Homemade Cranberry Sauce is a must for any holiday celebration. It's the one dish people seem to struggle with when preparing for Thanksgiving because they think it's difficult.
Let me show you another easy recipe for thanksgiving made with only a few ingredients. Using an instant pot will get this recipe done fast too!

A few years ago I shared a homemade cranberry sauce recipe made in the crock pot. This year I'm sharing a variation of the recipe an instant pot.
📌That's right, this no orange juice cranberry sauce recipe will be ready in minutes as opposed to hours with the crock pot version.
Using the instant pot to make cranberry sauce is not only fast, but it helps free up your time to prepare other things while it cooks.
You can also make this recipe a few days ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until your ready to serve.
Table of Contents
No Orange Juice Recipe
This recipe is made with no orange juice. My recipe for Crock Pot Cranberry Sauce uses orange juice. It's really up to you and your family's preference. If you like the tang of orange juice, then swap out the water in this recipe with the same amount of orange juice.
Other Ways to Use Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is one of those dishes people think you can only enjoy around the holidays for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Aside from being the perfect side dish to turkey, cranberry sauce adds flavor and texture to all kinds of dishes. Here are a few other easy ways to use this recipe besides the obvious:
- As a spread like jam - Homemade Cranberry Sauce tastes amazing on top of turkey slider sandwiches.
- Use it as a topping for savory recipes - this sauce tastes great on top of pancakes or waffles. I love it stirred into vanilla yogurt for breakfast.
- You can use it as a dessert topping - try a spoonful on top of vanilla ice cream. How about a spoonful on top of homemade cheesecake?
- Barbecue Sauce - the next time you're making homemade barbecue sauce, try stirring in some leftover cranberry sauce as a way to enrich the flavor.
- Baking - try adding a spoonful or two to homemade pie dough to create a turnover.

🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
Instant Pot Official MasherInstant Pot Ultra 8 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker
Instant Pot Magnetic Cheat Sheet
Stainless Steel Citrus Zester
Main Ingredients Needed
Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!
- Cranberries (fresh or frozen is fine)
- Granulated sugar
- Water

Step-by-Step Directions
- Step 1: Add all three ingredients to the instant pot.
- Step 2: Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Step 3: Allow natural release.
🥣Serving Tips
- You can serve this recipe at room temperature or warmed up slightly. Warming up the sauce is easy to do in a small saucepan over a low heat.
- If you do decide to make this recipe ahead of time, you may notice that the cranberry sauce may be a little thick when you take it out of the refrigerator to serve.
- All you need to do is stir in a little extra water or even orange juice until it thins out enough to what you enjoy.
- Cranberries are a very tart fruit and you do need a generous amount of sugar when preparing the sauce. Please taste the cranberry sauce after releasing the pressure to see if you need to add more sugar.

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❄️Freezing Tips
Homemade cranberry sauce freezes beautifully! Follow these easy steps so you can serve any leftovers at a later date:
- Place the leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container.
- You can even freeze it in a freezer-safe plastic bag in order to save room in the freezer.
- Cranberry sauce can be frozen for up to two months.
- For best results, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
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📇Recipe Card
Homemade Cranberry Sauce made in the Instant Pot

You only need 3 ingredients and 8 minutes to make this delicious, sweet and tangy Instant Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 twelve ounce bag of cranberries (fresh or frozen is fine)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Add all three ingredients to Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Allow natural release.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Cranberries are a very tart fruit and you do need a generous amount of sugar when preparing the sauce.
- Please taste the cranberry sauce after releasing the pressure to see if you need to add more sugar.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 0g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
Cap Creations says
Wow it looks fab! I really need to learn how to use my instapot! Got it as a gift and haven't used it yet. It feels so intimidating.
Lois says
Have you checked out this post on How to Use your Instant Pot? https://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/how-to-use-your-instant-pot/ Don't be intimidated!!! You can do this!