Simple Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Using only 3 ingredients, Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce is tart, sweet, and a must have dish at every Thanksgiving dinner! Make this cranberry sauce the day before so it cools and the flavors meld, and on Thanksgiving day you'll have the most delicious cranberry sauce, the canned stuff doesn't even compare!

The Instant Pot has become a favorite of mine to make sauces and jams. Over the Summer I tried making jams and they turned out perfectly! Now that it's cranberry season, why not make the jam that everyone is talking about and everyone needs come November, cranberry sauce!

Here are some other jam and sauce recipes that are made completely in the Instant Pot!

• Instant Pot Peach Jam
• Instant Pot Blueberry Jam
• 3 Ingredient Strawberry Jam
• Instant Pot Apple Butter

If you're looking for more cranberry recipes, don't forget to check out these cranberry orange sourdough muffins. Buy a big bag of fresh cranberries and use half in the sauce and half in the muffins for breakfast the next day!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Tell Me About Cranberries
• What's In This Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce?
• Let's Make Cranberry Sauce!
• Fresh or Frozen Cranberries?
• Stovetop Instructions
• Tips and Tricks
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Other Recipes You'll Love
• 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Homemade tastes better than bought! In my option at least! Being able to make something from fresh ingredients instead of relying on a product that has been sitting in a can for a long time is much preferred.
• The Instant Pot does all the hard work! Stove space is at a premium on Thanksgiving and the days leading up to the holiday. Don't worry about trying to squeeze in another pot to make cranberry sauce, do it in the Instant Pot!
• It's a make ahead dream! This sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator. When you need it, scoop it into a serving dish and serve with your holiday menu.
• It's not just for Thanksgiving! Cranberry sauce is a staple on most holiday menus, but you can use this to slather on scones, or an English muffin for breakfast throughout the winter!

Tell Me About Cranberries

Living in New England, cranberries are very much a thing come October and November. The cranberry bogs down by Cape Cod are getting ready to harvest those cranberries once October hits.

It is said that the Native Americans first introduced the settlers to cranberries as far back as the 1500s. Cranberries grow in low bushes and when it is time to harvest them, the fields that they grow in are flooded. The cranberries float to the top of the water and are harvested. Pretty cool!

What's In This Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce?

• Cranberries- a 12 ounce bag is all you need. That would equal 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen cranberries.
• Sugar- Maple syrup or honey can be used instead. It might seem like a lot of sugar, but cranberries are very tart. In order to offset that tartness, we need a lot of sugar.
• Orange juice- To sweeten but also provide the liquid needed to cook the cranberries.

Let's Make Cranberry Sauce!

This recipe could not be more simple!

Place all the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Do not stir as this could trigger the "Burn" warning on your Instant Pot.

Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes. Once some of the pressure is released, manually release the rest of the pressure. Be careful when you do this as steam and liquid may come out the top of the Instant Pot.

Serve the cranberry sauce warm or cold and enjoy!

Fresh or Frozen Cranberries?

In October and November, you can find fresh cranberries in all the major grocery stores. If you can't find fresh cranberries, frozen cranberries are a great alternative. The cooking times would be the same and the other ingredients would remain the same as well.

Stovetop Instructions

If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can still make this recipe!

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and turn the stove on medium heat. Cook the cranberries for 20 minutes. Make sure you stay close to the stove, because all the sugar and cranberries can easily burn if the mixture is left on the direct heat for too long without being stirred.

Tips and Tricks

• When you open the Instant Pot, it might seem that there is too much liquid. As the cranberry sauce cools, the sauce will thicken.
• If you would like a smoother sauce, once you open the Instant Pot, use an immersion blender and blend the berries. This will give you more of a jam consistency instead of a sauce with whole berries in it.
• Once the cooking process is complete, taste the cranberry sauce. If it is too tart for your liking, add 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time until you have reached the desired sweetness.
• Optional add ins would be a stick of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla, or a tablespoon of your favorite bourbon!

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Recipes You'll Love

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