• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Strength and Sunshine
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Celiac Disease & Food Allergies
  • Coaching
  • Media & Press
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Celiac Disease & Food Allergies
  • Coaching
  • Media & Press
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
×
Home » Condiments » Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Published: Nov 21, 2021 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe
jellied cranberry sauce with image text

The easiest way to make Jellied Cranberry Sauce from scratch! This 3-ingredient homemade jelly cranberry sauce is thickened and made to gel naturally with no pectin, gelatin, agar, or extra ingredients! A Thanksgiving and winter holiday staple you can whip up in minutes, customize with flavors, and make sugar-free and so much healthier than anything you can buy in a can!

jellied cranberry sauce in jar with wooden spoon

Some like cranberry sauce drippy, spoonable, and a little less jellied. Some of us like it smooth and thick like jello! This homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce recipe is for all my latter friends! It's so simple and easy to make from scratch you'll be "scratching your head" as to why you didn't make it at home sooner! Say goodbye to any store-bought canned cranberry sauce, loaded with added sugars like high fructose corn syrup!

centered overhead view of bowl of fresh whole cranberries

What's The Difference Between Whole Cranberry Sauce and Jellied?

When it comes to whole berry sauce, the skin, seeds, and flesh of the berries are still included in the sauce. The jellied version requires you to mash the sauce in a fine-mesh sieve to remove all the excess skin and seeds, allowing you to just save the jellied pulp for a thick naturally gelled sauce!

What Causes Cranberry Sauce To Gel?

Cranberries contain a high amount of natural pectin. Pectin is a large polysaccharide that's naturally present in many ripe fruits, but in varying concentrations. Pectin sits in the cell walls and dissolves from the fruit when gently simmered over heat. Pectin combined with the right amount of acidity allows the natural gelling to occur in fruit jams. Since cranberries are high in pectin and high in acidity, you don't need to add extra pectin, gelatin, or agar to make your sauce gel.

By cooking the sauce and further breaking up the cell walls by smashing the cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve, you get an ideal jelly. It's Mother Earth's natural magic at work (with a wee bit of help from you!)

Just 3 Ingredients

ingredients for basic cranberry sauce

  • Whole Cranberries: You can use a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries. If you're making your sauce during peak season, you'll be able to find a standard 12-ounce bag right in the produce section at your grocery store. If you're making it later in the year, make sure you stock up on bags and keep them in the freezer!
  • Granulated Sweetener: For a perfect sugar-free and keto jellied cranberry sauce, you can use a sugar-free sweetener like Swerve or go ahead and use any type of granulated sugar you're used to!
  • Water: Just a cup of fresh filtered water is all you need to achieve the perfect consistency for your jelly!

How To Customize And Flavor Your Jelly

The same way you would flavor a whole berry cranberry sauce, you can head over to this post for a ton of flavor suggestions!

How To Make Jellied Cranberry Sauce From Scratch

four step process to making cranberry sauce on the stove

  1. Add your choice of sweetener and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the whole cranberries and bring the pot back to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, stirring every few minutes and crushing some of the berries with the back of a spoon to help them pop.
  4. Once most of the berries have popped and the sauce begins to thicken, remove the saucepan from heat.

three steps to making jellied cranberry sauce by hand

  1. While the sauce is hot, pour it into a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl.
  2. Use a hard spoon to mash the sauce through the sieve, allowing only the seeds and skins of the berries to remain
  3. Now let the cranberry jelly cool completely in the fridge completely or overnight.

two glass jars with jellied cranberry sauce

Storing & Freezing

When you go to cool your cranberry jelly, I suggest pouring it into some glass jars, smoothing out the top, and chilling in the fridge. The jellied sauce will mold to the shape of the container you put it in. When you're ready to serve it, you can either pop the jelly out of the jar and slice it into rounds or just spoon it out of the jar.

