Whether or not you enjoy traditional cranberry sauce, this keto cranberry blueberry sauce is a tasty low carb alternative everyone seems to love! Super delicious and easy to prepare, it’s a perfect seasonal sauce for your holiday meals.
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Why you'll love it
Thanksgiving and the holidays are a time for family traditions and special, seasonal foods. Years ago, when I switched to low carb and cut out sugar, I would simply avoid high-carb seasonal foods at family gatherings.
But, as more family members started focusing on their health and avoiding gluten and carbs, I found a reason to transform some of my favorite holiday recipes into keto-friendly and sugar-free versions of themselves.
My low-carb keto sugar cookies and paleo low-carb stuffing are just two examples.
That is also how this sugar free homemade cranberry sauce came to be. Let me tell you, one bite of turkey with this sauce, and you will NEVER go back to canned cranberry sauce!
The sweet and tart flavors perfectly complement one another thanks to a special ingredient: blueberries. They elevate this sauce to a whole new level and give it a rich, purple hue that will make you want to drizzle it over your entire plate!
I prefer this homemade cranberry sauce to other recipes that add tons of sweetener to the cranberries.
This is an easy, delicious way to embrace the traditions of the holiday season without all the added sugar or carbs. And, with only three main ingredients and just a few simple steps, it's made with little effort.
Ingredients
I used the following simple ingredients to make my homemade cranberry sauce!
Cranberries
You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries. They both work simiarly.
If you haven’t had fresh cranberries for a long time, they may taste very different to you now than they did before you were keto. As I cut sugar out of my diet, I've noticed that I am more sensitive to natural sweetness.
Raw cranberries are still tart, but I notice so much more of their sweetness now.
Sweetener
This sugar-free cranberry sauce still uses sweetener, but I find that it is much more balanced than the sauce I grew up eating.
While keto-approved sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit shouldn’t impact ketosis, consuming too much may trigger overeating. So I try to practice moderation and encourage others to do the same.
I use Pyure All Purpose Stevia in this sauce, which is relatively inexpensive compared to other keto sweeteners. Plus, it’s certified organic, and the erythritol is GMO-free.
Tip: Check out this low-carb sweetener guide to learn more!
Blueberries
To reduce the amount of sweetener in this low-carb cranberry sauce while still balancing the tartness of the cranberries, I decided to include blueberries.
Either fresh or frozen blueberries are perfect in this sauce.
The blueberries are an excellent compliment to the cranberries and really enhance the natural flavor of both. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of traditional cranberry sauce, I highly recommend giving this cranberry blueberry sauce a try this holiday season.
Spices
Traditional fall spices with warm tones compliment the tart cranberries and sweet blueberries the best. I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
Tips
- Wash the cranberries. Even if you are using frozen ones, you should still make sure there aren't any bad berries in the mix.
- Do not puree the cranberries. Gently mash them - you want the sauce to have some texture.
- Keep the sauce chilled until you are ready to serve it. This will give you the best taste.
Instructions
This is one of my favorite fall dessert recipes because it is so easy to make. Sugar-free cranberry sauce comes together in just a few simple steps.
Here's a bit more information about how I made this healthy cranberry blueberry sauce.
Prepare the cranberries
First, wash the cranberries, discarding any bad ones, then place them in a medium saucepan with sweetener and 1 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium.
Stir and simmer the cranberries until they burst, about 10 minutes. Then mash the cranberries slightly with a spoon and remove them from heat.
Add blueberries and spices
Add in the blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, then stir to combine.
Chill the sauce
Transfer the sauce to a bowl, allowing it to cool slightly before placing plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce to cover.
Place in the refrigerator until chilled.
Serving Suggestions
Cranberry sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish. This sauce tastes delicious any time of year, but most people add it to the table with their turkey and sides.
Serve this side dish cuisine with some keto stuffing. The sweet and savory flavors complement each other perfectly. Instead of mashed potatoes, add some mashed turnips to the table.
Add some keto gravy to your juicy turkey, and you have a meal that is ready for your family. Finish the meal with some low-carb pecan pie for dessert!
You could even add this cranberry sauce on top of keto vanilla ice cream. This is the best keto cranberry sauce recipe because you can use it in so many different ways.
Variations
You can change up keto cranberry sauce in a few different ways. If you make any adjustments, please let me know in the comments.
- Omit the blueberries. This can be turned into a straight cranberry sauce. You might have to add more sweetener to balance out the tart cranberries.
- Adjust sweeteners. Use more or less sweeteners to suit your taste.
- Top with orange zest. This is a fun way to dress up the sauce without adding more carbs.
