This Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce has all the flavor of the original, with a mere fraction of the carbs. It’s rich and thick, and takes only 15 minutes to make. Perfect for all your healthy holiday celebrations.
This keto cranberry sauce has been in my family for generations. My stepmother taught me the secret to the best cranberry sauce ever years ago, and I am going to share it with you today. Ready for it?
Follow the directions on the back of the bag. Yup, that’s right. The bag of cranberries you just picked up from the grocery store has the best recipe right on it. It takes sugar, but that’s an easy fix.
My dad always requested that I make the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. He loved it and swore up and down that mine was the best. And I always laughed because he knew full well how ridiculously easy it was. He just wanted me to make it for him.
I think of him with love every single time I make this sugar free cranberry sauce. And I miss him terribly.
I have so many delicious Keto Thanksgiving Recipes. From keto stuffing to the gooey keto pecan pie, I devote huge amounts of time every year to creating recipes for a healthy and keto-friendly holiday.
Why you need to try this
Of course, I don’t make cranberry sauce exactly the same way I used to. I replace the sugar and make it far healthier and keto-friendly.
Over the years, I have perfected this recipe so that it has the same thick, syrupy consistency of the regular kind. No one can tell that it’s sugar free. And it has less than 2g net carbs per serving!
I’ve also experimented with different variations, adding in some flavors like orange, cinnamon, and spice. So you’re getting four awesome recipes in one!
The great part about keto cranberry sauce is that it can be made well in advance of the holidays. It freezes and thaws well so you can store it for weeks or even months.
Reader Testimonials
Absolutely AMAZING!!!! Thank you for such an easy and delicious sauce. I used Allulose and Swerve brown sugar with the cinnamon and it’s freaking delicious! — Andrea
The lime and chipotle recipe is exquisite. Slather it under some cold sliced chicken breast and garlic cream cheese, and you have something that’ll make the gods jealous. — Lynn
I must admit that my cranberry sauce is still in the fridge cooling, but I have licked the pot clean so I can say this cranberry sauce is amazing. — Melissa
Ingredients you need
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- Cranberries: This is the star of the show! You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. I freeze bags of cranberries in the fall so I have them ready for the following year.
- Sweeteners: To get the perfect consistency, you really need a mix of two sweeteners. I use Swerve and either BochaSweet or allulose. This gives the sauce a thickness, but also helps keep it from recrystallizing as it cools. Swerve Brown also adds a hint of brown sugar flavor, which really enhances the sauce. Read my guide to keto sweeteners for more information.
- Water
- Other flavorings: citrus zest, cinnamon, lime juice, chipotle powder, vanilla extract, cloves.
Step-by-step directions
1. Place the cranberries, sweeteners, and water in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low.
2. Simmer until almost all the cranberries have popped and released their juices, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
How easy is that???
Variations
Cinnamon “Brown Sugar” Cranberry Sauce
Use ¼ cup Brown Swerve in place of the granular Swerve. Then add ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon along with the sweeteners. This might be my favorite cranberry sauce variation yet!
Orange Clove Cranberry Sauce
Add 2 teaspoon orange zest and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves along with the sweeteners. If you prefer, you can use ½ teaspoon orange extract in place of the zest. Smells like an old-fashioned Christmas!
Chipotle Lime Cranberry Sauce
Get a little Southwestern flare by adding ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and 1 teaspoon lime zest along with the sweeteners. A nice change from the traditional sauce.
Recipe tips
Sweeteners: It’s important to understand the role various sweeteners play in making sugar free cranberry sauce. You can work with what you like best and what’s available to you, but you may have to adjust the recipe accordingly.
If you only have erythritol based sweeteners, your sauce will re-crystallize a little as it cools. To avoid this, I recommend using a confectioner’s style erythritol and whisking it in only AFTER you have simmered the cranberries and water together.
If you prefer to use something like stevia extract, I recommend reducing the water by about half, so that you have a thicker sauce. Concentrated stevia and monk fruit extract have no bulk so they don’t help thicken your sauce at all.
Jellied cranberry sauce: Dissolve 1 packet of Knox gelatin or 1 tablespoon of grass-fed gelatin in a quarter cup of water. Whisk this into the cranberry mixture when you reduce the heat to a simmer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can get the same wonderful, thick consistency without sugar. Cranberries contain a lot of pectin, which releases as the berries cook and helps thicken the sauce. But for a more syrupy consistency, I recommend using some allulose or BochaSweet as well. Allulose works really well in this regard.
This keto cranberry sauce recipe has 2.8g of carbs and 1.0g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.8g net carbs in 2 tablespoons.
Absolutely! I usually do it a few days in advance and just store it in the fridge in a jar. It lasts for at least a week. But you can also freeze cranberry sauce. Again, store in a glass jar and be sure to give it a little head room as it will expand as it freezes. It’s good for up to 2 months.
Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Basic Cranberry Sauce:
- 8 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ⅔ cup water
- ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup allulose or BochaSweet
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer until almost all the cranberries have popped and released their juices. Remove and let cool.
Mjean says
I just made the cranberry sauce. Even though it will taste better tomorrow I just tasted it. It’s delicious. It has a very balanced sweetness unlike the keto versions I’ve made in the past with swerve only. I did add 1/8 teaspoons of ginger, cumin and coriander which gives it a bit of flavor that we like. Thanks again for a great recipe.
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Allison Keith says
Thank you for this easy and very good recipe! So thankful for all you do to give us great Keto recipes.
Tamara Adamson says
Oh my goodness!! I made two of the variations: brown sugar/cinnamon/cloves as well as the orange peel. Just amazing. Thank you for your great recipes. ♥️
April says
Oh my gosh, this is truly so good, to say I love cranberry sauce is an understatement, I don’t just eat it at holidays but all year round. I have recently gone keto and was sad I couldn’t have my beloved cranberry sauce. Thank you so much for this recipe, it turned out perfect ❤️
Carolyn says
So glad you like it!
Jana says
Is there any substitute for allulose, as I have many other non sugar sweeteners on hand?
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post as I already discuss this at length.
Lisa says
what is the difference between swerve and Bochasweet?
Carolyn says
Please read this: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-keto-sweeteners/
Ann says
Could you put the variations in the printable version of the recipe? I’d like to have all the options! Thanks!
Carolyn says
I will try to do that soon!
Sarah says
If making the jellied version – is the 1/4 cup of water that you mix the gelatin in, in addition to the 2/3 cup water already in recipe?
Carolyn says
If you want it quite thick go ahead and reduce the water to 1/2 cup. If you want it softer, then keep the 2/3 cup.
Kerrie S says
Your sugar-free cranberry sauce is Awe-mazing! I amp’d it up with orange extract and zest. Total game changer!!
FYI-it compliments ham too ♥️
Cindy Miller says
I too add orange zest but this time I added in some blueberries as well. And let me tell you it’s delicious.
Anita says
What would happen if I were to use only allulose and/or Bochasweet without erythritol? Would the texture be affected? I do not love the taste of erythritol. Allulose seems to deliver pure sweetness without adding another flavor. Since you mention that it is important to use a mix of sweeteners, I suspect that there is in fact a downside to skipping the erythritol, even if a combo of allulose and Bochasweet were used in its place. Can you enlighten me on this?
Carolyn says
The trouble with allulose is that things don’t firm up quickly. I haven’t tried it in this recipe but it may end up not firming up the way cranberry sauce should. Have you tried mixing the two? I think you will find you don’t get any flavor when you do.
Patti says
Kudos Carolyn! Another WIN! Easy, and wonderful! I appreciate all you do for us in the KETO world!
Shelly says
Can I use dehydrated cranberries? Rehydrate them. I can’t find fresh or frozen. Thanks! May Jesus continue to bless you and your family
Carolyn says
I honestly don’t know how that might work. I’ve never made cranberry sauce that way. I think you may need to experiment.
