This sweet and tangy homemade Pineapple Cranberry Sauce is so much better than canned, incredibly easy, stress free and make ahead! This company rave worthy Pineapple Cranberry Sauce will be your new favorite cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!
As a child at Thanksgiving, there were always extra mashed potatoes in the place of Cranberry Sauce. My undeveloped taste buds just didn’t get the whole cranberry thing but now homemade cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving must! For me, every single bite of turkey tastes 1000X better slathered with homemade Pineapple Cranberry Sauce. The sweet tangingess compliments and cuts the rich savory turkey while the hints of cinnamon, cloves, pineapple and orange juice enliven every glorious bite.
So whether you have been assigned the cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving or you want to bring something but don’t have time or are intimidated by everything else, or you simply want everyone to be singing your praises this Thanksgiving, then this Pineapple Cranberry Sauce is for you! Not only is it deceptively easy to make, it also tastes better 1-2 days after its made, so you can m ake it ahead so on Thanksgiving Day, you are sitting pretty and only have to worry about how to be first in line for seconds.
Cranberries are innately extremely tart, and need sugar to balance their tartness but I also like to round out the tartness with orange juice and instead of water, I use pineapple juice. It enhances the wonderfully sweet tart flavor without upsetting the delicate balance.
To make this Pineapple Cranberry Sauce, you simply combine your sugar, pineapple juice and orange juice and cook until the sugar dissolves, 1-2 minutes.
You then add your beautiful garnet cranberries…
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium low for about 10 minutes or until most of the berries burst and the sauce thickens slightly. Cranberries are high in pectin, so you don’t need to add cornstarch or any other thickeners but rather they set naturally into a jelly like consistency.
Then stir in your refreshing crushed pineapple, cinnamon and a dash of cloves and you have one of the world’s best homemade Cranberry Sauces! If serving with turkey, you will want to chill and serve cold, but this Pineapple Cranberry Sauce is also delectable warm. I could not put my spoon down after shooting this!
Pineapple Cranberry Sauce, one of my favorite and most essential parts of the Thanksgiving feast and hopefully soon to be yours!
Looking more for Thanksgiving recipes?
- Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
- Pomegranate Pear Pistachio Salad
- Slow Cooker Ricotta Creamed Corn with Bacon
- Cranberry Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
- Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse
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Ingredients
- 1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, divided
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (to taste)
- dash of cloves
Instructions
- Drain crushed pineapple, reserving pineapple juice.
- Add ¾ cup pineapple juice, orange juice and sugars to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves, 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium low heat until cranberries burst and sauce reduces, about 10-12 minutes. Sauce will thicken more upon standing.
- Mash berries to desired consistency (optional) then stir in all of the crushed pineapple, cinnamon and cloves. Add a dash of orange juice for tangier, sugar for sweeter if desired. Serve chilled or room temperature.
Notes
Prep Ahead
This Cranberry Sauce can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (tastes even better made ahead!) or frozen for up to two months.Want To Make This Recipe?
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Sabrina says
Cranberry Sauce is my favorite part of Thanksgiving! This version looks heavenly!
Jen says
Thank you so much Sabrina, I am so excited for you to try this version!
Lindsey says
Your photos are gorgeous! I have never made cranberry sauce before but this look so tempting I might have to try it!
Jen says
You are too kind, thank you Lindsey! And yes, you should try this! It is SO easy and SO yummy!!!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Wow! Jen! The photos are gorgeous and the sauce looks and sounds amazing. My family isn’t into cranberry sauce, although I am. I think it’s a great tradition. I think I’ll make it anyway — more for me 🙂
Jen says
haha – more for you is always a good thing! and maybe, just maybe your family can be converted!
Sigrid Sattler says
I just came across this pineapple cranberry sauce!! It looks delicious! I’m going to give it a try for my Thanksgiving.
Jen says
Hi Sigrid, I hope you love it and have a very, very Happy Thanksgiving!
Sharlene says
Hello Jen, I came upon this recipe and pinned it to my Thanksgiving board. The pineapple really caught my eye. I scrolled through for reviews and read that you are a CF and transplant survivor. I am the proud grandma of twin 11 year old boys who also have CF. I’m very happy to serve this dish for my family and will tell my grandsons about you this Thanksgiving. Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Jen says
Hi Sharlene, sorry for the delay, I have been swamped with everything Thanksgiving 🙂 I hope you had a very wonderful Thanksgiving and that this was a hit! No doubt your grandsons are blessed to have you as their grandmother! I hope they are doing well. There truly has never been a more exciting or promising time to be alive with CF. My prayers will be with them for their health and happiness! May God bless you and yours!
Marybeth says
The cranberry Sauce looks amazing! I’ve always made it with the Orange juice and alittle orange marmalade but this pineapple version sounds delicious! I’m going to try it this year! Thank you for sharing your recipes!! Happy Thanksgiving
Jen says
You are so welcome Marybeth! Happy Thanksgiving to you! I hope you love this new version!
Julie says
I just tasted it, yum!
Jen says
Awesome, thanks Julie! Happy Thanksgiving!
