• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Subscribe

Throughthefibrofog

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About me
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Published: Nov 15, 2021 · Modified: Feb 20, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

    Refined sugar free cranberry sauce

    This refined sugar free cranberry sauce is so flavourful, and yet so easy to make for your Thanksgiving dinner and holiday recipes. A tasty side that adds a pop of sweetness to your family meal!

    cranberry sauce in a white bowl on a wooden board.

    If you are planning your Thanksgiving and holiday recipes and love sides as much as my family does (I think more than the mains!), then you may also like to see my sweet potato casserole and cheesy cauliflower mash. Both so tasty and easy to make!

    For those using maple syrup, this cranberry sauce is vegan, gluten free and low histamine, vegetarian if using honey.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no extra cost to you, and is much appreciated support towards the running of the blog.

    Why this holiday recipe is so good

    Cranberry sauce is the pop of sweetness you need on your plate for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners, but don't get it out of a can! Fresh homemade cranberry sauce is super easy to do and tastes so much better. You will love this spiced version because:

    • It's fresh and light - no gloopy from a can texture here!
    • Quick and easy - just a few steps and it only takes 15 minutes to make on the stove top.
    • Hints of spice go so well with the fresh fruit - adjust the spice to your preference, and have it as spicy as you like, or just a little hum of heat if you prefer.
    • Refined sugar free - this cranberry sauce uses maple syrup (or honey) instead of regular white sugar.

    Ingredients

    This is a very simple recipe that only requires five ingredients. You will need:

    • Cranberries - the main ingredient, go for as fresh as you can (the berries shouldn't have wrinkles) if using fresh. You can also use frozen cranberries.
    • Maple syrup - used instead of refined sugar. It gives a lovely rich sweetness to the cranberry sauce. Adjust the amount of maple syrup to your preferred sweetness.
    • Ginger and cardamom - for a kick of spice that you can adjust to taste preference.
    • Cinnamon - this is optional for my low histamine readers.

    A note on sugar vs maple syrup or honey

    There is much debate over whether maple syrup (or honey) is better to use than refined sugar. Both obviously contain sugar, although the maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than sugar.

    Personally I use both sugar and maple syrup, but I know some of my readers prefer not to use white sugar. I also like the richer flavour that maple syrup brings to this cranberry sauce.

    Make sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and their quantities!

    bowl of cranberries, maple syrup, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.

    Step by step instructions

    One of the easiest Thanksgiving recipes you can add to your table I think. Just a couple of steps to follow, this recipe is made on the stove top so saving valuable oven space for your other holiday recipes!

    Step 1

    Add all the ingredients to a pan, including the water. Give it a stir so the spices combine with the fruit.

    Step 2

    Bring the cranberries to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Stir occasionally and use the back of a spoon to press any cranberries that haven't broken down. Add a touch more water if the sauce feels too dry.

    pan of cranberries on the stove top.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I use frozen cranberries to make cranberry sauce?

    Yes, you can use frozen cranberries. You may want to add a touch of water to the pan when you first heat them through.

    Do I have to use the spices?

    No, you can leave out if you prefer just fruit.

    How else can I use cranberry sauce?

    Cranberry sauce goes so well with fresh cheese, so enjoy on a cracker or breads. You may like to try my cranberry cream cheese toasts over the holidays!

    side view of cranberry sauce in a white bowl on a wooden board.

    More holiday recipes to enjoy

    More mains and sides to enjoy with friends and family for special occasions.

    • Sparkling cherry mocktail
    • Turkey with sage cream sauce
    • Vegan fried cabbage
    • Turkey pasta salad (without mayo)

    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 tried the recipe!

    cranberry sauce in a white bowl on a wooden board.

    Refined sugar free cranberry sauce

    Claire
    This spiced cranberry sauce is perfect for your holiday recipes, and is made without refined sugar. Easy to make, it comes together in around 15 minutes. Makes 3-4 servings.
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 3 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups cranberries
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (more if you prefer it sweeter)
    • ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
    • ⅛ teaspoon ginger powder
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional if low histamine
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very light simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes. The cranberries will pop, but you can help them along with the back of a spoon. Stir occasionally, then allow to cool. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Adjust the amount of maple syrup to taste preference for sweetness. You may wish to add another tbsp.
    • Note - cinnamon isn't always tolerated on a low histamine diet, so leave out unless you know you tolerate well.
     
    Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
    All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
    • ginger, which scores 1.
    • cardamom scores 0, but has a note that some varieties may not be well tolerated.
    • cinnamon scores 0 on the SIGHI list, but other lists rate it as higher.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Tweet
    Share
    Pin
    Share
    « Quinoa stuffed gem squash
    Honey roasted vegetables with rosemary »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

    More about me →

    Popular recipes

    • Ginger beer (yeast free)
    • Spiced poached pears (without wine)
    • Rosemary chicken fillets (pan fried)
    • Apple and pear smoothie

    Recent Recipes

    • Low histamine teas (and coffee alternatives)
    • Whipped ricotta crostini
    • Low histamine nuts and seeds (with recipes)
    • Easy flaxseed pudding

    As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice in any way.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Disclaimer
    • Cookie Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work With Me

    Copyright © 2022 Through The Fibro Fog

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT