Three ingredient homemade cranberry sauce is really easy to make! If you've been around for a while, you know I'm a HUGE fan of three (sometimes four) ingredient recipes. I've been trying to make more scratch recipes with three ingredients for you.
Homemade Three Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
A group of Moms and I were out for lunch. We were also talking about how so many families really, really love the cranberry sauce that comes out of a can. And, it's served with the can ridges and everything! I always love homemade cranberry sauce.
Three Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 small bag cranberries (12 oz)
Directions:
1. Mix water and sugar together in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil.
2. Add the bag of cranberries. Be warned, after about a minute, it might sound like you are making popcorn. The cranberry skin starts to crack and it makes a popping sound.
3. Gently boil for about 10 minutes. It will start having a jam-like consistency.
4. Pour into a serving dish or bowl and cool in refrigerator.
Just as an FYI, the cranberry sauce will set when it cools. It will have more of the jelly-like consistency you are used to.
I'd really recommend making this the day before. No need to try to add this to the chaos of all the sides you are trying to make Thanksgiving day. Spend 15 minutes the day before, and it's ready and waiting for you when you need it.
Three Ingredient Cranberry Sauce Printable Recipe

Homemade Three Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 12 oz cranberries 12 oz bag
Instructions
- Mix water and sugar together in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil.
- Add the bag of cranberries. Be warned, after about a minute, it might sound like you are making popcorn. The cranberry skin starts to crack and it makes a popping sound.
- Gently boil for about 10 minutes. It will start having a jam-like consistency.
- Pour into a serving dish or bowl and cool in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!
However, many, many of you have been such wonderful supporters of my two-ingredient pumpkin muffins I thought I'd share the link. I'll admit, one "ingredient" of these muffins is cake mix. This pumpkin two-ingredient recipe has been repinned 133K times!
Patti @ Garden Matter
Hi Susan,
We love cranberry sauce and are hosting dinner for 13 this Thursday so anything I can do to make it easier it helpful. This recipe for three ingredient cranberry sauce is just the trick. Thanks.