Baked Cranberry Sauce

Yumna Jawad

Updated Aug 21, 2025

4.92 from 47 votes

This Baked Cranberry Sauce takes 2 minutes to prep, uses fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and bakes in the oven, so it's hands-off.

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Prep Time 2 minutes
Servings 8 servings
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Baked cranberry relish on thanksgiving dinner table next to turkey and green beans
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Try my make-ahead baked cranberry sauce!

I started making baked cranberry sauce a few years ago, and I haven’t gone back to the stovetop version since. It takes just a couple of minutes to toss everything together, and then the oven does all the work while I focus on the rest of Thanksgiving dinner.

I can make it the day before, which means one less thing on my list when the kitchen turns into pure chaos on the holiday. This baked cranberry sauce is hands-off, stress-free, and somehow tastes even better after sitting overnight.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Baked Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

Ingredients to make the recipe
  • Cranberries: I use fresh cranberries around Thanksgiving because they’re in season, but you can also use frozen. Just be sure to thaw them first.
  • Sugar: I use simple granulated white sugar for this recipe.
  • Cinnamon: You can also use nutmeg.
  • Pecans: Almonds, walnuts, or any other nuts work, too.
  • Orange marmalade: Can be found next to the jams and jelly.

How to Make Baked Cranberry Sauce

Fresh cranberries in a baking dish with sugar.
Step 1: Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, and cinnamon in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
After baking halfway.
Step 2: Bake until the cranberries start to soften. Stir the sauce to help dissolve any sugar and return to the oven, covered, until the cranberries are tender and bubbly.
After baking with pecans and orange marmalade added.
Step 3: Remove the baking dish from the oven, fold in the pecans and orange marmalade, and let it cool completely.
Baked Cranberry Relish in a white bowl and spoon, garnished with orange slices and pecans

Baked Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.92 from 47 votes
This Baked Cranberry Sauce takes 2 minutes to prep, uses fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and bakes in the oven, so it's hands-off.
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Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 2 minutes
Servings8 servings
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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, and cinnamon in an 8×11 baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for one hour, stirring halfway through.
  • When the cranberries are tender and bubbly, remove the dish from the oven. Fold in the pecans and orange marmalade.
  • Allow to come to room temperature and refrigerate.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 7mg, Potassium: 69mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 37IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below!

Recipe Tips

  1. Learn how to freeze fresh cranberries. I recommend buying fresh cranberries when they’re in season (around Thanksgiving) and freezing them for later use.
  2. Cover the baking dish with foil in the oven. This traps the moisture in the dish so the cranberry sauce doesn’t dry out or burn.
  3. Let the sauce cool to room temperature. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Then, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. This helps enhance the flavor because it has time to develop.
Baked Cranberry Relish in a white bowl and spoon, garnished with orange slices and pecans

FAQs

How do I store baked cranberry sauce?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. It’s a great make-ahead dish!

Can I freeze baked cranberry sauce?

Yes, you can freeze this homemade cranberry sauce for up to 1 month. The texture may be slightly watery when you thaw it, so I recommend reheating it on the stovetop.

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Comments

  1. Janet Gerhardt says:

    The recipe says 1 cup of sugar, but your notes say 1/2 cup. Which do you recommend?

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yes! Good catch! Sorry about that. Just updated!

      Reply

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