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    Flour de Liz » Thanksgiving Recipes

    Published: Nov 19, 2017 · Modified: Nov 27, 2020 by Liz Pollio · 6 Comments

    Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce

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    There’s a big Thanksgiving debate in my family every year.  It’s very serious and it gets very heated.  It is a disagreement over the very important topic of cranberry sauce.  My husband is of the mindset that cranberry sauce should maintain its can shape and be sliced along the ring imprints formed by the can.  That is so weird, right?! He likes to put it out on a plate, slice a few slices, and then leave it on the plate in its gelatinous, canned form with the knife so people can cut their own slices. I, on the other hand, like to make things that seem like I put a lot of work into them, but are actually easy to make.  And this Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce is super easy!

    So today you are in luck. I am here to give you two super quick and easy cranberry sauce recipes!  My husband’s and mine.  Here is my husband’s recipe: buy a can of jellied cranberry sauce, dump it out onto a plate, and slice along the ring imprints.  If you want to get really fancy, you can even fan out or layer the rings to show off your plating skills. You’re welcome for this bonus recipe.

    side angled view of a rectangular plate filled with simple southern cranberry sauce

    But probably why you’re actually here is for an amazingly delicious cranberry sauce that will make your family and friends think you really put a lot of work into this dish, but it's actually super easy!

    What you'll need

    All you need for this super simple recipe is a pot and spoon or spatula to make the cranberry sauce, and then a shallow pan to chill it. I usually use an 8x8 baking dish for this and it works perfectly!

    Ingredients

    canned cranberry sauce with whole berries
    black cherry jello
    sugar
    cherry bourbon
    crushed pineapple
    mixed berries

    top down view of a rectangular white plate of cranberry sauce next to a rose gold spoon both sitting on top of a round piece of wood

    How to make Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce

    Mix everything except the fruit in a saucepan on the stove for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the fruit. Pour this mixture into a shallow dish and chill. The best part about this recipe is that you can substitute fruits, or even use nuts if you prefer. I also like to use frozen mixed berries because I can buy them any time and not worry about them going bad! If you can't find cherry bourbon, you can use regular bourbon, or a combination of bourbon and grenadine!

    When it's time to eat, scoop into your fanciest serving bowl and enjoy!

    Common Questions

    Is Cranberry Sauce served cold?

    I like to serve it cold, but it can also be served at room temperature. It should not be served warm.

    Is Cranberry Sauce supposed to be sweet?

    This version of cranberry sauce is sweet. On their own, cranberries are very tart, so the jello and sugar add sweetness to counteract the tartness of the berry.

    What do you eat Cranberry Sauce on?

    I eat this Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce by itself, but on Thanksgiving, many people like to put cranberry sauce on their turkey. It would go well on a turkey sandwich too, or even used like a jam on a toast. Or you could put it over vanilla ice cream for a dessert. The options are endless!

    How does Cranberry Sauce taste?

    This Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce is like a dessert. It's sweet and fruity with a jelly-like texture.

    an angled view of Simply Southern Cranberry Sauce in a white bowl with an orange rim with a rose gold spoon sticking out. There are three large strawberries on top. The bowl is on a white marbled surface

    This cranberry sauce is sweet and delicious and tastes just like dessert, but you don’t have to wait till after dinner to eat it! You can top it with whipped cream, or nuts, or if you’re like me and are too impatient to wait, you just eat it as is! My husband isn’t quite yet ready to admit that I win the argument, but I could tell by his reaction to tasting it that he knows I’m right.  You will not miss the jellied, canned slices once you get a taste of this glorious treat!

    Looking for other Thanksgiving recipes? Check these out:

    Kentucky Sweet Potato Pie
    Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
    Bourbon Molasses Chocolate Pecan Pie

    Looking for other fruit recipes? Check these out:

    Sangria Poptarts
    Piña Colada Upside Down Cupcakes

    Did you try this recipe?  Review and comment below, and share a photo on Instagram and tag @flourdeliz!

    Pin this recipe for later:

     

    📖 Recipe

    a rose gold spoon full of cranberry sauce being held above a white textured bowl with an orange rim full of cranberry sauce
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Simple Southern Cranberry Sauce

    Prep Time8 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time4 hours hrs 13 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 1 can cranberry sauce with whole berries
    • 1 package black cherry jello
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 tablespoons cherry bourbon regular bourbon works too!
    • 1 can crushed pineapple
    • 2 cups mixed berries

    Instructions

    • Mix the cranberry sauce, jello, sugar, and bourbon in a saucepan and heat over medium-low for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Remove from heat and add pineapple and berries.
    • Pour into shallow pan and refrigerate until set, 4 hours to overnight.
    • Transfer to serving dish or serve right out of the shallow pan!

    Notes

    Instead of mixed berries, you can mix in any fruit or nuts that you choose! You can even dump frozen fruit right in!

     

    This post was updated in September 2020 with an improved recipe, new photos and additional information about the recipe.

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    Comments

    1. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      November 22, 2017 at 9:34 pm

      I had to laugh at your husband's recipe. In my family, no one eats the cranberries but me and we follow his recipe to a T every year, although I've never thought to fan them out on the serving plate :). I'm thinking I might need to class things up a bit this year though, so I might just have to try your recipe. Love the bourbon in there!

      Reply
      • Liz says

        November 22, 2017 at 10:31 pm

        Every time someone else does the can slicing, I'm shocked that he's not the only one! I am determined to convert just one person from the can side! I think we'll end up with both versions on our table this year...

        Reply
    2. Amanda Lambert says

      January 05, 2022 at 9:25 pm

      5 stars
      This has quickly become a staple in my family's holiday meals. Known as Lizzie's cranberries, my family requests them. They're delicious and always a hit. I cannot recommend them enough.

      Reply
      • Liz says

        January 06, 2022 at 8:40 am

        I'm proud that I've officially converted the two biggest canned cranberry advocates I know!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Bourbon Molasses Chocolate Pecan Pie • Flour de Liz says:
      November 16, 2020 at 11:11 pm

      […] Peach Sweet Tea CupcakesMint Julep Bourbon BallsSimple Southern Cranberry SauceSweet Potato Fluff […]

      Reply
    2. Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies • Flour de Liz says:
      January 6, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      […] Simple Southern Cranberry SauceOaks Lily Cupcakes […]

      Reply

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    Baking doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious! Flour de Liz is full of creative and fun recipes that you won't find anywhere else! The desserts are easy to make, don't require any fancy kitchen equipment, and they're so delicious you'd never know just how easy they are to make!

    About Liz

    A headshot of Liz holding Gizmo, a small Yorkie with his tongue out.

    I started creating my own recipes when I realized that baking blogs usually shared complicated and time-consuming recipes that needed a lot of kitchen equipment and a lot of ingredients. But I knew that baking did not need to be difficult! As much as I love to make these super simple recipes for my friends and family, I also love being able to share them with you!

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