Keto Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

This tasty sugar-free version is sweetened with stevia and flavored with vanilla extract. You can use a powdered sweetener if you prefer. If you’ve never tried making homemade cranberry sauce, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. It’s a truly easy recipe to make - it requires just three ingredients and is ready in about 30 minutes. This particular version is sweetened with stevia. The tartness of the fruit does come through, so I recommend tasting it when it’s done and adding more sweetener if you want it sweeter.

Ingredients

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 ¼ 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.Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff. I feel that in a simple recipe such as this, it does make a difference.Fresh cranberries: I use a standard 12-oz bag. You can use frozen cranberries if that’s more convenient.

Instructions

Making sugar-free cranberry sauce is surprisingly 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 to a medium saucepan.The next step is to add the cranberries. Heat the mixture over medium heat, bringing it to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low.Simmer until the cranberries are soft and starting to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and chill to allow the sauce to thicken.

Expert tip

If using a granulated sweetener instead of stevia, make sure to use a powdered sweetener to prevent it from crystallizing as the sauce cools down.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

Here are a couple of ideas for changing up this recipe:

Orange zest, added to the water mixture, greatly enhances the flavor of the sauce. And since we’re trying to keep this recipe keto, it’s a better option than using orange juice instead of water, which is very tasty but adds quite a bit of sugar.Some people like to add a cinnamon stick. Personally, I’m not a fan, but if you think you might enjoy the flavor combination, go ahead and give it a try!

Serving suggestions

Traditionally served at Thanksgiving as a condiment for the turkey, one of my favorite ways of serving this tasty sauce is actually warm, as a topping for plain Greek yogurt. It’s also excellent as a topping for this keto cheesecake. And occasionally I serve it as a topping for these coconut flour pancakes.

Storing leftovers

You can keep this 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 on the first.