This Low Carb Cranberry Sauce is the perfect addition to your holiday meal! Ready in 15 minutes, it's so much tastier than store-bought cranberry sauce. Made with only 5 ingredients!
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Note: This recipe was originally published in November 2018, but has been improved and re-photographed. We hope you enjoy the new look!
There's nothing like homemade keto cranberry sauce. Make sure you have some on your Thanksgiving table this holiday season!
Looking for more keto recipes to serve at your Thanksgiving meal? Be sure to try this keto green bean casserole, these mashed turnips, these keto pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting!
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Simple ingredients - You can find what you need for this recipe at any grocery store during the holiday season!
- Much healthier than a traditional cranberry sauce recipe - Whether you follow a keto diet or not, this is a great recipe! In our opinion, there's just no need for a ton of added sugar, when you can make something just as tasty with a fraction of the sugar, and no blood sugar spike! Our version has 4 grams of total carbs, and 1 gram of fiber, making 3 net carbs per serving.
- Make ahead - This recipe is great to make ahead of time to save time on the big day. It also freezes really well if you want to enjoy long-past Thanksgiving dinner.
- Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and low carb - It's not hard to make a low sugar cranberry sauce with just a few swaps, considering cranberries themselves are very low in carbs and sugar naturally.
🍊Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this easy keto cranberry sauce. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Frozen or fresh cranberries
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Orange zest - Optional. Use an organic orange if possible since you're consuming the orange zest.
- Sugar-free sweetener - Use your keto-friendly sweetener of choice. We used allulose sweetener as it doesn't crystallize as it cools unlike other keto sweeteners. If using anything other than allulose, we recommend using powdered sweetener like Swerve confectioners (affiliate link) to reduce the amount of crystallization.
- Water
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here's a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this sauce.
- Swap the citrus - Feel free to swap orange juice for fresh lemon juice and lemon zest like we did in this cranberry ice cream recipe.
- Use orange extract - If you want the orange flavor without any added carbs, use a little orange extract (about ¼ of a teaspoon) in place of orange juice. You will need to add a few tablespoons of extra water if you omit the orange juice.
- Spiced - Add a cinnamon stick or two, or your favorite ground spices to the mix for extra flavor! Some of our favorite additions include nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cinnamon.
- Herbed - To lean into some of the savory flavors that are found on your holiday table, you can always add a little bit of fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage.
- Vanilla notes - Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract once you take the cranberry sauce off the heat.
- Use any natural sweetener - If you prefer different sweeteners, that's totally fine. Other options like erythritol or monk fruit sweetener will begin to crystallize in the fridge, but you could also opt for sugar-free maple syrup. For those not tracking carbs, use regular maple syrup, honey, agave, or sugar.
- Pureed - If you don't like lumps in your cranberry sauce, feel free to add the cooked cranberry sauce to a food processor for a luxurious and silky smooth texture.
🔪Prep work
- Zest and juice an orange.
- Measure out all ingredients.
📋Instructions
In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, water, and orange zest. (Image 1) Add to the stove over medium heat, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until cranberries begin to pop. (Image 2)
Add in the sweetener (Image 3), and orange juice. (Image 4)
Stir to combine (Image 5) and return to the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sweetener, and thicken the mixture. This should take about 5 minutes. (Image 6)
Serve with more orange zest, and fresh thyme if desired. (Image 7)
✨Tips & tricks
- Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Sweeten to taste.
- Make this up to 10 days in advance and store in the fridge to save time on the day of your gathering.
💭Frequently Asked Questions
Allow to cool at room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Freeze for up to 6 months, but be sure to transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Glass can burst when it freezing so don't store in glass.
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Keto Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- sauce pan
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 3 ounces water
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (zest of 1 orange)
- 162 grams allulose sweetener (about ¾ cup, or to taste)
- 1 ounce orange juice, fresh squeezed
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, water, and orange zest. Add to the stove over medium heat, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until cranberries begin to pop.
- Add in sweetener, and freshly squeezed orange juice, and stir constantly with a rubber spatula to dissolve the sweetener. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to thicken.
- Serve with more orange zest, and fresh thyme if desired. Serve and enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Allow to come to room temperature before freezing, and store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Notes
- Keep in mind that the cranberry sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Sweeten to taste. add more or less sweetener if desired.
- Use your preferred sugar-free sweetener, but be aware that sweeteners other than allulose will crystallize when they cool.
- To freeze, allow to cool completely at room temperature, then freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Feel free to food process or blend the cranberry sauce for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Add in lemon juice and zest instead of orange juice and zest if you like. You can also add things like fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage, cinnamon or other warm spices, vanilla, or even orange extract.
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