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3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

3 ingredient cranberry sauce made on the stovetop until the berries burst for a thick, jammy texture. It simmers in sugar and water, then chills to set into ruby slices that spoon beautifully from the pan.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 214
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Fresh cranberries, not frozen (for best burst and texture).
  • 1 cup granulated sugar Use regular granulated sugar for steady simmering.
  • 1 cup water Helps dissolve sugar and create the base syrup.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the syrup
  1. Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Visual cue: you should see clear syrup bubbles that don’t look grainy.
Simmer the cranberries
  1. Add 12 oz fresh cranberries to the boiling syrup and return to a boil, watching for the berries to start breaking their skins. Visual cue: the sauce turns glossy and the cranberries look like they’re popping at the edges.
  2. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. Visual cue: you’ll see ruby jam streaks forming on the spoon.
Cool and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool completely, leaving the sauce at room temperature until it’s no longer hot. Visual cue: it will thicken as it cools and look more set and glossy.
  2. Chill until serving so the sauce sets; serve cold straight from the pan. Visual cue: the spoon will lift thick, sliceable cranberry sauce with visible whole berries.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the simmer gentle—too high can scorch the sugar at the bottom. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; the sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) for make-ahead holiday timing. For a lighter option, reduce the sugar slightly only if you’re okay with a looser set texture, since sugar helps the sauce thicken as it cools.