Paula Kanenberg says
I find it is more flavorful with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt added. Just my preference.
Anita Campbell says
Thank you for this. I love cranberries! I make mine with a little vanilla.
Jacqueline says
Hi did you add the vanilla at beginning or end of cooking?
Thank you
Carolyn says
I am not Anita, but you should always add at the end. Because it’s alcohol-based, it can cook off in the boiling process.
Jenny says
We can’t buy allulose or Bochasweet in Australia and they are very expensive to buy from the USA. Will the sauce still thicken if I leave it out or can I use something else to replace it?
Carolyn says
Please read the Expert tips as I already addressed this.
Victoria Olson says
Allulose gives me nausea and stomach cramps. I use Bocha Sweet for cranberry sauce. It doesn’t crystalize once chilled, like erythritol does.
Carolyn says
You’re not alone in that with allulose. I had that too, at first but it seems I no longer have an issue with it. I did switch brands (I used Keystone Bakery at first and it was awful for me) so I don’t know if that’s what helped. But BochaSweet is a good choice.
Lloyd says
When I make my cranberry sauce I like to use unsweetened O J concentrate along with some zest and a little lemon zest as well. I also add about 1/4 of an apple (peeled) to help thicken with the natural pectin. I add the cinnamon and sweetener, usually a mix of sucralose and natural stevia, near the end of the cooking process.
Penny Reveile says
Oh, Carolyn, my friend!!! You have outdone yourself with this recipe. ❤️ A question though. Your Jellied Cranberry Sauce instructions:
Jellied cranberry sauce: Dissolve 1 packet of Knox gelatin or 1 tablespoon of grass-fed gelatin in a quarter cup of water. Whisk this into the cranberry mixture when you reduce the heat to a simmer.
For my PICKIEST eater ever ( aka hubby) how do I remove the berry peels? Run it through a food mill or zap it in my high powered blender?
Carolyn says
I’d go for the blender. It will become a nice thick puree.
Ilene Cutroneo says
If I want to make the ‘seedless jelly ‘ canned version- do i need to increase the amount of cranberries since I’m milling the cooked fruit. If so, what would the amount be?
Carolyn says
I honestly don’t know, I’ve never made it that way. You will need to experiment, but it will be tasty!
Annette says
Carol, I am maintaining now with Keto….I have kept your site, the recipes are so good…I use them all the time to continue my weight loss. I am 73 and got such a fantastic yearly check up that I am going to be a continuous fan of yours and your recipes. This is going to be a star recipe for my Thanksgiving meal. I know it is good from the one I have made for years, thank you for testing so many great recipes out, I just trust that they are going to be as good as the one before. Your recipes for desserts are the only one’s I use, as well as your other recipes. Thank you for putting so much time into them……and continuing Keto for all of us fans as well as newbies.
Carolyn says
You’re welcome!
Kevin Cox says
Dear Carolyn,
I don’t know if you respond to followers emails, but I will take a chance. Reading your Cranberry Sauce recipe, it calls for allulose and I am assuming powdered allulose. I believe another recipe of yours called for liquid allulose. I’m still trying to figure out the gluten free/keto baking secrets, so I am a fan of yours! My wife and I have a couple of your cookbooks and we subscribe to your emails. Lots of pertinent information from those sources. Anyway my question is, can I substitute liquid allulose for dry or powdered and vice a versa? If so, what are their measurement equivalents? Any light you can shed would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin
Carolyn says
Hi Kevin! When a recipe just says allulose, always assume granular. It’s like saying “sugar” and “liquid invert sugar”. Whenever someone says “sugar”, you know it’s table sugar. And very few of my recipes call for liquid allulose, so I always specify the liquid part when necessary.
As for subbing one for the other, I don’t recommend that. Simply because the liquid allulose will introduce a whole lot of liquid into a recipe, and that may throw things off a lot. If you can only purchase one, get the granular! It’s much more useful. And if something calls for liquid allulose and all you have is granular, you can always use the granular and add more liquid.