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    Home » Recipes » Sauces, Dips, Dressings

    Published: October 26, 2022 | Last Modified: October 26, 2022 by Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju | This post may contain affiliate links. 💬 - No Comments

    Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cranberries

    Dairy Free RecipesGluten Free RecipesNut Free RecipesVegan Recipes
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    This easy cranberry sauce recipe is made with dried cranberries, and is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
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    Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and that means it's time to start thinking about what dishes you'll be making. If you're looking to use up some dried cranberries or can't find fresh ones, this cranberry sauce with dried cranberries is sure to impress your guests. It's flavorful, holds its shape, and can be made year-round. So why not give it a try?

    Close up view of cranberry sauce in white bowl with oranges in the background

    This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" link!

    This post might contain affiliate links. If you click on those and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    💭 Why you'll love this recipe

    While fresh cranberry sauce is amazing, sometimes you just can't find fresh cranberries, or you have a lot of dried cranberries sitting at home. This is a great way to make a traditional recipe, but be more cost-effective!

    • Dried cranberries are more flavorful: Dried cranberries have a more concentrated flavor, so you can use less sugar without sacrificing taste. Plus, extra sugar in dried cranberries will help thicken your sauce as it cooks.
    • Dried cranberries hold their shape better: When cooked, fresh cranberries sometimes turn into a mushy mess. Dried cranberries hold their shape when cooked, so your sauce will have a lovely mix of tart bites and smoothness.
    • You can use this recipe year-round: Cranberry season is relatively short, so if you want to make cranberry sauce outside of November and December, you'll need to use dried cranberries. This is also a great way to use up any leftover dried cranberries from your holiday baking!

    📋 Ingredients and notes

    To make cranberry sauce with dried cranberries, you'll need: dried cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, water, and corn starch.

    Overhead view of ingredients for cranberry sauce with dried cranberries, check recipe card for details

    Notes and Variations

    • Switch up the cranberries: Cranberry sauce is a staple for the holidays, and can be made with many types of cranberries. If you have fresh or frozen cranberries, check out this homemade cranberry sauce. Or if you want to use canned cranberries, here's a cranberry sauce with canned cranberries!
    • Switch up the liquid: This recipe uses cranberry juice, orange juice and water. However, you can just use water if you want to tone down the sweetness.
    • Adjust sweetness: Dried cranberries are quite sweet, so if you want to reduce sweetness, add a pinch of salt or other warm spices (like ginger or cinnamon).

    📖 Make cranberry sauce with dried cranberries

    Add dried cranberries, orange juice and orange zest, cranberry juice, and sugar to a medium saucepan.

    Overhead view of ingredients in a pan.

    Heat and stir until the mixture starts to boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the cranberries plump up, about 5 to 10 minutes.

    Overhead view of cornstarch slurry to the pot.

    Make a slurry with cornstarch and water. Slowly drizzle this slurry into the sauce while stirring. Stir for at least one minute, until the sauce thickens.

    Overhead view of cranberry sauce almost formed in the pot.

    Sauce will thicken more as it cools! Serve along with your favorite holiday dishes (like this amazing vegan turkey roast and vegan stuffing)

    Overhead view of a spoonful of cranberry sauce in the pot.

    👩🏽‍🍳Top Tips to Make the Best Cranberry Sauce

    Dried cranberries add a lovely sweetness and depth of flavor to cranberry sauce, and they're also incredibly easy to work with.

    Here are five tips for making cranberry sauce with dried cranberries.

    1. Use high-quality dried cranberries. Some dried cranberries can be excessively tart and may not reconstitute properly. When in doubt, spend a few extra dollars on a good-quality brand like Ocean Spray. You'll be glad you did when your sauce turns out perfectly delicious.
    2. Soak your dried cranberries in water for at least an hour before beginning to cook your sauce (if you're able to!) This will help them rehydrate properly and plump up nicely.
    3. Add spice! cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger all pair beautifully with cranberries and will give your sauce an extra kick of flavor. Just be careful not to go overboard—a little goes a long way with these potent spices.
    4. Adjust tartness. Cooked cranberry sauce can be quite sweet, so if you're looking for a more tart flavor profile, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice towards the end of cooking.
    5. Finally, don't be afraid to experiment! Rosemary, thyme, orange zest, and even black pepper can all be delicious additions to cranberry sauce. Just use your best judgment and trust your taste buds—you really can't go wrong.

    👩🏽‍🍳Troubleshooting FAQs

    Should you use sweetened cranberries or unsweetened cranberries for this recipe?

    You can use either! There is no need to add any additional sweetener if you're using sweetened cranberries. Depending on which type you use, simply adjust sugar content by adjusting the quantity of sugar.

    Are craisins the same as dried cranberries?

    Yes! Craisins are the same as dried cranberries. Ocean Spray cranberries are called "Craisins" (so it's a branded name for the same item)

    Should dried cranberries be soaked for this recipe?

    No, you don't need to soak the dried cranberries beforehand. You just add them to the saucepan along with the orange juice to rehydrate on the stove.

    What type of cranberry juice should I use?

    I like to use unsweetened cranberry juice when I make this recipe, but you can really use any that you like.

    🍴 Serving and storage suggestions

    Store this cranberry sauce in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to four days. You can also make this recipe up to 3 months ahead of time, portion it and freeze it. To defrost, place the amount you need in a saucepan and warm it up over the stove. You can also defrost by moving the portion from the freezer to the fridge the night before.

    If you have more dried cranberries, check out these cranberry biscotti with fresh orange zest! I love making this with leftover cranberries after the big day.

    You can serve this cranberry sauce with these amazing holiday dishes:

    • Vegan Turkey Roast
    • Vegan Stuffing
    • Smothered Garlic Green Beans
    • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (or Stovetop Mashed Potatoes)
    • Fluffy Dinner Rolls

    If you like this recipe, check out my other Thanksgiving sides:

    • 80+ Mouth Watering Thanksgiving Desserts!
    • Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
    • No Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake
    • Spicy Pumpkin Soup

    Did you make this recipe?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Please leave a comment and a star rating and let me know how it went! We love hearing from you, thank you so much

    Close up of cranberry sauce made with dried cranberries
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    Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cranberries

    This easy cranberry sauce recipe is made with dried cranberries, and is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 376kcal
    Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup sugar
    • ¾ cup orange juice
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 teaspoons orange zest, optional
    • 1½ cups dried cranberries
    • ¾ cup cranberry juice
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch, optional, for thickening
    • ¼ cup water, optional, for thickening

    Instructions

    • Add 1½ cups of dried cranberries, ¾ cup of orange juice and 2 teaspoons of orange zest, ¾ cup of cranberry juice, and 1 cup of sugar to a medium saucepan.
    • Heat and stir until the mixture starts to boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the cranberries plump up, about 5 to 10 minutes.
    • Make a slurry with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and ¼ cup of water. Slowly drizzle this slurry into the sauce mixture while stirring. Stir for at least one minute, until the sauce thickens. Sauce will thicken more as it cools!

    Video

    Notes

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    Nutrition

    Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @urbanfarmie or #urbanfarmie to let me know – I would LOVE to see your creations!
    « Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Fresh or Frozen Cranberries!)
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    Shruthi Baskaran - Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Blogger at Urban Farmie

    I am Shruthi, the recipe developer, photographer and blogger behind Urban Farmie. I have two graduate degrees from Stanford, one focused on food systems. And I hope to bring you everything you need for healthy-ish, comforting, nourishing vegetarian cooking.

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    Recipe Key

    Dairy free
    Gluten free
    Nut free
    Vegan
    Vegetarian

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