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3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

3 ingredient cranberry sauce made with a quick stovetop boil and a 10-minute jammy simmer. The berries burst into a thick, ruby sauce that sets as it cools and chills.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 266
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fresh cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Water
  • 1 cup water

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Boil the base
  1. Bring granulated sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and return to a boil, stirring to coat the berries.
Simmer until burst
  1. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture thickens to jammy ruby sauce.
Cool and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool completely until the sauce looks slightly more set.
  2. Chill until serving so the sauce sets as it cools to a thick, spoonable consistency.

Notes

For the thickest texture, simmer at a steady gentle bubble (not a hard rolling boil) and stir occasionally so the cranberries burst evenly. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 5 days; no freezing is recommended since the texture can soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace some of the granulated sugar with a 1:1 sugar substitute designed for cooking and follow package guidance.