Name: Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh cranberries (rinsed in cold water and drained); 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest; 2/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice; 2/3 cup pure maple syrup; pinch of kosher salt; 2 cinnamon sticks

This Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe is going to be your holy grail during Thanksgiving. It takes just 2 minutes to cook in the pressure cooker, and is full of vibrant flavor from the fresh orange zest, juice, and cinnamon sticks. It is sweetened with pure maple syrup and is refined sugar free.

You are going to LOVE this Instant Pot cranberry sauce because:

You absolutely cannot tell it’s not made with traditional sugar.
Very quick and easy to make.
It’s both fabulously tangy and sweet at the same time.
Great for all of the holidays, not just Thanksgiving!
It’s very affordable to make with these ingredients.

I am so excited I finally have some Thanksgiving inspired recipes to serve at my table this year. I haven’t gotten the courage to cook a turkey yet, but to be fair, our families don’t love turkey.

I’d rather serve up a big hunk of ham or make a fabulous chicken dish. Until family members begin to complain about this, I will stick to my guns.

I know this year, I’ll be serving up Instant Pot cranberry sauce alongside my Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash.

Oh, and dessert? Obviously it’s going to have to be Paleo Pumpkin Pie.

This cranberry sauce is so quick and easy to whip up, you are going to seriously be shocked.

I don’t think I can even stand the thought of store bought cranberry sauce anymore now that I know just how approachable this is.

If you are heading to Thanksgiving or another holiday meal at someone else’s house, definitely bring this with you.

It’s a show stopper, and I cannot wait for you to shock them when you answer the question: “Where did you get this?”

How to make Instant Pot cranberry sauce

Add cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup, and salt to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and drop in the cinnamon sticks.

Close lid and make sure valve is in the “Sealing” position. I like to cover it with a kitchen towel. Hit “Manual” and make sure it is set to “High Pressure.” Set timer to 2 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build up, and steam will be released from the lid. You will see the time display after this occurs.

Once time is up, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Very carefully (using that kitchen towel) move the valve to “Venting” and let the rest of the pressure release. Once the floating valve drops down completely, carefully open the lid. Hit “Keep Warm/Cancel.”

Press “Sauté” button and using a wooden spoon, stir cranberry sauce for 2-3 minutes until it begins to slowly thicken up and bubble. Press “Keep Warm/Cancel” again and continue stirring for 2 more minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks.

Carefully transfer cranberry sauce to a serving dish or to an airtight container. If you are going to store it in the refrigerator, wait for it to come to room temperature before you put it in the refrigerator. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

Tips for Instant Pot cranberry sauce

How long will this last?

You can store cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

What if I want it to be a thinner consistency or smoother?

Feel free to use an immersion blender to blend it up. You can also add in water on medium heat to adjust the thickness.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Absolutely. In fact, this is another great recipe for Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce.

Cranberry sauce recipe notes

This will make about 2 1/4 cups of cranberry sauce.
You can use granulated white sugar instead of maple syrup. I’d recommend starting with 1/2 cup and tasting for additional sweetener after it’s done cooking.
If you’d like to use ground cinnamon instead of cinnamon sticks, add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
You can double the recipe. Make sure you naturally release pressure for at least 10 minutes though.

What can you use this cranberry sauce for?

Aside from the traditional application of cranberry sauce (aka serving it alongside a roasted turkey), there are many other ways cranberry sauce can be enjoyed.

Some of my favorite things to serve Instant Pot cranberry sauce with:

On top of a bowl of yogurt or ice cream.
Roasted veggies pair well with it!
It can be used as a glaze for meat and poultry.
Spread on top of toasted bread or crackers, like a jam.
Flavor enhancer: mix it in to your favorite smoothies, oatmeal, etc.

I cannot wait for you to try this recipe, and I am so excited over how little time it will take you to prepare.

Your family and friends are going to be so impressed you took the extra step to make your own cranberry sauce this year. They won’t believe you when you tell them it took 2 minutes to cook.

That’s okay. You don’t need to tell them that it was made in the pressure cooker. 😉

More Thanksgiving recipes for your table:

Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash

Roasted Delicata Squash Salad

Paleo Pumpkin Pie

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Paleo Sweet Potato Au Gratin