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Canning Cranberry Sauce

Canning cranberry sauce with whole berries for a glossy, jammy texture—made by boiling until the fruit bursts, then processed in a water bath for shelf-stable jars. This classic American cranberry sauce includes orange juice and zest for a bright, slightly citrus twist.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 48 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh cranberries; sort and rinse before starting.
Sugar syrup
  • 4 cup sugar Granulated sugar.
  • 2 cup water For dissolving sugar and cooking the sauce.
  • 1 cup orange juice Fresh-squeezed or bottled orange juice.
  • 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice Added with the cranberries to help set the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp orange zest Stir in after the berries boil and thicken.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prepare jars
  1. Wash the jars, lids, and bands, then keep the jars hot in simmering water until needed.
Cook the cranberry base
  1. Bring sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil in a large pot, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Boil until berries burst
  1. Add cranberries and bottled lemon juice, then boil gently for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Finish with orange zest
  1. Stir in the orange zest after the sauce thickens, then keep the mixture hot.
Fill and process
  1. Ladle the hot sauce into the hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace, then wipe the rims clean.
Seal fingertip tight
  1. Apply lids and bands and tighten fingertip tight.
Water-bath canning
  1. Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting the time for altitude.
Rest and cool
  1. Turn off the heat and rest the jars in the canner for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
Cool undisturbed
  1. Cool the jars undisturbed for 24 hours before checking seals.
Store
  1. Check that the lids have sealed, then store sealed jars in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the jars hot and the sauce bubbling while filling to reduce temperature shock and help seals form reliably. Refrigeration isn’t needed for sealed jars; store sealed jars in a cool dark place up to 1 year. If you don’t process them, refrigerate and use within about 2 weeks. For a lighter option, you can reduce sugar slightly, but it may affect set and shelf stability—follow tested canning sugar ratios for safe results.