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Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

This Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce will elevate your holiday feast with a quick and easy twist on a classic favorite. Say goodbye to canned versions and embrace the vibrant, homemade goodness that this recipe brings to your table. In just a few simple steps, your pressure cooker will transform fresh cranberries into a velvety, sweet-tart sauce that complements everything from turkey to desserts.

Instant Pot cranberry sauce in a glass bowl
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Original Post Date October 14, 2017. 

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Quick Preparation: The Instant Pot significantly reduces the cooking time for cranberry sauce. What might take a longer time on the stove can be accomplished in a matter of minutes, making it a time-saving option, especially during holiday meal preparations.
  • Hands-Free Cooking: Once you set the Instant Pot, it requires minimal attention, allowing you to focus on other tasks in the kitchen. This hands-free cooking method is particularly beneficial when multitasking during holiday cooking.
  • Consistent Results: This method provides even and consistent cooking, ensuring that every cranberry bursts open and contributes to the overall texture and flavor of the sauce. This consistency might be harder to achieve on the stovetop.
  • Foolproof Process: The controlled pressure cooking environment provides a foolproof way to achieve perfectly cooked cranberry sauce, even for those who may be less experienced in the kitchen.
cranberry sauce in an Instant Pot

What Type of Cranberries to Use Fresh vs Frozen

You can use either fresh or frozen in this recipe. If using frozen you don’t have to defrost them, but I recommend rinsing off any ice crystals if present.

How to Make Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Add cranberries, sweetener, cinnamon, orange juice, and honey to the Instant Pot.
  2. Pressure cook.
  3. Cool and chill the sauce.
cranberry sauce in an Instant Pot

How to Thicken Cranberry Sauce/Runny Cranberry Sauce

  • Using granulated sweetener helps with thickening cranberry sauce (it is used in this recipe).
  • The sauce will also thicken after it’s refrigerated and chilled properly.
  • If you are still struggling: In a small bowl, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the runny cranberry sauce while stirring continuously. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and simmer for a few minutes, allowing it to thicken. Continue to stir.

Cool the Sauce

Allow the sauce to fully cool prior to chilling it.

Chilling

I allow the sauce to chill for at least 2 hours in advance of serving.

a spoonful of Instant Pot cranberry sauce in a wooden spoon

Substitutions and Add-ins

  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Apple Juice
  • Ginger
  • Cloves
  • Nuts
  • Dried Fruits
  • Vanilla Extract

Can You Make it Ahead?

This is the perfect dish to make ahead because properly stored it will last in the fridge for 7 days.

How to Store It

Store leftovers tightly covered and sealed in plastic or glass in the refrigerator.

Freezer Tips

Store the cranberry sauce tightly covered and sealed and it will last up to a year. It keeps it’s optimal freshness for 2 months.

Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes

Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Southern Style Green Beans
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Pair With These Recipes

Slow Cooker Turkey Legs
Slow Cooker Turkey Wings
Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast
Smothered Turkey Wings
Baked Crab Legs
Baked Turkey Wings
Southern Baked Ham With Pineapple
Air Fryer Turkey
Air Fryer Baked Ham

Cajun Roasted Turkey

spoonful of Instant Pot cranberry sauce

More Cranberry Recipes

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Mimosas

Slow Cooker Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

Instant Pot cranberry sauce in a glass bowl
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Instant Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce will elevate your holiday feast with a quick and easy twist on a classic favorite. Say goodbye to canned versions and embrace the vibrant, homemade goodness that this recipe brings to your table. In just a few simple steps, your pressure cooker will transform fresh cranberries into a velvety, sweet-tart sauce that complements everything from turkey to desserts.
Save this recipe here.
Course Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade cranberry sauce, instant pot cranberry sauce, pressure cooker cranberry sauce
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 55kcal

Ingredients

  • 16 oz cranberries
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1 cup pure squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tablespoons sweetener or sugar Start with 1 teaspoon and taste repeatedly until desired taste is met.

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot.
  • Place the Instant Pot on Manual > High Pressure Cooking for 8 minutes.
  • Allow the steam to release naturally instead of quick release.
  • Spoon the sauce into a bowl. Refrigerate prior to serving if you prefer your sauce to be cold. The sauce will thicken as it cools off.

Video

Notes

You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. If using frozen you don’t have to defrost them, but I recommend rinsing off any ice crystals if present.
 
 
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Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Recipe Rating




Mary

Thursday 13th of January 2022

I made this homemade Cranberry sauce. I will never use canned Cranberry Sauce again. It was super easy to make and it had less sugar. I love left over Turkey sandwiches with cream cheese and Cranberries. So very yummy.

staysnatched

Friday 14th of January 2022

I'm glad it was yummy!

Bethany Hensch

Saturday 27th of November 2021

This was truly the easiest and tastiest recipe! As Brandi mentions, you can dump the ingredients in, set it and move on to prep work for other dishes while it cooks. The sauce was delicious and made my kitchen smell delightful!

staysnatched

Tuesday 30th of November 2021

I'm so glad to hear it!

Dorothy

Friday 26th of November 2021

Made this recipe following the directions provided. This cranberry sauce is amazing. So quick and easy to make a no sugar added cranberry sauce that has more flavor than the canned stuff.

staysnatched

Tuesday 30th of November 2021

I'm so glad to hear it.

Melissa

Thursday 17th of December 2020

Love this cranberry sauce. I used only the raw honey and didn't add any extra sweetener and it was amazing. So easy to make ahead of time. I've made it several Thanksgivings in a row and its always a big hit.

staysnatched

Thursday 17th of December 2020

Yay! I love this for the holiday season!

CTK

Tuesday 24th of November 2020

This recipe is delicious. Best cranberry sauce I had in my life.

staysnatched

Wednesday 25th of November 2020

Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.