Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

This is the best sugar free cranberry sauce recipe! This healthy cranberry sauce uses orange juice, vanilla extract and grated apple instead of sugar. With hints of cinnamon and vanilla it’s perfect for the holidays and is safe for those with diabetes and on a vegan, low carb, paleo or Whole30 diet.

Why you will love this recipe:

• It’s so easy to make and doesn’t require any sugar!
• This healthy cranberry sauce can be made with fresh or frozen cranberries. 
• Instead of sugar substitutes like monk fruit, stevia, Splenda or Truvia, which many sugar free cranberry sauce recipes use, this one relies on the natural sweetness from fruits instead. It’s the best no sweetener cranberry sauce. 
• It has the perfect amount of sweetness from the orange juice, vanilla extract and shredded apple, which combines beautifully with the tart cranberries.
• It is a great diabetic cranberry sauce and it’s great if you are counting carbs or looking for a lower carb cranberry sauce.
• This is a healthy cranberry sauce that is also gluten free, dairy free and safe for paleo, vegan, SCD, GAPS, keto and Whole30 diets and is entirely plant based. 
• It is the perfect side dish to serve with turkey dinner, and all your favourite Christmas and Thanksgiving recipes like pecan pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and stuffing. 

Key ingredients and substitutions: 

• Fresh or frozen cranberries – the star of this recipe! Cranberries are a healthy fruit that are full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. You can use either fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries for this recipe. 
• Apples – to make the grated apple which helps gives this cranberry sauce it’s natural sweetness, without adding any sugar. 
• Oranges – for making the orange juice that is used to help naturally sweeten this cranberry sauce.  
• Vanilla extract – to help enhance the flavours and give this cranberry sauce a hint of vanilla flavour.

How to make this recipe:

Step one:

First you will need to grate your apple and measure it.

Step two: 

Then place all of the ingredients into a medium pot or medium saucepan and place it on the stove. Turn it on to medium heat and bring the ingredients to a boil.

Step three: 

Next, reduce heat and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches the consistency and thickness you desire.

Step four:

Now serve and enjoy!

Tips and variations: 

• You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries to make this cranberry sauce – if you use frozen cranberries you will need to add a few minutes of cooking time.
• To make this recipe a little sweeter feel free to add a little honey or maple syrup. 
• If you would like a stronger orange flavour add 1-2 tablespoons of orange zest.
• If you are serving a crowd feel free to double or triple this recipe.

How to store: 

This cranberry sauce makes great leftovers and can be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 7 days.

Frequently asked questions:

Other recipes you will love:

• Christmas Chicken
• Glazed Carrots and Parsnips
• Slow Cooker Cranberry Maple Beef Roast
• Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Drizzle
• Dairy Free Brownies with Caramel
• Carrot Cake Donuts

If you make this recipe be sure to give it a star rating below! And be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook too!

4.67 from 15 votes

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Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

This sugar free cranberry sauce is so easy to make with orange juice, grated apple, vanilla extract and cinnamon. It's perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas and is paleo and Whole30 compliant!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy cranberry sauce, low sugar cranberry sauce, whole30 cranberry sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 38 kcal

Ingredients

• 227 grams fresh cranberries (or frozen cranberries)
• 3/4 cup packed grated apple (use a sweet apple such as gala or honey crisp)
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to a medium pot and place it on the stove.

   

2. Turn on the heat to medium and bring the ingredients to a boil.

   

3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the cranberries are the texture you desire.

   

4. Remove from the heat and serve and enjoy!

   

Recipe Notes

1. This cranberry sauce makes great leftovers and can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.
2. If you want to make it a little sweeter feel free to add a little honey or maple syrup. 
3. If you would like a stronger orange flavour add a bit of orange zest.

Nutrition Facts

Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 38 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 1mg0%

Potassium 93mg3%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 73IU1%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.