Your jellied cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for about 14 days. You can freeze the jelly in an airtight freezer container for about 3-4 months. Defrost the jellied cranberry in the fridge before serving chilled.

How To Can Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Can the jellied sauce by filling sanitized glass ball jars (half-pint or pint) with the jelly, leaving ¼ inch of space at the top, and secure the lids. Place the jars in a canner or large soup pot of boiling water, just to the tops of the jars. Bring water to a boil and boil for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the jars with tongs and let them cool on the counter overnight or until room temperature. Label and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.

overhead view of tops of two glass jars of jellied cranberry sauce

How To Serve Jarred Cranberry Sauce

You can slice this jelly sauce into rounds like you would with the iconic canned variety you'd buy at the store and present it on a platter at your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. You can also use it as a jam or fruit jelly and spread it on sandwiches (maybe even a PBC, peanut butter, and cranberry!) The jellied sauce is best served chilled so it keeps its form!

Is It Healthy?

You don't have to worry about the added sugar, preservatives, or the lining of a can leaching into your fresh jellied sauce! This easy jellied cranberry sauce is:

  • Gluten-Free
  • Vegan & Vegetarian
  • Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
  • Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo
  • Sugar-Free
  • Kid-Friendly
  • Customizable Flavors
  • Easy & Simple 3-Ingredients
  • Quick & Made In 10 Minutes
  • Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Holiday Essential
  • Freezer-Friendly & Cannable

Complete Your Thanksgiving Meal:

  • Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf
  • Rosemary Thyme Mashed Potatoes
  • Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing
  • Vegan Corn Casserole
  • Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits

jar or jellied cranberry sauce ready to be served

Print

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

spoon scooping out jellied cranberry sauce from jar
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

The easiest way to make Jellied Cranberry Sauce from scratch! This 3-ingredient homemade jelly cranberry sauce is thickened and made to gel naturally with no pectin, gelatin, agar, or extra ingredients! A Thanksgiving and winter holiday staple you can whip up in minutes, customize with flavors, and make sugar-free and so much healthier than anything you can buy in a can!

  • Author: Rebecca Pytell
  • Prep Time: 0 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 Cup 1x
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 oz (3 Cups) Whole Cranberries
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sweetener (or preferred granulated sugar)
  • 1 Cup Water

Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water and sweetener to a boil and dissolve.
  2. Add the whole cranberries, stir and bring the pot back to a boil before reducing the heat to a low simmer.
  3. Simmer the sauce for about 8-10 minutes until most of the berries have popped. Stir occasionally and use the back of a spoon to help pop the berries as needed. Add any other flavorings you want to use during this 8-10 minutes cooking cycle.
  4. Remove the sauce from the heat and get out a large bowl and fine mesh sieve.
  5. Pour as much of the hot sauce as you can into the sieve and mash it through using the back of a hard spoon. Continue this process until all the sauce has gone through the sieve and only the seeds and excess cranberry skins remain.
  6. You can transfer the cranberry jelly into glass jars or an air-tight container to come to room temperature before chilling completely in the fridge (3-4 hours) or overnight before serving.

Notes

  • See this blog post for flavoring suggestions.
  • See this recipe post for detailed instructions on making whole berry cranberry sauce.
  • You can double or triple this recipe and follow the same instructions.
  • Jellied cranberry sauce lasts in the fridge for about 14 days. Serve chilled.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon

Keywords: jellied cranberry sauce, cranberry jelly, sugar-free jellied cranberry sauce, cranberry sauce jelly, canned cranberry sauce

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @rebeccagf666 on Instagram and hashtag it #strengthandsunshine

spoon scooping out jellied cranberry sauce from jar

If you want some more delicious cranberry recipes, try these vegan white chocolate cranberry cookies, these copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, or whip up a batch of this spiced cranberry granola!

So tell me:

+ You can only choose one...jellied, whole, or roasted cranberry sauce?

