What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? Everyone has one! For me, it’s the cranberries. Don’t settle for jelled canned cranberries. I promise you that making a fresh batch is easy. This make-ahead Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce recipe is the absolute BEST. It’s full of flavor, you can make it long before your other side dishes and forget about it until dinnertime. Everyone always asks me for this recipe – so here it is.

Do you know what’s key to an amazing homemade Thanksgiving? Making everything as easy as possible. You don’t want to worry about things on the day of Thanksgiving. That’s what I love about this recipe. Not only is it easy to make, but your cranberries can be made THREE days ahead of time. So you can worry about more important things and spending time with your guests.

Easy Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipe

These cranberries are made over the stovetop by starting with a simple syrup. Simple syrups are popular in cocktail recipes too. It’s just a blend of water and dissolved sugar. You can find fresh cranberries in your local grocery store starting in mid-October. You can also freeze fresh cranberries and they’re good for a year!

What To Serve With Your Cranberry Sauce

This is a traditional American Thanksgiving side dish recipe. I use my favorite *cute* Cranberry Serving Dish too! I like to serve it alongside my Apple Sausage Stuffing recipe, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Southern Squash Casserole recipe and Creamed Corn. I’m all about adding as much color to my Thanksgiving table as possible with my side dishes. I don’t want everything green.

Making Your Cranberry Sauce Ahead Of Time

This is always the first recipe I make every year for our Thanksgiving. I’ll make it on Monday or Tuesday before the holiday. Technically, if you forget, they gel with only 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. However, they’re going to taste even better with several days of refrigeration. The flavors of allspice, cinnamon and cloves just blend into the sugared cranberries.

What You’ll Need To Buy From The Grocery Store:

• Granulated Sugar
• Whole Cloves
• Whole Allspice
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Fresh Cranberries
• Orange Peel

How To Make Your Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Bring sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to a boil, in a 4-quart saucepan. Constantly stir, while cooking, until syrup is clear (for about 3 minutes).

Add fresh cranberries and cook until they just begin to pop, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add grated orange peel and cool. Keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before serving. Just stir and serve chilled. Optional: remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Looking for other great cranberry recipes? Easy Cranberry Mousse recipe is a Christmas dessert that has individual servings. White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Fudge is the perfect holiday gift idea too. Cranberry Eggnog Breakfast Bake is great for Christmas morning.