bowl full of cranberry sauce topped with a cinnamon stick

I feel like cranberry sauce is sort of like cilantro in that you either love it or hate it. I’m in the team of loving it. I also happen to love this Instant Pot Orange Cranberry Sauce version. Admittedly, my family has always just had the canned, jellied cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. I never even knew what I was missing until a couple of years ago when I started hosting Thanksgiving myself. In doing so, I decided to make it myself one year. Well… now I know what I was missing. Nothing against the canned version, but dang! Homemade is where it’s at for me.

One benefit to making your cranberry sauce homemade is that if you’re on a special diet like keto, low carb, WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) or any diet in general looking to lower the sugar content this is a good way to do it. You can opt to use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar to have it tailored to your specific needs.

For Thanksgiving, I’m sort of the type that says it’s one meal and I’d rather just have the fatty, sugary, full scale versions of my food for that one meal and then return to my healthy habits after that meal is over. With that said, I would say if you choose to use a sugar substitute, I found that Swerve (although expensive) does make a great flavor substitute in this recipe.

oranges cinnamon sticks and cranberries on the surface

Cranberry Sauce Instant Pot Ingredients

  • fresh cranberries
  • orange juice
  • sugar or sugar substitute
  • grated orange peel
  • cinnamon stick
instant pot sleeve filled with cranberries

How to make Cranberry Sauce in Instant Pot

(full recipe card below)

  1. Place your cranberries, orange juice, and cinnamon stick into the Instant Pot.
  2. Secure lid and set pressure valve to SEALING.
  3. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 2 minutes.
  4. Press CANCEL.
  5. Quick-release the pressure valve.
  6. Press SAUTE.
  7. Stir in the sugar (or sugar substitute) and grated orange peel.
  8. Cook, stirring frequently, until cranberries burst and sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes).
  9. Press CANCEL.
  10. Remove from the Instant Pot and allow to cool completely.
  11. Refrigerate until ready to serve. It will thicken further in the refrigerator.

Can this be made ahead of time?

It can be. I would say especially if you like it a little thicker, make it a day or so ahead of time and put it in the fridge. It’ll get even thicker while in the refrigerator.

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Tips and Tricks

  • If you like it to have a stronger orange flavor, add more orange zest.
  • Adjust the sugar to your tastes. If you like sweeter version, add more sugar. Taste test as you go.
  • We like to use orange juice with a lot of pulp because it seems to add more orange flavor, but you can use juice without pulp too.
bowl full of instant pot cranberry sauce topped with a cinnamon stick

ALTERATIONS FOR PICKY EATERS

  • If texture is an issue, you can blend the mixture up in a blender or food processor until it’s smooth.
  • Add more sweetener… yes, more sugar. A lot of times the unwillingness to eat cranberry sauce comes because it isn’t sweet enough.

How to store IP Cranberry Sauce

To store leftover Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cranberry Sauce Recipe Instant Pot FAQ

How do you get the bitterness out of cranberry sauce?

The bitterness of cranberry sauce is countered by the orange juice and sugar in this recipe.

Does cranberry sauce need a thickener?

No, cranberry sauce does not need a thickener. As the cranberries burst and cool the sauce will thicken on its own.

How do I thicken my homemade cranberry sauce?

Homemade cranberry sauce will thicken as the cranberries burst and it cools down.

How long does homemade cranberry sauce last?

When stored properly, homemade cranberry sauce will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Is cranberry sauce supposed to be sweet or sour?

Cranberry sauce should have a little bit of both in flavor. It’s a sweetened sauce with a sour undertone.

bowl of instant pot orange cranberry sauce surrounded by orange slices and cranberries

What to serve with this Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Recipe

More Recipes You’ll Love

Some other recipes you might enjoy for your Thanksgiving made in the Instant Pot include:

 

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Cranberry Sauce Instant Pot

By: Kara - Sweetly Splendid
5 from 1 vote
Cook 2 minutes
Total 2 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
A fresh twist on a classic. Quick and easy cranberry sauce made in your Instant Pot that cooks in 2 minutes. 

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Place your cranberries, orange juice, and cinnamon stick into the Instant Pot.
  • Secure lid and set pressure valve to SEALING.
  • Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 2 minutes.
  • Press CANCEL.
  • Quick-release the pressure valve.
  • Press SAUTE.
  • Stir in the sugar (or sugar substitute) and grated orange peel.
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until cranberries burst and sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes).
  • Press CANCEL.
  • Remove from the Instant Pot and allow to cool completely.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve. It will thicken further in the refrigerator.

Notes

You can adjust the sweetness to your liking. Be sure to taste as you go! The nutrition facts listed for this recipe are based on using actual sugar, not a sugar substitute. 

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 2mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 49g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Holiday Food
Cuisine: American

Hi! I’m Kara!

Kara loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes.

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