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instant pot cranberry sauce

The Best Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce (+ how to can it)

By Staci Drovdahl
Make the best Instant Pot cranberry sauce with this easy recipe, plus learn how to can it for long-lasting holiday flavor!
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 12 oz. bags of cranberries, or about 6 cups, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar maple sugar is good too!
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 3 in. strips of orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Place all of the above ingredients in your instant pot, except for the vanilla. Give everything a good stir to combine.
  • Lock the lid in place and set the vent to the sealing position. Choose manual setting, high pressure, 4 min.
  • Let the pressure release naturally. This should take 20–25 minutes.
  • Remove orange zest and cinnamon. Mash or blend with an immersion blender until it is the desired consistency.
  • Stir in vanilla. Let it cool. You can refrigerate it in an airtight container for 5-7 days. 

How to can cranberry sauce

  • Pour the hot cranberry sauce into pint canning jars. Wipe the rims and add lids and bands.
  • Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Increase this time according to your altitude.

Notes

Tips for making the Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe

  • Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for a bright, fresh flavor that enhances the sauce.
  • Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20–25 minutes to achieve the best consistency and flavor.
  • Don’t forget to remove the orange zest and cinnamon stick after cooking for a cleaner taste and texture.

Why You'll love this recipe

Perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays

This Instant Pot Cranberry sauce is a lifesaver for any Thanksgiving dinner or holiday meal. It’s super quick to throw together and goes perfectly with turkey and mashed potatoes. 

Easy to make with less sugar

You can tweak the amount of sugar to your liking. You can even swap out white sugar for pure maple syrup if you want. And if you’ve got any leftover cranberry sauce, just toss it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for later!

It looks impressive, but It's so simple

It's crazy easy to make, but it always looks like you went all out. With barely any prep time and super short cook times, you'll have an amazing delicacy that’s ready in no time. Your family and friends will think you went the extra mile with this one. 
Keyword cranberry sauce homemade
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