Ready for the best cranberry sauce from dried cranberries that is easy and healthy? We have tried this holiday staple with the porcini mushrooms stuffing in warm Rosemary 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 like our homemade unsweetened applesauce.
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💚 Why you will love it
- Simple ingredients
- Naturally sweetened
- Rich flavors
- Healthy option
- Year-round versatility
🧾 Ingredients
This cranberry sauce has the right and is simply spiced to make it perfectly suitable for all your guests, with a few secrets to make it memorable.
- Dried cranberries: They provide a concentrated burst of tart and sweet flavor, adding a vibrant taste and chewy texture to the cranberry sauce.
- Fresh ginger: It lends a warm and slightly spicy note to the sauce, balancing the sweetness and offering a subtle zing of flavor.
- Cinnamon stick: It infuses the sauce with a comforting and aromatic taste, complementing the cranberries and adding a hint of warmth.
- Nutmeg: It contributes a subtle and earthy flavor, enhancing the overall depth of the cranberry sauce without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Maple syrup: It acts as a natural sweetener, adding a rich and caramel-like sweetness to the sauce, balancing the tartness of the cranberries.
- Cloves: They provide a fragrant and slightly floral taste, adding complexity to the sauce and infusing it with warm and aromatic undertones.
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.
Substitutions
| Original Ingredient | Suggested Substitution |
|---|---|
| Dried Cranberries | Fresh cranberries + sugar |
| Fresh Ginger | Ground ginger |
| Cinnamon Stick | Ground cinnamon |
| Nutmeg | Allspice or mace |
| Maple Syrup | Agave nectar or coconut sugar |
| Cloves | Allspice or cardamom |
🔪 Instructions
Let's get into it!
- 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 hot water.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries and their soaking liquid. Incorporate the juice and zest of the clementine or orange, along with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Sweeten: Now it's time to stir in the maple syrup (or agave) for a hint of natural sweetness. Let it simmer just a bit longer.
Before serving, remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves. And there you have it—a delectable cranberry sauce that's as healthy as it is all whipped up in no time.
💡 Expert tips
Start with the right balance of sweet and tart by adjusting the maple syrup based on the natural tartness of your cranberries, especially if substituting fresh for dried. Taste as you go to find the perfect balance for your palate.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a full boil to prevent the cranberries from breaking down too quickly and becoming mushy. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully while keeping the texture intact.
Utilize fresh ingredients for the spices whenever possible, such as freshly grated ginger and whole cinnamon sticks, to infuse more vibrant flavors into the sauce.
If you're using substitutes like ground spices instead of whole, start with smaller quantities and adjust as needed. Ground spices can be more potent.
🥢 How to serve
It is also a staple on our Thanksgiving table, which consists of this lovely and citrusy cranberry sauce paired with vegan bread buns, our gluten-free cornbread recipe with our ultimate vegan chili and vegan pumpkin pie.
I like to use leftover cranberry sauce on top of my homemade gluten-free granola bowls, and I use it both on my oats and chia pudding or breakfast fruit bowl when we run out of fresh fruit.
🫙 Storage
You can freeze cranberry sauce. This fresh cranberry sauce freezes and thaws perfectly well. Just leave it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
If you have leftovers, you can add them to a Jamaican sweet potato pudding, another great Thanksgiving recipe that will have everyone asking for more.
📚 More Holiday Recipes
Our suggested Christmas vegan recipes
- Truffled Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Green Beans with Almonds
- Vegan vegetable casserole
- Baked stuffed onions
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
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📋 Recipe
Spiced Cranberry Sauce made with dried Cranberries
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
Nutritional Disclaimer
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.
Affiliate Disclaimer
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.
As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.
Alisa Infanti
I made this last night so it is ready for our family gathering and it is soooo good!
Gus
It makes us so happy! I am glad you enjoyed Alisa!
Natalie
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
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!
Dannii
You can't beat homemade cranberry sauce and this spiced version looks amazing.
Danielle Wolter
This sounds incredible! Just in time for thanksgiving. I am definitely going to make this.
Natalie
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!
Heather
This cranberry sauce sounds so elevated! Love the idea of including ginger 🙂 Thanks for the great inspiration!
Cate
What a perfect and unique side for the holidays! Saving this one!
Tara
Oh yum! Such a wonderful cranberry sauce for the holidays. I love all those warming spices.
Nathan
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!
Stef
This looks great!
Taly
Amo los arándanos, asà 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
-se usa el jugo también y tambien se puede usar mandarina.
-si, se puede utilizar la miel.
Seguro saldrá deliciosa!
Pam Greer
This is the best cranberry sauce! The spices add such a great touch and flavor!
Gina
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!
Katherine
Mmmm what a perfect cranberry sauce. I love the spices in it.
Danielle Wolter
This has got me all excited about the holidays coming up. Loving all the spices you used in the sauce!
Anaiah
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!