This cranberry sauce without orange juice or alcohol combines sweet tart fruit, apple juice and a pinch of spice for a fun Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish! So easy to make with fresh cranberries on the stovetop in less than 20 minutes.
Cranberry sauce always add a touch of sweetness to a festive dinner plate, and this homemade recipe is far better than canned I think! We swap traditional orange juice for apple juice to give a delicious sweetness that balances out the tart cranberries, and leave out port or liqueur which is sometimes found in 'high end' cranberry sauces.
Why no orange juice or alcohol? Well, my low histamine readers will likely wish to avoid both as they are considered high histamine on the SIGHI list. You may also prefer a citrus free cranberry sauce if you have a food intolerance or simply aren't keen on the taste.
Planning your holiday meals? Perhaps you may also like to see my sweet potato casserole and roasted potatoes with zucchini. Both easy to make and the perfect accompaniment for your mains!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
- Pop of sweetness. The hit of sweetness that you need on your plate for your Thanksgiving or holiday meals!
- Easy to make. Homemade cranberry sauce is very simple to do, and is made on the stove top.
- Versatile. As well as being a holiday side dish, you can also use this cranberry sauce without orange juice to make my festive Christmas cranberry crostini and my turkey cranberry sandwich.
🥣 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Cranberries - use fresh, unbruised cranberries that are fairly hard rather than soft (which means they are older)
- Apple juice - this gives a lovely sweetness that balances out the tart cranberries.
- Brown sugar - for sweetness, as cranberries are naturally very tart.
- Cinnamon - gives a lovely flavor, but is optional if you are on a low histamine diet, as cinnamon is debated in terms of histamine levels.
📖 Swaps and variations
Use frozen cranberries. One year I couldn't get hold of fresh cranberries and so made this sauce with frozen cranberries. It came out great, just had a few more minutes of cook time.
Swap cinnamon for cardamom. A pinch of cardamom gives a nice hint of spice. For a more spiced version, have a peek at my ginger cranberry sauce recipe!
🔪 How to Make Cranberry Sauce without Orange Juice
This citrus free cranberry sauce combines fresh fruit and pantry staples, and is so easy to make as a homemade holiday side dish on the stovetop.
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Dissolve the sugar
Pour the apple juice into your pot and tip in the brown sugar. Raise to a medium heat and stir for a minute or so until the sugar dissolves (image 1).
Step 2: Add cranberries
Tip in the cranberries and sprinkle in the (optional) cinnamon or cardamom (image 2).
Step 3: Heat the cranberry sauce
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. The cranberries will burst and break down, and you'll hear them popping away! My top tip is to keep an eye on the heat - have it too high and you'll get cranberry juice spitting out onto the stovetop.
Cook the cranberry sauce until it thickens, using the back of a wooden spoon to press against the berries to help them break down. Add a touch of apple juice or water to thin, if required.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Stir the cranberries fairly frequently so they burst and break down. You can also use the back of a wooden spoon to help them along.
- Add a little water if required to thin the sauce.
- The cinnamon or cardamom is optional, but gives a nice hint of spice.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, I have used frozen cranberries a number of times and they work perfectly!
Yes, it saves valuable oven space by being made on the stovetop!
No, it is optional and my low histamine readers may prefer to leave it out due to the debated nature of the histamine level of cinnamon. You can add a tiny pinch of cardamom instead if you would like a hint of spice.
🍽 More holiday recipes
Find so many ideas to share with friends and family on my Thanksgiving recipes page, including my easy turkey rissoles, pesto Brussels sprouts and my honey roasted vegetables. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Sauce (No Orange Juice, No Alcohol)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup apple juice more, to preference
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Pour the apple juice into a pot and sprinkle in the brown sugar. Bring to a medium heat, and stir so the sugar dissolves into the juice.
- Add the cranberries and cinnamon (or cardamom) to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very light simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Add a touch of water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Set aside to cool, and then enjoy with your festive meal!
Notes
- Stir quite frequently so the cranberries burst and become a thick sauce.
- Add a touch of water if you wish to thin the sauce.
- The cinnamon is optional, so include only if you are able to tolerate.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- cinnamon, which scores 0 but is rated higher on other lists.
- apples score 0, but if you are sensitive to a carton of juice, then you may wish to use freshly squeezed.
Carrie Kellenberger says
This not only looks lovely, but it also looks very tasty. I always learn something new with your posts. I've already mentioned I had no idea that people put alcohol in their cranberry sauce! I love the idea of adding cherries to cut the tart citrusy flavor a bit.
throughthefibrofog says
Thank you! I don't get putting port in cranberry sauce either, I definitely prefer a fruity taste without it.