This healthy and simple naturally vegan cranberry sauce is low in sugar. Spiced with cinnamon and orange zest it’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
Cranberry sauce is sweet and tart and has always been my favorite side dish at Thanksgiving.
I know it’s traditionally served alongside turkey, but even if you’re having a vegan Thanksgiving, or holiday dinner, you should not leave this classic off your menu!
Many cranberry sauce recipes are naturally vegan. However, some recipes add gelatin or honey, making them non-compliant.
If you buy the canned version from the store, chances are it has added gelatin. What is gelatin? It is made from boiling animal skin, tendons, or bones in water. So, it’s a no go when it comes to vegan recipes!
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💗 Why This Recipe Works
- Low in sugar
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and orange juice
- Cinnamon spice adds holiday cheer!
- Naturally thickens without gelatin
- Low in calorie
- Quick and easy holiday recipe!
- Only 15 minutes of hands-on cooking!
- Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and whole-food plant-based!
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
- Maple Syrup-Adds natural sweetness to the sauce, without the need for a lot of added sugar. Use organic if possible.
- Orange Juice-Only a small amount of orange juice is called for in this recipe to reduce the overall sugar. However, if you’d like to increase the amount of orange juice and decrease the amount of water that will give the sauce a sweeter more citrus-y flavor.
- Water-Add the necessary needed liquid without the added calories.
- Orange Zest-This adds more citrus flavor without the need to add more juice. The zest of the orange holds a lot of flavor!
- Cinnamon-For added holiday spice, combined with the cranberries and orange creates a fragrant sauce!
- Cranberries (fresh or frozen)-Use either fresh or frozen depending on what you can get in your local store. Both will work well and cook down to create a nice thick sauce.
📋 Vegan Cranberry Sauce Instructions
Step 1: In a saucepan combine maple syrup, orange juice, water, and orange zest. Bring to a boil.
Step 2: Add cranberries and cinnamon. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst and soften.
Step 3: Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl, and chill. The Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
❓ Recipe FAQS
Serve this with any of your favorite Vegan Thanksgiving recipes. If not vegan, seven along with turkey and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 7 days, but I recommend enjoying it within 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing cranberry sauce as it will not keep its structure after it thaws. It will become watery.
Expert Tips
- Make a few days in advance to save yourself some time on Thanksgiving day.
- If water or liquid pools at the top when stored in the refrigerator, pour it off and give it a good stir.
- Sub agave syrup if you don’t have maple syrup.
- If you use frozen cranberries, you do not need to defrost them before cooking.
- When you start to see the cranberries burst, pull the pan off the heat. This will allow some of the cranberries to burst and others to stay whole which will give the sauce a nice texture.
- If your sauce hasn’t gelled after it’s been chilled, pop it back on the stove, and bring it back to a simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and chill again.
If you made this recipe, please comment below and leave a ⭐️ rating. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, for more family-friendly vegan recipes!
Vegan Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup maple syrup for sweeter taste add an additional ¼ cup
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine maple syrup, orange juice, water, and orange zest. Bring to a boil.
- Add cranberries and cinnamon. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst and soften.
- Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl, and chill. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Make a few days in advance to save yourself some time on Thanksgiving day.
- If water or liquid pools at the top when stored in the refrigerator, pour it off, and give it a good stir.
- If you don’t have maple syrup you can sub agave syrup.
- If you use frozen cranberries, you do not need to defrost them before cooking.
- When you start to see the cranberries burst, pull the pan off the heat. This will allow some of the cranberries to burst and others to stay whole which will give the sauce a nice texture.
- If your sauce hasn’t gelled after it’s been chilled, pop it back on the stove, bring it back to a simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and chill again.
Saif
I love cranberry sauce. I use it when topping on my pancakes or spread on my bread. I am glad it is low in sugar. Thanks for the recipe
Alexandra
We love cranberry sauce and use it all the time! This recipe is delicious and we love that it uses maple syrup!
Liz
I’m kind of picky about cranberry sauce and your recipe sounds like one I would definitely love to make!
Adriana
Craberry sauce is a must in my home. We all love it and would love to have it yearlong. Reason why I make lot of jam and can it. Need to include your recipe as it is low in sugar, thanks!
Anjali
I couldn’t wait until Thanksgiving to try out this cranberry sauce!! We made it this weekend and it was a hit! I loved that it was a lower sugar, healthier option for Thanksgiving – but also just a great side dish for a plant-based dinner too!