———————————————-

Stay connected:
Facebook: Strength and Sunshine
Twitter: @RebeccaGF666
Instagram: rebeccagf666
Pinterest: RebeccaGF666
Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine

Related

« Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Banana Bread (Vegan, Allergy-Free) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen

    December 08, 2021 at 5:04 pm

    O wow, I never realized it was that easy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rebecca Pytell

      December 08, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      Right? Incredible!

      Reply
  2. Michelle

    November 24, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    So delicious! Thanks for sharing

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rebecca Pytell

      November 25, 2021 at 6:49 am

      Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Diana g

        November 24, 2022 at 12:04 pm

        Really good recipe! I cooked mine about 15 minutes because I was tending to pies in the oven. It became a little more work to stain the sauce but worth the extra work.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Rebecca Pytell

          November 24, 2022 at 2:34 pm

          Awesome, glad to here that!

          Reply
  3. Michele Morin

    November 21, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    Cranberries are definitely my.favorite part of the feast.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Pytell

      November 22, 2021 at 8:33 am

      I'm still not "too" big a fan!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I'm so glad you're here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services! More about me



Search

Never Miss A Post

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Gluten-Free Blueberry Crumb Bars
  • Blueberry Chia Jam
  • Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks
  • Strawberry Banana Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
  • Strawberry Chia Jam

Trending Posts

  • Slow Cooker Applesauce | Easy, Simple, No Added Sugar
  • Slow Cooker Apple Butter (No Peeling Required!)
  • Cold Italian Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)
  • Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones (Vegan, Allergy-Free) Healthy Starbucks Copycat
  • Homemade Apple Cider (No Added Sugar)
  • Healthy Lemonade Recipe (Sugar-Free, Homemade, 3-Ingredients)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Rebecca
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media & Press

Copyright © 2022 Strength and Sunshine LLC

Related

Soft moist pillows of pumpkin goodness studded wit Soft moist pillows of pumpkin goodness studded with dark chocolate chips 🤩🎃🍫

Super easy gluten-free soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, vegan and allergy-free 😘🍪

Find the full recipe on Strength and Sunshine 🥳
https://strengthandsunshine.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/

#pumpkin #pumpkincookies #chocolatechipcookies #vegancookies #glutenfreecookies #allergyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree
When you want both the summer and fall vibes at on When you want both the summer and fall vibes at once…😙🍂👙

Super moist, soft, fluffy Pumpkin Zucchini Bread! 🤩🎃🥒🍞
Gluten-free, vegan, allergy-free, full of fruits and veggies! 😁

Find the full recipe on Strength and Sunshine 🥳
https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-zucchini-bread/

#pumpkin #zucchini #pumpkinbread #zucchinibread #glutenfreebread #veganbread #allergyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree
Say farewell to berry season with these sweet, ten Say farewell to berry season with these sweet, tender, buttery crumb bars! 🫐
*
Gluten-Free Blueberry Crumb Bars (Vegan, Allergy-Free) 😍🤤🫐
*
These Beautifully Blissful Blueberry Bars are:👇
Gluten-Free ❤️
Allergy-Free 🧡
Vegan 💛
Kid-Approved 💚
No Added Sugar 💙
Simple and Easy 💜
Delicious Dessert, Brunch or Breakfast Treat 💖
*
With that homemade blueberry chia jam sandwiched between a tender and buttery gluten-free shortbread style crust and delicious crumb topping, served warm with some vegan vanilla ice cream...not too sweet, just enough to satisfy all your fruity blueberry dreams 🙌🫐🥰😘
*
CLICK the LINK in my BIO @rebeccagf666 for the FULL RECIPE on the BLOG! 👆👆
https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-blueberry-crumb-bars/
*
#blueberries #blueberry #bakingfromscratch #blueberryrecipes #bakingwithkids #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree #soyfree #nutfree #blueberrypie #allergyfree #celiac #foodallergies #feedfeed #thebakefeed #bakersofinstagram #glutenfreelife #wildblueberries #foodallergymom #kidapproved #veganbaking #vegandessert #glutenfreedessert #glutenfreefood #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreeliving #celiacdisease #dessertbars
Early Autumn Vibes in these Apple Cinnamon Muffins Early Autumn Vibes in these Apple Cinnamon Muffins! ✌️🍎

