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My keto cranberry sauce is just as sweet and tart as you remember, just with a fraction of the carbs! Made with fresh OR frozen cranberries, it’ll be the highlight of Thanksgiving! 2 grams net carbs.
Need more keto Thanksgiving dishes? Try my cauliflower mashed potatoes, keto green bean casserole, and keto biscuits next!
In my household, we take our Thanksgiving sides as seriously (if not more so) as the main course.
That said, when I’m on a low carb diet, I have to get a bit more creative. So, I came up with a low-carb cranberry sauce, and now my family requests it every year!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Only 3 ingredients. All you need are cranberries, orange zest, and sweetener. Oh, and water.
- The perfect flavor. It’s equal parts sweet and tart, and the orange zest adds an unmistakable freshness.
- 2 grams of net carbs. Compared to heaven knows how much is in the canned stuff!
- Uses fresh OR frozen cranberries. If you want to hunt for fresh cranberries, go for it. Personally, I take the easy way out and use frozen cranberries.
Ingredients needed
- Cranberries. As I mentioned, use frozen or fresh cranberries. If using frozen, make sure they’ve thawed completely and strain the excess juices.
- Orange zest. A little orange extract is a must for any good cranberry sauce!
- Water. To thin the sauce.
- Sugar-free sweetener. Allulose is my preferred keto sweetener as it dissolves exactly like white sugar. Monk fruit and stevia can work, but you need to be careful with them, as they can often crystalize once the sauce cools.
How to make sugar free cranberry sauce
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Boil. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cranberries, orange zest, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the cranberries have popped.
Step 2- Cool. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the allulose and let it cool completely.
Step 3- Store. Once cool, transfer into a sterilized jar or airtight container.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Taste as you go. I’ve noticed that less ripened cranberries are sometimes more tart and less sweet. So, taste it as it’s cooling and add more sweetener as needed.
- Don’t worry if the sauce is thin. It will thicken considerably as it cools and even more the following day.
- Make jello. Dissolve 1 packet of jello mix (make sure it has no added sugar) once the sauce has been removed from the heat. Quickly pour it into your mold and let it set completely.
Variations
- Add spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves all make wonderful additions to homemade cranberry sauce.
- Add more flavor. Fold in one teaspoon of vanilla extract or minced ginger for a brighter flavor.
- Use brown sugar. For a richer, more molasses flavor, use keto brown sugar.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cranberry sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freeze for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
Cranberries are one of a handful of keto-friendly fruit. There are just 4 grams of net carbs per half a cup serving.
Traditional cranberry sauce contains sugar and often corn syrup, which can pack a ton of carbs. However, this keto cranberry sauce recipe has just 2 grams of net carbs per 1/4 cup serving.
Cranberry sauce can thicken without sugar, provided you use the appropriate low-carb sweetener. In this case, I prefer allulose.
More keto holiday recipes
Keto Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 orange zest
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons allulose * See notes
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the cranberries, orange zest, and water and place it over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Stir through the allulose then let the sauce cool completely.
- Once cool, transfer into a sterilized jar or sealable container.
