Prep ahead for Thanksgiving with freezer-friendly cranberry sauce! Cranberry sauce lovers will love this sweet and tart medley made with apples, orange and lemon. Make extra for family members and friends to take home to enjoy with leftover turkey or ham on a roll; spooned over cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer; or over a wheel of warm melty Brie wrapped in puffed pastry.
Happy Thanksgiving Week!
I know it’s a busy week for everyone with the cooking, cleaning or travelling,
not to mention decking the halls, trimming the tree and Black Friday shopping!
I’m sharing a favorite recipe and one that makes me thankful:
Ina Garten’s Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce.
I shared this recipe a couple of years ago and it’s been on our Thanksgiving table for several years now.
It checks a lot of boxes:
✔️ Easy to make
✔️ Can be made a week in advance
✔️ Freezer friendly, so you have some for holiday appetizers and easy entertaining.
I made a double recipe as we’re having two Thanksgivings this year,
one with my family on Thursday, and one
one with my husband’s family on Sunday.
I filled some mason jars so family members have some
to take home and enjoy with their leftovers.
Did you know homemade cranberry sauce keeps in the freezer for up to three months?
We enjoy it with leftover turkey or ham on a roll or biscuit;
spooned over goat cheese (or cream cheese if you prefer) with crackers for an easy appetizer;
or over a wheel of warm melty Brie wrapped in puffed pastry.
Baked Brie in Puff Pastry using Leftover Cranberry Sauce
To freeze, pour your cooled homemade cranberry sauce into freezer-safe mason jars,
leaving about 1 inch of headspace or use freezer zip-top plastic bags,
removing as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.
To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
Note: Freezing works for homemade cranberry sauce but is not recommended for the jellied style
canned cranberry sauce, as it becomes too watery.
Fragrant prep bonus:
Toss the apple peel & core, oranges and lemons in a Dutch oven with some water to simmer,
for the afternoon, along with a couple of cinnamon sticks for a fragrant simmer pot!
The fragrance is better than any candle and free!
‘Thankful’ labels found at Michaels . . .
Be thankful for the little things in life. ;)
🦃🦃🦃
Ina Garten’s Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- microplane zester
Ingredients
- 12- ounce bag fresh cranberries rinsed and picked through, discarding any that are bruised, shriveled or soft
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and chopped
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Add cranberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 - 10 minutes, or until the skins pop open.
- Add apple, zests, and juices and cook for 15 - 20 more minutes until thickened and apples are soft.
- Remove from the heat and let cool completely. It will continue to thicken as it cools from the pectin in the apple.
Notes
- This will make about 4 cups of cranberry sauce. Plan on 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce per person. If your family and guests are cranberry sauce enthusiasts and want leftovers you may want to double the recipe!
- May be made ahead up to 1 week in advance.
- May substitute frozen cranberries for fresh, no need to thaw.
- Enjoy leftover cranberry sauce in Brie with Puff Pastry for easy holiday entertaining.
- Can be frozen up to three months. To freeze: Pour cooled cranberry sauce into freezer-safe jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace or use freezer zip-top plastic bags, removing as much air as possible from bag before sealing. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
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Find 25+ recipes you’ll want to gobble for your Thanksgiving feast, HERE.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. ♥
Thank you for sharing this simple recipe. Happy Thanksgiving~
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving 🍁
Mary- after reading your blog, I immediately jumped up and made the Ina Garten’s (my cooking idol) Cranberry Sauce. I never put both lemon and orange (usually only oranges) or apples in my homemade cranberry sauce. Looks amazing. I also have the fragrance bonus simmering on my stove right now. Thank you for starting my Thanksgiving food prep off on the right trot ( I mean “foot”). Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃
Nice post
2 Thanksgivings, how much fun!! Your cranberry sauce sounds wonderful and I love the sweet labels you found for the jars. Also, how smart to make a simmer pot with the discards! Enjoy all your family this week Mary 🦃
Thanks Mary! Happy Thanksgiving! Clara❤️
I’ve been wanting to make this per your high accolades, Mary! I have everything I need. Have a wonderful time with all your family this week with two Thanksgivings! ❤️🍁❤️
This sounds really good! I’m pinning to make for cheese spread, thanks!
This is delish! Wishing you twice the family fun this Thanksgiving, happiest of holidays to you and your family.
I’d love to have some with the baked brie Mary! Happy Thanksgiving Week, give The Girls a hug for me:@)