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Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce made with fresh cranberries simmered until berries burst, then finished with bright orange zest for a glossy, thick texture. No refined sugar—just monk fruit or allulose sweetness.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 72
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sugar free cranberry sauce ingredients
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup granular monk fruit or allulose sweetener Use either monk fruit or allulose.
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt Pinch of salt.

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry base
  1. Bring the water and sweetener to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Visual cue: the liquid turns clear and fully uniform as the sweetener dissolves.
  2. Add the cranberries, cinnamon, and salt. Visual cue: you should see berries submerged and cinnamon dispersing through the liquid.
  3. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Visual cue: the sauce becomes glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest, then taste and add more sweetener if needed. Visual cue: orange zest speckles evenly through the red sauce.
  2. Cool and chill before serving. Visual cue: the sauce thickens more as it cools and the surface looks smooth and set.

Notes

Pro tip: If your sauce seems thin after simmering, give it one extra minute—thickness increases as it cools. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days in a sealed container. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be kept dairy-free as written; use a different sweetener only if it dissolves well like monk fruit granules or allulose.