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Ina Garten Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce with chunky cranberries simmered until the skins pop, then enriched with diced Granny Smith apple, orange and lemon juice, and toasted nuts. The result is a glossy, spoonable sauce you can refrigerate for up to a week and serve chilled or at room temperature.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • 1 orange
  • 1 lemon
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or pecans toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Simmer the cranberries
  1. Bring fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles actively; simmer 5 minutes until the skins pop (you should see cranberries bursting as they cook).
  2. Add the diced Granny Smith apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the saucepan and stir to combine; simmer 15 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and the fruit is tender.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in golden raisins and toasted walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed and glossy.
  2. Cool completely before transferring to a covered container and refrigerating up to 1 week (keep covered so it stays fresh).
  3. Serve chilled or at room temperature, spooning the sauce so it keeps its chunky texture.

Notes

Pro tip: simmering until the cranberry skins pop is what creates the signature chunky texture—don’t rush this step. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week; freeze only if needed for longer storage (thawed sauce may be slightly softer). For a lighter option, reduce the sugar to 1 1/4 cups, tasting after simmering and adjusting sweetness with a bit more juice if needed.