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Air fryer cranberry sauce highlights the bright flavor of fresh cranberries sweetened with sugar and laced with ginger to jazz it up. It’s a traditional part of Thanksgiving dinner, it couldn’t be easier to make, and it beats the heck out of canned cranberry sauce!
Skip the canned cranberry sauce, friends! Even if you don’t have a stovetop to make cranberry sauce from scratch, you can still make it homemade in the air fryer. And it comes out absolutely delicious!
It’s so good you’ll want to make a double batch. Slather it on a leftover turkey sandwich, use it to make turkey and cheese sliders, spoon it on your morning bowl of oatmeal, or dollop it into the batter of your favorite muffins.
I made this cranberry sauce along with my boneless turkey breast roast and stuffing in the air fryer!
What’s Special About This Recipe
- Like most fresh cranberry sauce recipes, this one blows the canned stuff out of the water. The flavor is much more lively and intense.
- We use minimal ingredients here! Cranberry is (and should be) the star of the show. After all, its tart sweetness is what perfectly complements turkey’s rich, savory flavor.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Fresh cranberries – Rinse and drain them, and they’re ready to go.
- Sugar – Here we use granulated white sugar to balance out the tart flavor of cranberries.
- Ginger – Dried ground ginger adds a punch of peppery, citrusy flavor in the best way possible. If you prefer, you can use 3/4 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger instead of 1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger.
- Salt – Salt naturally enhances the flavor of everything else, and helps create a balanced flavor profile.
How to Make Air Fryer Cranberry Sauce
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl and toss to coat the cranberries.
- Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/4-cup oven-safe dish and cover with foil.
- Preheat an air fryer to 350F. Add the covered cranberry sauce, and air fryer for 25 minutes.
- Remove the cover on the cranberry sauce. Use a fork to mash a few of the berries to thicken the sauce.
Variations
- Fresh ginger – Use 3/4 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger instead of 1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger.
- Orange – Add 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest.
- Cinnamon – The spicy warmth of cinnamon is lovely with cranberries! Add up to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to this recipe.
Storage
Store homemade cranberry sauce covered in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips For Success
- Make sure to air fry the cranberry sauce in an oven-safe dish that’s covered with foil. The cranberries can burst as they cook, and the foil not only helps prevent the sauce from burning, but it also prevents a mess.
- It’s not a mistake; we don’t add water or any other liquid to this recipe. Cranberries have enough liquid to form a jam-like texture when you air fry them covered to trap the steam inside.
- After air frying, use a fork to mash a few of the cranberries. This will help thicken the sauce and create a jammy consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
The trick is to create a balanced flavor profile. Cranberries are naturally tart/sour and a bit bitter. We add ingredients to bring in other flavor components and create a balanced profile, such as sugar and salt.
It’s the cranberries! As they cook and burst, the berries release pectin, which is a natural thickener.
You can serve cranberry sauce hot or cold, it’s really just a matter of personal preference. However, it does make a difference to let the flavors blend a bit before serving; if you have the time, make cranberry sauce a day ahead and store it in the fridge.
More Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipes
- Spiced Cranberry Sauce – full of warm spices
- Apple Cranberry Sauce – if you like it on the sweeter side
- Cranberry Pear Sauce – with cardamom to make it special
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Air Fryer Cranberry Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cranberries rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl and toss to coat the cranberries. Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/4-cup oven-safe dish and cover with foil.
- Preheat an air fryer to 350F. Add the covered cranberry sauce, and air fryer for 25 minutes.
- Remove the cover on the cranberry sauce. Use a fork to mash a few of the berries to thicken the sauce.
Notes
- Storage: Store homemade cranberry sauce covered in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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