Fresh blueberries and raspberries add rich color and great flavor to this festive Very Berry Cranberry Sauce. Make it ahead, pop it in the freezer, and check it off your holiday to-do list!
Looking for more? My Orange Cranberry Sauce is another delicious choice for the holidays.
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I’ve made a lot of cranberry sauce recipes over time, but I believe this Very Berry Cranberry Sauce just may be my favorite.
The unique triple berry combo of cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries make it just gorgeous on the table and stand out from your run of the mill cranberry sauce. I love the pop of color it adds to my Thanksgiving menu.
The tart-sweet flavor makes it the perfect accompaniment for your holiday turkey. It’s also delicious (and so pretty) spooned over desserts like vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, warm apple crisp, or freshly baked apple pie.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh cranberries: You should start seeing bags of fresh cranberries appearing in the produce section of most grocery stores in October and running through December.
- Granulated sugar: Fresh cranberries are exceptionally tart so the ratio of sugar in this recipe is important to balance them out.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon
- Fresh berries: Raspberries and blueberries.
How to Make Very Berry Cranberry Sauce
- Rinse and drain the cranberries and place them in a heavy medium saucepan with the water and sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and when you hear a cranberry or two pop, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, mix well, and remove from the heat.
- Add the blueberries and raspberries.
- Stir the berries into the sauce, breaking them up a bit with the spoon, if desired.
- Transfer the sauce to mason jars or other airtight containers and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
- Then, cover and refrigerate the cranberry sauce for several hours or for up to two days before serving. The sauce will thicken and the flavors will blend as it chills.
Valerie’s Tips
Storage: This recipe makes the perfect amount to fill two pint-sized mason jars. Keep one in the refrigerator for your Thanksgiving meal and freeze the other to thaw and serve at your Christmas gathering. Or, use smaller 8 ounce jelly jars and give them away to friends and family!
Make it ahead: It’s best to prepare it a day or two in advance to allow the flavors to intensify as it chills in the refrigerator so put it on your list of things to do ahead. The recipe card includes freezer instructions if you want to get this task out of the way weeks or even a couple of months before the holiday.
Controlling the texture: Use a wooden spoon to press some of the cranberries against the pan to mash them slightly for a smoother cranberry sauce. Or, leave them whole for a whole berry cranberry sauce.
More Holiday Side Dishes
- Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts
- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Brioche Stuffing
- Easy Turkey Gravy
- For more menu planning inspiration, check out my full collection of Thanksgiving recipes.
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Very Berry Cranberry Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ½ cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Place the rinsed and drained cranberries in a heavy medium saucepan with the water and sugar. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and when you hear a cranberry or two pop, reduce the heat to LOW. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to press some of the cranberries against the pan to mash them slightly. Add the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Mix well and remove from the heat.
- Mix in the blueberries and raspberries breaking them up a bit with the spoon, if desired. Transfer the sauce to mason jars or other airtight containers and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours until completely chilled or for up to 2 days before serving. The sauce will thicken and the flavors will blend as it chills.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on November 21,2001. It has been updated with new text and images.
Amazing, I have never found a recipe where the comments were filled with “tweaks” to the original. You don’t need any tweaks to this recipe! It is my go-to cranberry sauce now, I look forward to finding fresh cranberries in the stores now!
Just finished making this ahead of time for Thanksgiving this week. So perfectly sweet and tangy and very easy to make!
How can I make this more like a relish instead ? Can I puree it?
I suppose that would work!
So delicious! I made this, doubled the recipe. I took 2 out of the refrigerator to use but left one on the counter over night. Is it safe to eat? I love this hope I didn’t waste it.
Hi Dana. I’m so happy you loved the recipe. Unfortunately, I would suggest tossing the one left out overnight. It’s always best to err on the side of safety.
This is delicious! Everyone loves it. To make it less fluid, I dissolve 2T corn starch in 1/4c of orange juice and stir it in.
Did you use the OJ instead of the water or did you use both?
I used both. I added the cornstarch and oj at the end
Can I use a cup of maple syrup instead of the sugar?
I don’t think that would be a good idea. The texture would be way off and fresh cranberries are exceptionally tart and really need quite a bit of sugar. If you’re going for a maple flavor, I’d keep everything the same and just add a tablespoon or two of pure maple syrup.
Getting the ingredients to do this recipe. Have you ever ‘CANNED’ this recipe in a Water Bath Canning process?
Hi Jandy. No, I’ve never canned it but it does freeze exceptionally well. Take a look at my post How To Make, Customize and Freeze Cranberry Sauce for the info.
I just finished canning this into 1/2 pint jars while still hot (hot pak). Water Bath canner…. processed for 15 minutes. I followed another Cranberry sauce recipe for processing time, probably more than necessary (based on my elevation 0-1000) but I’d rather be safe and process longer. I plan on opening one of these for Thanksgiving! This made about 4 – 1/2pint jars. Tasted awesome while still hot!!
I’m excited to try your recipe! I’m use to making my cranberry sauce the morning of Will this work or will it taste better to make ahead of time?
You can make it the same day but I highly recommend getting it done at least a day or two prior so you can check it off the list. I do think it develops a bit more flavor if it has a little time to rest but as long as you give it enough time to cool and then refrigerate it until chilled it will be delicious.
Will reduce water next time. Loved the flavor of the sauce. Beautiful and tasty!
How does it affect the recipe if you use frozen strawberries and blueberries. Either one of those is hard to find fresh in the Northeast right now.
The recipe calls for raspberries and blueberries and I wouldn’t suggest using strawberries. I think fresh berries are best but you’d probably be fine with frozen as long as they are thawed and drained really well before you add them to the sauce.
I was wondering if it would be okay to add pecans? We usually make cranberry salad using the jellied sauce, strawberry or raspberry jello, canned pineapple chunks and pecans. This year I wanted to make my own and your recipe sounds the best so far!
It’s absolutely okay to add pecans. I think it would be wonderful!
What about apples? I have 10 gallon bags filled with apples frozen. I have been making all sorts of recipes with apples 🙂
Looks great! Will this stiffen up like the canned kind??
Hello Donna 🙂 I think the consistency is similar to the canned, whole berry type but more fluid than the jellied variety. I hope that helps! It’s a nice treat to make your own for the holidays.