Instant Pot Fresh Cranberry Sauce
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My Instant Pot fresh cranberry sauce is proof that holiday magic can happen in minutes! With fresh cranberries, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla, this quick-cooking version brings all the homemade flavor of the stovetop classic, with no babysitting the pot required. Just set it, let the berries burst, and enjoy a glossy, sweet-tart sauce that tastes like love in every spoonful.
Cranberry sauce in the Instant Pot
Old-fashioned flavor, new-school convenience! My Instant Pot fresh cranberry sauce is the perfect blend of tradition and technology. All the homemade soul of my stovetop cranberry sauce recipe, but faster and easier in only 5 minutes!
The result? A vibrant, sweet-tart sauce with that Southern touch of spice and love. No stirring, no stress, and all the holiday comfort you crave. It’s bound to be the belle of the holiday-berry ball!
Ingredients
With my Instant Pot recipe, you get that same soulful, Southern taste with fresh cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of vanilla. The cranberry sauce cooks to perfection under pressure in just minutes!
Fresh or frozen cranberries
Fresh or frozen? It truly doesn’t matter! Under high pressure, the cranberries burst beautifully with flavor and cook to the same glossy, delicious perfection every time.
How to make Instant Pot cranberry sauce
This recipe takes just about 10 minutes in total, with only 5 minutes of cooking time needed in the Instant Pot! Simplyadd the cranberries, water, sugar, and spices to the pot, then let the pressure work its magic. Once the cooking is complete, sprinkle the sweet-tart sauce with cinnamon, and it’s ready to serve either warm or chilled, if you prefer.
All you need to make homemade cranberry sauce are fresh cranberries, sugar, water, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 5 minutes of pressure cooking in the Instant Pot!
Best add-ons
Take your cranberry sauce from classic to unforgettable with a few simple additions! Fresh orange peel or a splash of orange juice adds bright citrus flavor that balances the tart cranberries perfectly.
Whole cloves and cinnamon sticks bring that cozy holiday aroma and warm spice you can taste in every spoonful. And for a little extra kick, a touch of fresh or ground ginger gives the sauce a zesty twist that wakes up the flavor!
How to remove the bitterness of homemade cranberry sauce
In this recipe, I use sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla to mellow out the cranberries’ tart edge for a perfectly balanced flavor.
🥄 Shaunda says: Go ahead and taste as you go. Because every batch of cranberries sings a little differently, adjust the sweetness and spice until it hits just the right note!
How to thicken cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce naturally thickens as it cools, so if it looks a little thin right after cooking, don’t worry! Just let it rest at room temperature, and it will set into that perfect, jammy consistency as it cools.
Equipment
- Colander
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 3 cups cranberries two 12-oz. bags of fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups sugar granulated
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary optional, to garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries and place them in a colander to drain.
- Open the Instant Pot lid and pour in the cranberries, water, sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
- Gently stir the ingredients to combine.
- Close the Instant Pot lid, ensure the valve is up in the sealing position, and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, switch the valve to the venting position and manually release any remaining pressure if necessary.
- Transfer the cranberry sauce to a serving bowl and sprinkle it with cinnamon.
- Optionally, garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary. You can enjoy the cranberry sauce warm, at room temperature, or chilled. If you prefer it chilled, place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving, or enjoy it warm right away!
Video
Nutrition
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