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Ina Garten Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Ina Garten make ahead cranberry sauce with whole-berry texture: simmer cranberries until skins pop, then cook with diced Granny Smith, citrus zest, and juice for a bright, chunky finish. Stir in raisins and toasted nuts after cooking, then cool and refrigerate up to 1 week for easy holiday prep.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 orange zested and juiced
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or pecans toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Simmer until the cranberries burst
  1. In a saucepan, bring fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes until the skins pop, and keep the mixture visibly bubbling.
  2. Add the diced Granny Smith apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, with berries actively cooking and breaking down at the edges.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in golden raisins and toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans. Stir until evenly distributed, so you see raisins and nuts throughout the chunky sauce.
  2. Cool completely at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Chill until firm and cold, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t rush the first simmer—let the cranberries reach a steady boil so the skins pop, which creates the classic chunky texture. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week; freeze not recommended for best texture. If you need a lower-sugar option, replace part of the sugar with a 1:1 baking sweetener designed to caramelize so the sauce still thickens.