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Canning Cranberry Sauce

Canning cranberry sauce with whole berries gives you a glossy, thickened sauce that sets in sealed jars. This water-bath method includes proper headspace and a 24-hour undisturbed cooling rest.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce for canning
  • 48 oz fresh cranberries
  • 4 cup sugar
  • 2 cup water
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp orange zest

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep jars and lids
  1. Wash 12 half-pint jars, lids, and bands, then keep the jars hot in simmering water so they don’t crack when filled.
  2. Bring a separate canner of water to a boil to prep for the boiling water bath canning step.
Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. In a large pot, bring sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries and bottled lemon juice, then boil gently for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
  3. Stir in the orange zest and cook for 1 additional minute to evenly distribute the citrus flavor.
Fill and water-bath can
  1. Ladle the hot sauce into the hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace to support proper sealing.
  2. Wipe the jar rims clean, then apply lids and bands fingertip tight to ensure consistent closure.
  3. Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes, adjusting processing time for your altitude.
  4. Turn off the heat and rest the jars in the canner for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
  5. Cool the jars undisturbed at room temperature for 24 hours so the seals can set properly.
Store and seal check
  1. Check that the lids have sealed after cooling, then store sealed jars in a cool dark place up to 1 year.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep jars hot until filling—cold glass plus hot liquid can cause breakage. After processing, allow a full 24 hours undisturbed before checking seals. For fridge storage, uncanned sauce keeps 5-7 days; for canning, sealed jars store up to 1 year (freezing is not recommended for water-bath canned jars). For a lighter option, use a sugar-reducing canning sweetener designed for preserving while maintaining proper thickening and shelf stability.