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Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce that simmers fresh cranberries into a glossy, thickened red compote with warm cinnamon and bright orange zest. Easy stovetop method with burst berries and a quick chill for sliceable, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh for best burst texture.
  • 0.75 cup granular monk fruit or allulose sweetener Choose monk fruit or allulose; dissolve fully before adding berries.
  • 1 cup water Measured water for consistent thickening.
  • 1 tsp orange zest Stir in off the heat to keep flavor bright.
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon Adds warmth and rounds the tartness.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Pinch salt balances tart cranberry flavor.

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. In a saucepan, bring the water and granular monk fruit or allulose sweetener to a boil, stirring until completely dissolved (about 2–3 minutes). You should see steady bubbling across the surface.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries, ground cinnamon, and salt to the saucepan and stir to combine. The mixture will look bright and slightly foamy as it comes back up.
  3. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Look for thickened red sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest, then taste and add more sweetener if needed. The zest should look speckled throughout the glossy sauce.
  2. Cool to room temperature, then chill before serving for the best set and flavor. The surface should become thicker and more spoonable after cooling.

Notes

For the thickest cranberry sauce, simmer until it clearly coats a spoon, not just until the berries burst. Refrigerate in a sealed container up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-free option, it already is; for a lower-calorie swap, use more allulose/monk fruit and reduce any added sweetener to taste if you choose a different brand.