Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

This Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce has the perfect balance of sweet, tart and that hint of spice, minus all the calories. It’s the perfect healthy side dish to make this Thanksgiving, and is super easy to make too. 

I’m a big advocate of adding fresh produce as much as I can into my everyday foods. And on occasions when fresh isn’t available, frozen works just as well. Whenever I find some frozen cranberries, I almost always use them to make some cranberry hummus or my favorite cranberry apple smoothie. 

This time though, I managed to get my hands on some fresh cranberries, and I just knew I had to try this healthier version of a classic cranberry sauce, right in time for Thanksgiving. It’s also a keto cranberry sauce due to its lower sugar content.

Why You’ll Love This Keto Cranberry Sauce Without Sugar

• Amazing taste: This healthy cranberry sauce still packs in all the sweet, tart and delicious fruity flavors that a classic cranberry sauce does.
• Healthy recipe: With just 43 calories per serving, this has to be one of the healthiest cranberry recipes you’ll make. 
• Versatile: It’s a great Thanksgiving side for sure, but not just that. It also pairs wonderfully with baked chicken or some pumpkin gingerbread granola on a bowl of yogurt.
• Easy to make: It’s so easy to make. You’ll need just under 20 minutes to make it from scratch.

Low Carb Cranberry Sauce

This lower carb cranberry sauce has only 8 net carbs per serving. This is due to using a zero calorie sweetener and orange juice. Despite this keto cranberry sauce recipe using orange juice, the carbs are still very low compared to traditional cranberry sauce recipes.

Serve this low-carb cranberry sauce with your Thanksgiving turkey or a spiced pork tenderloin along with this delicious no bread stuffing and cauliflower au gratin for a low carb holiday meal!

Ingredients

• Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are the best choice for this recipe. They have a fair bit of natural sweetness, which really works in your favor when making this sauce. 
• Orange juice: For that bright, citrusy flavor and also to thin out the sauce a bit. Feel free to use water if you don’t have orange juice. 
• Orange zest: For that extra bit of flavor to brighten up the sauce. If you don’t have fresh orange zest, you can add a dash of orange extract to lend that flavor to the sauce. 
• Monkfruit: My favorite way to sweeten the sauce without adding extra calories.
• Vanilla: Use vanilla paste or extract. 
• Spices: I used a mix of ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and cloves to balance out the sweetness and tartness of the sauce. Adding a cinnamon stick will boost the sweetness of this sugar-free cranberry sauce without adding sugar.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

How to Make Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

To make this healthy cranberry sauce, first wash and clean your cranberries and get all your ingredients ready. 

Variations & Dietary Modifications

• Sweetener swap: I used monkfruit sweetener here, but you could also use liquid stevia, erythritol or allulose as zero-calorie alternatives. If you prefer regular sugar, you can use another sugar like maple syrup or brown sugar. Whatever you prefer to sweeten this healthier cranberry sauce. To keep make it a low carb cranberry sauce specifically, you will need to use a sugar substitute with zero calories.
• Spice swap: Fresh or dried ginger makes for an excellent addition to this low sugar cranberry sauce. You can also experiment with different kinds of fall spices to create flavor variations including adding a cinnamon stick to the pot while simmering the sauce.

Storage Directions 

• Storing: You can store your leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: To reheat the sauce, simply transfer it to a pan and cook it for a few minutes over low heat, stirring it continuously. 
• Make Ahead: This delicious cranberry sauce is meal-prep friendly too! You can make it ahead of time and freeze it for up to 3 months, if not longer. 

Serving Suggestions

I love using this no sugar cranberry sauce for my meal prep turkey sandwich recipe. And of course, it’s perfect as a Thanksgiving side with your roasted turkey and other dishes like kale butternut squash salad, healthy green bean casserole, and a quick and easy stovetop stuffing. 

You can also use the sauce as a topping or spread over some cranberry coconut bread or serve it as a side with some skillet cranberry balsamic salmon. It’s actually an incredibly versatile condiment that you can put to use in lots of ways! 

Expert Tips

• Cook smart: Don’t use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce. The natural color from the cranberries will stain it. It’s better to use a silicone spatula instead.
• Cooking time matters: Adjust the cooking time depending on the texture and consistency of the sauce you’re looking for. If you prefer a much thicker, jelly-like sauce, cook it for a little longer. If you like your sauce to have the berries intact, cook it for a little less time. 
• Smooth sauce: If you want the sauce to have super smooth, uniform consistency, you can also use a stick blender to blend it, or just strain the mixture through a sieve.

Recipe FAQs

More Healthy Holiday Recipes

Desserts

The Best Apple Pumpkin Recipe

Gluten Free

Paleo Thanksgiving Stuffing

Low Calorie

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sides

Healthy Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

If you tried this healthy cranberry sauce recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.