Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce is simple to make in the pressure Cooker. Lightly spiced with cinnamon, allspice and cloves and a subtle hint of orange.

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a staple on any Thanksgiving table and I don’t think I can imagine a table without this sweet and tart sauce.

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce is particularly found and enjoyed during the fall holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It wasn’t until I made Instant Pot Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce in my Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, that I really grew to love the stuff.

It’s easy to make and is used in my Pressure Cooker Orange Cranberry French Toast recipe, which is a favorite among my readers for Christmas morning breakfast. My new Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce is more of a jelly type of sauce and fills the kitchen with delicious fall aromas.

Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce cooks up in only a minute in the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker. No one likes to stand over a hot stove stirring constantly and missing out on spending time enjoying company, so using the pressure cooker makes this a no brainer, hands off recipe.

In addition, you can prepare this cranberry sauce in advance and free up some time on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce.

• Cranberries
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Cloves
• Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice or Water
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Ginger
• White Sugar

If you want a little chew to your cranberry sauce, try adding a couple Tablespoons of Crystallized Ginger. It adds another layer of yum.

Wash and Pick Over Cranberries

How are Cranberries Grown?

• Cranberries are a Native American wetland fruit. They need specific factors in order to properly grow. The cranberries must have acid peat soil and a good fresh water supply, which are found in wetlands.
• Cranberries are grown on trailing or low lying vines in beds, similar to strawberries. The beds, which are called “bogs,” are layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. They must have a good and flowing water supply. Bogs were created by glacial deposits.
• When the cranberries are ready to harvest, water is released into the bogs to cover the vines. The cranberries are then knocked off the vines and then corralled and removed out of the bogs with conveyors or pumps. This is a three day process.

The growing season for cranberries is from April to November.

How to Make Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce.

• Fresh cranberries should be rinsed and picked over. They are added to the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, along with spices. The cranberries cook for only a minutes and then are lightly mashed.

Spices and Cranberries Go Into the Instant Pot

Is Cranberry Sauce Served Cold or Warm?

• Cranberry sauce is generally served chilled or at room temperature. As the cranberry sauce cools, it thickens on its own,
• However, it can easily be warmed and served along side turkey and stuffing. When warm, the cranberry sauce is a bit looser and more like a sauce, then a jelly.

Sugar and Juice Mixed into Cranberries

How to Store Cranberry Sauce.

• Luckily, Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce can be made several days in advance and can keep in the fridge for four days.
• After pressure cooking, pour the cranberry sauce into a container and let it cool on the counter for about 15 minutes. Once the cranberry sauce is cool to the touch, cover it and place in the refrigerator.
• When ready to use, remove the container of cranberry sauce from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to serving.

So, here is the thing and something I get asked about re cranberry sauce. Some people love it and some people hate it. Good news though!

Can Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce be Frozen?

• Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauces freezes very well. If you are lover of cranberry sauce and want to buy a bunch when fresh cranberries are easily sourced, you could make a big batch and then freeze into portions.
• Make sure to let the cranberry sauce cool first before freezing. We like to use a FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System, as it is airtight and the bags are freezer safe. A good idea is to try to freeze the cranberry sauce flat, so that it stacks easily in the freezer.
• Cranberry sauce can safely be frozen up to four months, if properly sealed in an air tight bag.

Sugar Melts into Liquid

There is very limited liquid added to this recipe.

Why So Little Liquid?

• Too many times I see recipes with a ton of liquid and then calling for you to either dump some out, or simmer at the end to thicken. That is because many people on line these days, do not understand the science of pressure cooking and have you do extra steps.
• Liquid comes from more places than just a cup of water or juice!
• There is no need to simmer to thicken. Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce will be nice and thick without any additional simmering time.

You will want to make extra Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce, so that you have leftovers to use in my Air Fryer Turkey Croquettes recipe.

Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce.

1. The amount of sugar can be adjusted for a sweeter cranberry sauce.
2. For a looser cranberry sauce (rather than a chunky and jellied sauce), add more liquid.
3. Use a potato masher to easily break up the cranberries after cooking.
4. Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce can be made in advance and freezes well. Buy several bags of fresh cranberries during the season and make several batches with different spices and seasonings and then freeze for later in the year.

Ball 16 oz Wide Mouth Mason Jars are great for storing and gift giving.

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

More Instant Pot Cranberry Recipes to Make.

• Instant Pot Cranberry French Toast (Bread Pudding)
• Instant Pot Raspberry Cranberry Spritzer
• Instant Pot Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce
• Instant Pot Cranberry Cornbread Bites

Make sure to make at least a double batch of Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce, so you have leftovers for my Air Fryer Turkey Croquettes and my Instant Pot Cranberry Cornbread Bites. These recipes are amazing.

Love my Instant Pot Yogurt? Use Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce as a topping to yogurt!

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

• Instant Pot DUO Mini Plus 3 Quart Pressure Cooker
• Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
• Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
• Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
• Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
• di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
• Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
• Salbree Steamer Basket
• OXO Good Grips Potato Masher

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Here is the handy printable recipe:

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: All types, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 minute minute

Pressure Release: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 6 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 96kcal

Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces Fresh Cranberries rinsed and picked over
• ▢ 3/4 cup White Sugar (to 1 cup)
• ▢ 1/4 cup Orange Juice or Fresh Water
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• ▢ Pinch Ground Cloves

US Customary - Metric

Recommended Products

Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Salbree Steamer Basket / Colander

High Heat Resistant Spatula

Liquid Measuring Cup Set

Potato Masher

Instructions

• Place cranberries into a colander and rinse well under cool water and remove any impurities, like twigs.
• Add cranberries to Instant Pot cooking pot.
• Add sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, allspice, salt, ginger and cloves to cooking pot.
• Mix well until sugar is well combined with liquid.
• Lock on lid and close pressure valve. Cook at high pressure (most machines default to high pressure) for 1 minute.
• When beep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
• Remove lid and stir the cranberry sauce well. The cranberry sauce will be a bit liquidy at this point, but will quickly gel and firm up.
• Decide if you want a chunky sauce or a smooth sauce or somewhere in between.
• Smash cranberries with a potato smasher to your desired texture.
• Taste the sauce to see if you need a bit more sugar and if so, mix it in.
• Transfer cranberry sauce to a bowl or to several containers and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. While cooling the cranberry sauce will set up nicely.
• After sauce has cooled, place in refrigerator.

Notes

Cranberry sauce is usually quite bitter and more sugar is usually needed. However, since bold spices are being used, this cranberry sauce recipes uses less sugar. I would start with the recommended 3/4 cup and if you feel you would like a sweeter sauce, taste it after it is finished cooking and then add more. Remember, as the sauce cools, the flavors will become stronger and sweeter.

Vanilla Bean Paste adds a warmer flavor.

Crystallized Ginger is an awesome replacement for ground ginger and gives the cranberry sauce some texture and chew. It is sweet, so if you use the candied/crystallized ginger, cut out a Tablespoon of sugar.

This recipe can be made in a Instant Pot 3 Quart Pressure Cooker too and the ingredients and timing remain the same.

If doubling the recipe, double all ingredients.

Recipes Which Pair Well with Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

• Topping for my homemade Instant Pot Greek Yogurt
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy
• Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
• Instant Pot Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin - use Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce recipe instead of the apples for a delicious meal
• Instant Pot Cherry Cordial Cheesecake Bites - stuff the bites with cranberry sauce instead of cherries

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 96 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 59mg3%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 22g24%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 33IU1%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 3mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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