• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Sauces

    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

    November 23, 2021 by Ryan Leave a Comment

    37 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead shot of cranberry sauce in bowl
    close-up of Instant Pot cranberry sauce in white bowl
    bowl of cranberry sauce on wood board
    Instant Pot cranberry sauce in white bowl with oranges in background

    This Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and is way tastier than any canned product you might buy.

    Instant Pot cranberry sauce in white bowl with oranges in background

    Everybody has their go-to sides during the holidays - from old fashioned bread stuffing to savory sweet potato casserole to truffle mashed potatoes to maple roasted carrots.

    And one of the most popular is cranberry sauce. Now everyone has their opinion on canned vs homemade and obviously I'm a make it at home person. I like it so much, I have a homemade cranberry sauce that isn't made in an Instant Pot.

    Luckily, this recipe is about as easy as going to the store and buying the canned stuff. Just throw all of the ingredients except for the vanilla extract and let the Instant Pot do its work.

    30 minutes later and you have a delicious sauce which will be the hit of the holidays.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Ingredient Swap
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • FAQs
    • Leftover Cranberry Sauce Ideas
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Thanksgiving Recipes
    • Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
    overhead shot of cranberry sauce in bowl

    Ingredient Notes

    • Cranberries - always go with fresh if you can as it has just the right tartness.
    • Sweetness - I like getting a combination of sweetness from both granulated sugar and maple syrup. You need this so the sauce isn't too tart.
    • Oranges - use freshly squeeze orange juice and zest from oranges to add some acid.
    • Spices - infusing the cranberry sauce with some cinnamon and nutmeg adds warmth to it.

    Ingredient Swap

    Like any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:

    • While I like fresh cranberries, you can use frozen in a pinch.
    • The combination of granulated sugar and maple syrup works great, however you can use all of one or the other or try light brown sugar or honey.
    • I'm a fan of oranges for this recipe, but clementines work too.
    • If you can't find a cinnamon stick, just use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    process shots of adding ingredients to Instant Pot and turning on

    Add all of the ingredients except the vanilla extract to the Instant Pot. Select manual setting and adjust pressure to high. Cook for 4 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.

    process shots of cooked cranberry sauce and mashing in pot

    Remove the cinnamon stick and mash to desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract.

    FAQs

    How Do You Know When Cranberry Sauce is Done?

    The Instant Pot does its work and starts to pop the cranberries which turns it into a jam-like consistency. Remember with this cranberry sauce recipe, it will thicken more as it cools.

    Will Cranberry Sauce Thicken as It Cools?

    Cranberries are naturally rich in pectin, so they gel easily and will thicken as the sauce cools.

    How to Get the Bitterness Out of Cranberry Sauce?

    Cranberries are naturally very bitter which is where the sugar comes in to offset it. Everyone has different tastes, so if the sauce is still too bitter for you, just add maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time.

    How Long Will it Last?

    Homemade cranberry sauce will last in the fridge for 10-14 days if placed in an airtight container.

    Leftover Cranberry Sauce Ideas

    Unless you have a huge gathering, you will probably have some leftover cranberry sauce. Luckily there are a ton of ways to use it. Some options include:

    • Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins
    • Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake
    • Cranberry Sauce Breakfast Rolls
    • Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp
    • Leftover Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Scones

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • You can use all maple syrup or all granulated sugar. No need to use half and half if you don't want to or don't have one of the ingredients.
    • Replace the cinnamon stick with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon if needed.
    • If your cranberry sauce is still too bitter, add more maple syrup one tablespoon at a time.
    • Cranberry sauce can be served warm or cold.
    close-up of Instant Pot cranberry sauce in white bowl

    Other Thanksgiving Recipes

    • wooden spoon dipped in cream cheese mashed potatoes
      Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
    • spatchcock smoked turkey on red plate with herbs
      Spatchcock Smoked Turkey
    • spoon lifting out three cheese mac and cheese from baking dish
      Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
    • overhead shot of apple pie in pie plate
      Apple Custard Pie

    If you’ve tried this Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    Instant Pot cranberry sauce in white bowl with oranges in background
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

    This cranberry sauce recipe made in an Instant Pot can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and is way tastier than any canned product you might buy.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 136kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz fresh cranberries
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • ⅓ cup orange juice
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse with cold water. You want to discard any damaged cranberries.
    • Add the cranberries, sugar, syrup, orange juice, zest, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and salt to Instant Pot.
    • Select manual setting and adjust pressure to high. Set time for 4 minutes and then allow the pressure to naturally release.
    • Remove the cinnamon stick and mash to desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature and transfer to a storage container and place in the fridge until ready to use.

    Notes

    • You can use all maple syrup or all granulated sugar. No need to use half and half if you don't want to or don't have one of the ingredients.
    • Replace the cinnamon stick with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon if needed.
    • If your cranberry sauce is still too bitter, add more maple syrup one tablespoon at a time.
    • Cranberry sauce can be served warm or cold.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Apple Scones
    Instant Pot Turkey Breast »
    37 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Easter Day Recipes

    • orange roll on spatula above rolls in baking dish
      Orange Rolls
    • overhead shot of smoked spatchcock chicken on wood board
      Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
    • mini ham and cheese quiche stacked on cutting board
      Mini Ham and Cheese Quiche
    • chocolate hazelnut biscotti stacked on white plate
      Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

    Popular Recipes

    • chocolate chip scones stacked on white plate
      Chocolate Chip Scones
    • spoon lifting out chicken paprikash
      Chicken Paprikash
    • close-up of german chicken schnitzel on white plate
      Chicken Schnitzel
    • close-up of pork tossed in sweet soy ginger garlic sauce on bed of white rice
      Mongolian Pork

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    37 shares