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    Home > Easy Keto Recipes

    Published: Nov 29, 2021 · Modified: Dec 20, 2021 by Denise Browning · "This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission." · 1 Comment

    Keto Cranberry Sauce (Sugar-Free)

    Gluten FreeKeto

    Jump to Recipe ↓
    close up of a bowl with keto cranberry sauce, orange peel and herbs

    This keto cranberry sauce recipe is also sugar-free and makes a healthy option for the holidays. Made with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange zest, and spices, it's also low carb, paleo, and gluten-free.

    a bowl of keto cranberry sauce with orange peel adn rosemary

    Are you ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas? We want to help you have the best holiday meal of your life without stretching your waistline!

    Ready?

    Ingredients and Substitutions for low carb cranberry sauce

    Make our no sugar cranberry sauce with a few simple ingredients for your Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas feast. Most ingredients you may already have in your pantry.

    • Cranberries – I used fresh cranberries but you can use frozen cranberries if you want. It works either way. However, be aware cranberry sauce made with frozen cranberries will contain more liquids and you may have to decrease the amount of water called in the recipe (use about ¼ cup less water).
    • Water – It has no calories. If you prefer, you can use part water and part fresh orange juice or lemon juice. But be aware your keto cranberry sauce will have more carbs because orange juice contains carbs.
    • Sweetener – Use either powdered monk fruit or Swerve confectioner erythritol. This blends well into the sauce, keep longer without crystallizing, and has no aftertaste. Monk fruit is also a natural sweetener! Powdered sweeteners are better choices than granulated sweeteners for the reasons listed above. But if you will consume the sauce entirely and quite soon, you can use another type of sugar-free sweetener.
    • Orange zest – It will add extra flavor and a zing to your sauce. If you prefer, swap for ½ to 1 teaspoon of orange extract, lemon zest, or a squeeze of lemon.
    • Spices – I used ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves plus a cinnamon stick to flavor my sugar-free cranberry sauce.
    • Flavorings -- I added two types to my cranberry sauce recipe: Vanilla extract (It is optional and you only add it at the very end, after cooking the sauce) and also a sprig of rosemary. 

    You can serve our healthy cranberry sauce as a side for your Holiday meal or you can store it in Mason jars and give it away as an edible present.

    jars of healthy cranberry sauce

    Sugar-free Cranberry Sauce

    This no-sugar cranberry sauce recipe is so easy. It takes just 10-15 minutes to make on the stovetop.

    It is also much healthier and delicious than the mushy canned jellied cranberry sauce that you buy in the grocery store.

    In fact, it tastes as good as any homemade cranberry sauce loaded in sugar but without all the carbs.

    In addition, you can make it 4 days ahead and store it in the fridge, freeing your stove to cook other holiday foods. But for that, use a powdered sweetener instead of a granulated sweetener; otherwise, your sauce may crystallize. 

    Except for that, feel free to use whatever powdered version you have such as Splenda, erythritol, monk fruit, sugar-free maple syrup, etc

    How to make keto cranberry sauce

     It is super quick and easy this healthy cranberry sauce!

    1.  Stir in cranberries, water, the low carb sweetener, orange zest (or little orange extract), spices, cinnamon stick, and a sprig of rosemary in a medium saucepan or iron skillet.
    2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries pop and the sauce reduces and thickens. TIP: Avoid mixing while the sauce cooks unless you want your sauce to have fewer whole cranberries and be more cranberry jelly.
    3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let it cool before serving or storing the sauce in the fridge.

    low carb holiday side in a bowl with herbs and orange peel

    Tips and Tricks:

    • Use any form of sugar-free powdered sweetener to prevent your sauce from crystallizing and having an aftertaste. 
    • Most traditional cranberry sauce recipes call for orange juice instead of water. By replacing it with water and adding orange zest or extract, you still get that amazing citrus flavor but without all of the sugar. If you don’t mind about the extra carbs, feel free to swap in a bit of orange juice for the water.
    • The cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig are optional but they add a warm and floral flavor to the sauce.
    • Fresh cranberry sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead of Thanksgiving and can be served at room temperature, warm, or chilled. 

     Is cranberry keto-friendly?

    Cranberries have natural sugars yet are fairly low in carbs and high in fiber, making the net carbs work within a keto diet.

    But the canned cranberry sauce comes loaded with sugar which is not keto. If you are on a low-carb diet, make sure to make your own.

    Can I Use Another Type of Sweetener? 

    You can use any type of sweetener in powdered form. Avoid at all costs granulated sweeteners because they will crystalize and add an unwanted aftertaste to your fresh keto cranberry sauce recipe.

    How many net carbs are in this keto cranberry sauce?

    This keto cranberry sauce recipe makes 6 generous servings and has only 6 net carbs per serving. It is guilt-free!

    a saucer with the holiday side in it with spices on the side

    Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce? 

    Yes! Let our homemade keto cranberry sauce fully cool and then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and serve either chilled or warm. 

    Storage

    Place a plastic wrap over the cool sauce and seal the airtight container before storing it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Other holiday recipes to enjoy with no sugar cranberry sauce

    • Roast turkey
    • Instant Pot turkey breast
    • Gravy recipe
    • Air fryer Brussels sprouts
    • Instant Pot Brussels sprouts
    • Air fryer asparagus
    • Curried pumpkin deviled eggs

     

    PIN & ENJOY!

    half bowl of sugar-free cranberry sauce

    a bowl of keto cranberry sauce with orange peel adn rosemary
    Print SAVE Saved Recipe! Pin
    3 from 1 vote

    Keto Cranberry Sauce (Sugar-Free)

    This keto cranberry sauce recipe is also sugar-free and makes a healthy option for the holidays. Made with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange zest, and spices, it's also low carb, paleo, and gluten-free.
    Course:Side Dish
    Cuisine:American
    Keywords:keto cranberry sauce, sugar-free cranberry sauce
    Prep Time 2 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 12 minutes
    Servings 6 people
    Calories28 kcal
    Author Denise Browning
    Cost $ 0.50 per person

    Equipment

    • pan
    • wooden spoon

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz cranberries fresh or frozen
    • 1 ¼ cups water you may replace half of the water with fresh orange juice if you are NOT on a keto diet
    • 1 cup confectioner erythritol (I use Swerve) Use any other sweetener that is not granulated such as powdered monk fruit or sugar-free maple syrup. If you are not on a sugar-free diet, use ½ cup of sugar or honey.
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest or orange extract
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a dash of ground nutmeg and ground cloves if desired
    • 1 stick of cinnamon optional
    • 1 sprig of rosemary optional
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Stir in cranberries, water, the low carb sweetener, orange zest (or little orange extract, spices, cinnamon stick, and a sprig of rosemary in a medium saucepan or iron skillet.
    • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries pop and the sauce reduces and thickens.
    • TIP: Avoid mixing while the sauce cooks unless you want your sauce to have fewer whole cranberries and be more cranberry jelly.
    • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let it cool before serving or storing the sauce in the fridge.

    Recipe Video

    YouTube video

    Recipe Notes

    Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce? 
    Yes! Let our homemade keto cranberry sauce fully cool and then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and serve either chilled or warm. 
    Storage
    Place a plastic wrap over the cool sauce and seal the airtight container before storing it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 10mg

    ** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

    Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

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    Filed Under: American Recipes, Easy Gluten-Free Recipes, Easy Keto Recipes, Easy Side Dishes, Quick & Easy Recipes, Thanksgiving

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    Comments

    1. John / Kitchen Riffs says

      December 01, 2021 at 9:36 am

      This looks wonderful -- loaded with flavor. And that color!

      Reply

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