This basic Cranberry Jelly recipe only needs sugar and water as cranberries naturally contain a lot of pectin, which helps keep the berries nice and firm. Make during the autumn when cranberries are available! It’s an excellent side to add flavor to turkey and pork or everyday meals, as well as a favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
Note: Cranberry jelly is not the the same thing as cranberry sauce. Jelly is clear and smooth. Sauce has chunks or bits of fruit. As a jelly, you can pour into either jars or special molds for serving.
Homemade cranberry jelly will taste more natural and less sugary than the canned versions. It uses the whole fruit and does not use the high fructose corn syrup and more corn syrup found in canned brands. Plus, it’s so easy to make with only two ingredients!
Refrigerate this jelly for up to 2 weeks.
See our “How to Make Jelly” Guide to learn more—and to discover more jelly recipes!
- In a heavy saucepan, simmer cranberries in the water for 20 minutes or until soft. Optional: If you want super-smooth jelly, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or jelly bad, pushing the sauce through with a spatula.
- Return to the stove. Stir in sugar.
- Stirring, bring to a rolling boil over high heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pour into a wet molds or sterilized jelly jars immediately as jelly hardens quickly.
Refrigerate to set completely. Enjoy!
