffed with Porcini Mushrooms and Christmas Stuffing
- Christmas Rosemary Bread Buns
If you try any of these recipes, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
📋 Recipe

Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries dried
- 5 cloves
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup
- 3 sticks cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated
Optional (and recommended):
- 1 tea bag ginger or cinnamon tea
- 1 clementine or orange
Directions
- Hydrate. Place the dry cranberries in a bowl with 1 cup of hot water and a teabag for 5 minutes.
- Heat a pan and add the cranberries with its water.
- Season. If using the clementine, add the freshly squeezed juice and cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cook, stirring regularly for around 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger. Once the cranberries start to wilt, add the nutmeg and simmer further. You can add water if the cranberries are drying too much.
- Add sweetener. Next, add the maple syrup and taste. Cranberries are sour, and you want to get the sweet just right. You may want to add more syrup.
- Simmer. Continue to simmer; at this stage, it should look more like a cranberry jam.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and the cloves.
- Store. You can add to a jar, cool down, and store it in the fridge for later, or serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
🌡️ Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
Anaiah says
Wow! I would have never thought to create something as beautiful as this! Your spiced cranberry sauce was wonderful over fresh homemade bread. It's my new favorite to eat for breakfast!
Danielle Wolter says
This has got me all excited about the holidays coming up. Loving all the spices you used in the sauce!
Katherine says
Mmmm what a perfect cranberry sauce. I love the spices in it.
Gina says
Love that this recipe uses dried cranberries which makes it easier to enjoy this delicious sauce all year round! Great on top of almost any meat!
Pam Greer says
This is the best cranberry sauce! The spices add such a great touch and flavor!
Taly says
Amo los arándanos, así ya probaré esta receta!
Ahora, les consulto...
- Además de clemetina o naranja, se puede usar mandarina? Y, va sólo el jugo, o también se agrega la cáscara? (para retirarla después)
- Para endulzar, se puede reemplazar el jarabe de ágave o arce por miel?
Gracias!!! Saludos!!!
Gus says
-se usa el jugo también y tambien se puede usar mandarina.
-si, se puede utilizar la miel.
Seguro saldrá deliciosa!
Stef says
This looks great!
Nathan says
I don't eat cranberries very often but this sauce looks incredible! I'd love to work this into my Thanksgiving dinner somehow, can't wait to give it a try!
Tara says
Oh yum! Such a wonderful cranberry sauce for the holidays. I love all those warming spices.
Cate says
What a perfect and unique side for the holidays! Saving this one!
Heather says
This cranberry sauce sounds so elevated! Love the idea of including ginger 🙂 Thanks for the great inspiration!
Natalie says
That was so delicious. I had a bag of cranberries, didn't know what to do with them. I found your recipe and yum! The flavors are amazing. It's a keeper!
Danielle Wolter says
This sounds incredible! Just in time for thanksgiving. I am definitely going to make this.
Dannii says
You can't beat homemade cranberry sauce and this spiced version looks amazing.
Natalie says
How delicious! And it's made with dried cranberries. Lovely! I'm making this for Christmas for sure. We don't have fresh cranberries in Uk so this recipe is perfect.
Gus says
Hi, Nathalie. Thank you for your review! I'm so happy to hear that our recipe is a hit with you and your family this time of year. If there are any other recipes or ideas you'd like to see on the site, please let me know!
Alisa Infanti says
I made this last night so it is ready for our family gathering and it is soooo good!
Gus says
It makes us so happy! I am glad you enjoyed Alisa!
Jessica says
I will never buy store-bought again!