Easy and delicious keto cranberry sauce is sweetened with a sugar-free granulated sweetener or with stevia.
After transitioning to a low-carb diet, at first I assumed that cranberry sauce is now out. After all, it NEEDS powdered sugar to thicken it, right? Well, as it turns out, no, it doesn’t!
This keto cranberry sauce is nutritious and delicious. It’s an easy recipe, ready in just a few minutes, that you can enjoy on the keto diet. And there’s no need for powdered sugar! Phew.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty sauce. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Water: You’ll need 1/2 cup of water for this recipe. Some recipes call for orange juice, but water is just fine.
Sugar-free sweetener: Either powdered erythritol or stevia. I usually use stevia glycerite, which nearly eliminates the bitter aftertaste typical to other stevia products.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing – pure vanilla extract – and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Fresh cranberries: I use a 10-oz package. You can use 12 oz if you’d like and maybe add a bit more water – 1 or 2 tablespoons.
How to make keto cranberry sauce
It’s so easy! There’s really no reason to use canned sauce. The recipe card below provides the full instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to add the water, sweetener and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Then bring the mixture to a boil.
The next step is to add the cranberries. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the cranberries are soft, about 15 minutes.
Chill to allow the sauce to thicken. It will thicken more if you use powdered erythritol, less if you use stevia.
Should I serve this sauce hot or cold?
I like it at room temperature. Cooling it, even just slightly, allows it to thicken, so its texture improves as it cools.
There’s one exception though. Although I do serve this sauce on Thanksgiving, as tradition dictates, personally I’m not a fan of eating it with turkey.
My favorite way to enjoy it? I like to pour it while still warm over cool, creamy full-fat Greek yogurt. So good!
It’s also wonderful as a sauce on these homemade almond flour pancakes. Or as a keto cheesecake topping!
Will the sauce thicken if I use stevia?
I used to think that you absolutely needed powdered sugar for it to thicken, but you actually don’t. The sauce will thicken thanks to the natural pectin released by the cranberries as they cook. Although admittedly, it won’t thicken as much as the version made with powdered erythritol.
How long does it keep?
You can keep keto cranberry sauce in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. It keeps very well, actually. It tastes just as good on the fourth day as it does in the first.
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Keto Cranberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol or the equivalent in stevia
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 oz fresh cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sweetener, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the cranberries. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Simmer until the cranberries are soft and some of them burst, 10-15 minutes
- Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.