Simple Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

I love jams and sauces, and the Instant Pot has become my favorite way to make them. I've experimented with lots of varieties including Instant Pot peach jam, Instant Pot blueberry jam, 3 ingredient strawberry Jam, and Instant Pot apple butter.

However, with the holiday season, I decided why not make cranberry sauce, too! Faster and easier than stovetop options, the Instant Pot does all the hard work, and you can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences.

Even better, it's perfect to prepare in advance, which makes holiday prep a breeze. Serve it alongside your turkey tenderloin, and slather on scones, or an English muffin for breakfast throughout the winter!

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!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Skip the unnecessary preservatives, and make this homemade sauce with just three ingredients! 

• Cranberries. A 12-ounce bag is all you need. That would equal 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen cranberries. Save leftovers to make cranberry orange sourdough muffins, too!
• White sugar. Brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey can be used instead. It might seem like a lot of sugar, but cranberries are very tart. So, 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. Freshly squeezed orange juice is best! I recommend including the orange zest, too.
• Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

Let's Make Cranberry Sauce!

Step 1: Place all the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Do not stir as this could trigger the "Burn" warning.

Step 2: Seal the Instant Pot, and cook on high for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, let the pressure cooker pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then, 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!

Step 3: Serve the cranberry sauce warm or cold and enjoy!

Stovetop Instructions

If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can still make homemade cranberry sauce on the stovetop!

Add the cranberries, sugar, and orange juice to a saucepan, and set the stovetop to medium heat.

Cook 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 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, but don't worry! The cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
• If you would like a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend the berries once cooked. 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 more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you have reached your desired sweetness.
• Optional add-ins would be a cinnamon stick, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or a tablespoon of your favorite bourbon!