Kenna says
Made this a couple days ago and I’ve already eaten half of it! I did add only half of the pineapple, because I didn’t want to overpower the cranberries and it’s perfect for us! So sweet, and somehow it got rid of that dry cranberry aftertaste, so even my kids are sneaking into it! It didn’t set up as solidly as other cranberry sauces I’ve made. That doesn’t bother me, I just thought I’d pass that on. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Jen says
Hi Kenna, I LOVE this comment! I am so happy you loved this cranberry sauce enough to sneak half of it before Thanksgiving and that your kids love it too! Thanks so much, I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving!
renee says
very good!! just made it and couldn’t stop eating
Jen says
Awesome! Thanks Renee, so happy you love it! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
LINDA says
WOW….this was the best cranberry sauce I have ever eatin’. I will be making it from now on. Can’t wait to share it with friends and family! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us
Jen says
YAY! Thank you so much for your comment Linda, I’m thrilled you loved it so much! Happy Thanksgiving!
Julie Collins says
I love cranberry sauce & our family has had it for years. It’s one of my favorite dish when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner. This is different from what we had growing up but I have tried it 2 years in a row & everyone loves it & asks me to make it. Thank you so much.
Jen says
Hi Julie, I’m so happy this is a new favorite cranberry sauce! Thank you so much!
Nadine says
This is a wonderful recipe. I make it for Thanksgiving at home as well as for Thanksgiving functions at work. Everybody loves it. Thank you Jen 🙂
Jen says
You are so welcome Nadine, thank you so much for letting me know its being enjoyed all around! I so appreciate all your comments! :)xo
Tina says
I made this today. I didn’t have canned pineapple but I DID have a bottle of pineapple juice so I used that instead. I also used a cinnamon stick instead of ground. Even without the added crushed pineapple, this was awesome!!
Jen says
Oh good, I’m so happy it worked out with the substitutions! Happy Thanksgiving!
KarenM. says
I read all the reviews and noticed one said it was to loose. I put my pineapple in a cloth and wrung it out so it came out perfect. This Is delicious. This will be my go to recipe. I love the milder taste of the cranberry with the pineapple. It is perfect!
Jen says
Thanks so much Karen, I’m thrilled this is your new go-to cranberry sauce!
Elle S says
Could you freeze this?
Jen says
Yes, this should freeze great!
Tamara says
OMG!! I just made this cranberry sauce! It is sooooo good. Can’t wait to share with my family! Thank you!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Tamara! Happy Thanksgiving!
Charlene says
Just made this for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. I’m not a cranberry gal but my husband loves it. Just had him taste it and he loves it, I reduced the orange and pineapple juice by 1/3 and sugar only added 3/4 cup. It’s fantastic and I’ll be eating it too. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Charlene I’m so pleased it’s a winner, Happy Thanksgiving!
Cathy Johnson says
Can you freeze the pineapple cranberry sauce ?
Jen says
Yes!
Maryann says
How do I save your recipes to my Pinterest account? I already Follow you, so hitting the P brings me to your follow site. You used to have a li k to Pinterest for your recipes. Now I need to view in browser, etc. time is not free many days!
Jen says
That’s odd, hitting the P should pull up a the images you can pin. If that isn’t working, simply click the “Pin this recipe to save for later” located under the first paragraph or the Pin It in the recipe card.
Kathy B says
OMG! The canned jelly roll is banned forever. Followed the recipe exactly, at first smelled and looked like a delicious pie filling. After my final taste, I may have to make an excuse as to why I didn’t bring the cranberry sauce. It’s awesome and I will be making another for Christmas, no matter what the main dish! Thank you!
Jen says
LOL! Thank you so much for your awesome comment Kathy, I’m thrilled you loved this cranberry sauce so much!
Carol says
I did the recipe but the instructions were not clear. In the ingredients it calls for 1/4 cup of Orange juice. In the directions it says 3/4 cup of orange and pineapple juice. There is too much sauce.
Jen says
Hi Carol, it means you’ll only use 3/4 cup of the drained pineapple juice and then follow the ingredient measurements listed for rest of the ingredients.
Jane says
I just made this to go with our Seitan Ham for Easter dinner. It turned out perfectly, not too much juice at all. The sauce thickens as it cools. This is a keeper.
Jen says
Thanks so much Jane, Happy Easter!
Kathryn Thibeault says
Can you can this and process in a water bath??
Jen says
Hi Kathyrn, I’m assuming you can, but I’m sorry I’m not an expert at canning. Best!
Joy Hulsey says
I love homemade cranberry sauce and I’m going to make this today. I would like to know if this recipe can be Canned and stored for much later?
Jen says
Hi Joy, yes, I’m sure it can be canned if properly done or frozen for up to 2 months. Enjoy!
Cheissmith says
I made this last Thanksgiving and have been looking forward to having it again. So glad I didn’t lose the recipe. Just the right balance for me. I added a tiny bit of orange zest at the end, after it has been cooked. Leftover lasted a couple of months in an airtight container in the fridge!
Jen says
Love the addition of orange zest – yum! I’m so pleased it’s a tradition. Happy Thanksgiving!
Brenbzzz says
I am stirring The cranberries as I type 🙂 I followed the instructions 100% except I’m adding a very small can of Mandarin oranges and using the juice for it too. I make homemade cranberry sauce every year and every year I look for a different recipe or try something new, you can’t go wrong I’m making homemade cranberry sauce it really is foolproof thank you for your recipe 🙂
Jen says
Yum! It’s so fun experimenting with new recipes, thanks for trying this one!