Fluffy, bakery-style muffins, gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free! Filled with fresh chopped apples and coated in cinnamon sugar goodness! 😋🥰🍎

Find the full recipe on Strength and Sunshine 🥳👇
https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-apple-cinnamon-muffins-vegan/

#apple #applecinnamon #applecinnamonmuffins #veganmuffins #glutenfreebreakfast #allergyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree
Are you still holding out on the pumpkin or have y Are you still holding out on the pumpkin or have you given in? 🤔

Let your first taste of pumpkin spice be these copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones! Gluten-Free, vegan, and allergy-free, one of Strength and Sunshine’s fan-favorite pumpkin recipes! 🎃🥰😋

Find the full recipe on Strength and Sunshine 👇🥳

https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-scones-vegan/

#pumpkin #pumpkinscones #pumpkinspice #veganbreakfast #glutenfreebreakfast #allergyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree
The solution for your bounty of blueberries!🫐 * The solution for your bounty of blueberries!🫐
*
Blueberry Chia Jam (Vegan, Gluten-Free) 😍🫐
*
This Berrylicious Blueberry Jam is 👇
Gluten-Free ❤️
Allergy-Free 🧡
Vegan 💛
Sugar-Free, Keto, & Paleo 💚
Kid-Approved 💙
Healthy & Customizable💜
Quick & Easy, 2 Ingredients 💖
Sweet Spread, Filling, Topping, & More! 💝
*
Just like the strawberry chia jam you all loved, this blueberry chia seed jam is just as easy with two ingredients and endless customizations and uses! Blueberry jam is one of my favorites for a PBJ and you’ll need a batch for an upcoming recipe I’ll be sharing in 2 weeks! 🫐🤩
*
CLICK the LINK in my BIO @rebeccagf666 for the FULL RECIPE on the BLOG! 👆👆
https://strengthandsunshine.com/blueberry-chia-jam/
*
#blueberryjam #blueberrychiajam #blueberry #blueberries #wildblueberries #chiajam #chiaseeds #homemadejam #summerfruit #blueberryrecipes #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree #soyfree #nutfree #allergyfree #keto #paleo #celiac #foodallergies #feedfeed #glutenfreelife #foodallergymom #kidapproved #eatrealfood #glutenfreefood #glutenfreeliving #celiacdisease
If you’re not grilling your French toast…what If you’re not grilling your French toast…what are you doing? 🧐🔥🍞🍁

Grilled French Toast and Grilled French Toast Skewers! 🤩

Both recipe are perfect for those end-of-summer and fall camping adventures you have! Both are perfectly gluten-free, allergy-free bad vegan of course! No need for perishable ingredients here! 😋🥰🏕️

Find the full recipes on Strength and Sunshine 🥳
Classic: https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-grilled-french-toast-vegan/
Skewers: https://strengthandsunshine.com/gluten-free-grilled-french-toast-skewers-vegan/

#frenchtoast #frenchtoasts #frenchtoastrecipe #veganbreakfast #glutenfreebreakfast #allergyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree
Healthy Allergy-Free Pad Thai? Of Course! 🤩😋 Healthy Allergy-Free Pad Thai? Of Course! 🤩😋🥳

Perfectly gluten-free, allergy-free, and vegan! That means no soy, peanuts, eggs, or fish. Naturally gluten-free with those rice noodles of course 😎🍜

Find the full recipe here 👇
https://strengthandsunshine.com/vegan-pad-thai-gluten-free/

#padthai #veganpadthai #glutenfreenoodles #vegandinner #allergyfree #nutfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #eggfree #soyfree