- Brighten with lemon juice. A drizzle of lemon juice will enhance the tartness of the cranberries.
- Enhance with vanilla extract. Adding a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract will give it a richer and deeper flavor.
Keto Cranberry Sauce FAQs
In the U.S., cranberries are only harvested in the fall. You’ll only be able to find them from around September through January. But it’s such a treat to be able to cook with them.
For this recipe, you have the option to cook with fresh or frozen cranberries depending on what is available for you. I always prefer to cook with fresh produce whenever possible, so if you can find fresh cranberries easily, that would be my suggestion.
You can store your low-carb cranberry sauce in the fridge for up to a week. So if you’d like to make this sauce ahead of time or ensure there will be plenty of leftovers, you’re in luck.
You can also store the sauce in the freezer if you’d like the batch to be good for several months.
Since cranberries are so tart, you will need some kind of sweetener to balance them out. Adjust the level of sweeteners, so it tastes how you like it.
Many traditional recipes use orange juice, but it has too much sugar in it to be keto-friendly. To make my fresh cranberry sauce recipe, I omitted the orange juice and used blueberries instead.
Related Recipes
Looking for fun dishes to make for friends and family this holiday season? Check out a few of my favorite keto recipes:
- Ham And Cheese Strata For A Holiday Brunch is gluten-free and prepared the night before, so all you have to do is throw it in the oven for a great holiday breakfast!
- Keto Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Filling is a sweet spice bread that makes for a truly special low-carb treat.
- Cauliflower Pizza Bites In Festive Holiday Shapes is a great way to put your cookie cutters to good use and have some fun decorating food.
- Sugar-Free Eggnog For The Holidays is a wonderfully delicious low-carb alternative to the traditional holiday beverage.
- Easy Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is rich, creamy, and a popular low-carb holiday dessert that is sure to become a family favorite!
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Keto Cranberry Sauce with Blueberries
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup low carb sugar substitute or ½ cup Swerve plus ¼ teaspoon stevia extract powder
- 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Wash cranberries and discard any bad ones.
- Place cranberries in a medium saucepan with water and sweetener. Bring to a boil over high heat.3
- Reduce heat to medium. Stir and simmer cranberries for 10 minutes or until the berries burst. Mash the cranberries slightly with spoon. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Stir to combine.
- Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly and place plastic wrap directly on top of sauce to cover. Refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published November 8, 2019. Last updated September 8, 2022, with new images and additional recipe information.
John Roby
Good flavor. Not quite as tasty as normal sauce. Just be very careful and don’t take your eyes off the cranberries as they boil or simmer. I had quite a mess to cleanup afterwards
Kate
This turns out to be the best cheesecake topping ever! Fabulous holiday desert - keto lemon cheesecake with cranberry/blueberry topping.
Brenna
This is absolutely amazing. I'm never going back to regular cranberry sauce again. While it's neither pie nor grapes, it reminds me of my grandmother's grape pie. Delish!
Julia Williamson
This recipe was a hit at the Christmas dinner; copies were requested and it was being used as a sauce for a cranberry cake I made. Thank you.
Lisa MarcAurele
I've been thinking of using it for a cheesecake topping. The cake idea sounds great!
Missy
Can you can this?
Lisa MarcAurele
I don't see why not. It's similar to a jelly or jam.
Tiffany
I'm not a huge fan of Stevia. Is there something else use instead of stevia extract powder?
Lisa MarcAurele
Of course! Just use my low carb sweetener conversion calculator to pick another sweetener.
Marianne
How far in advance can this be made?
Lisa MarcAurele
At least a couple days.
Emily Kemp
I love cranberry sauce and can't wait to try this!
Stephen Lamphear
Whoa!!! With an equivalency of 1 cup sugar to 1 tsp Stevia, how many cups of sugar would be required to match the stevia in the recipe?? Wow, that's 2-2/3 cups of sugar!!! Not that that's a bad thing....
Lisa
??? The sugar equivalent used in the recipe is only 2/3.
Stephen Lamphear
So, what would be the equivalent in REAL sugar. I don't have an issue with sugar.
Medolark
I've been printing from your site directly to my printer but with the new IOS10 upgrade your site is the only site that will not print. Do you have any idea how to rectify this problem?
Lisa
I'm not sure as I'm not having that issue. However, I will be changing the way all my recipes print in late October or November.
DonnaL
Hi Lisa,
I usually just cook the cranberries with sweetener, but ... Boy does this sound good. I'll be trying it soon. I eat a lot of chicken and pork so it will really be a welcome change. Thanksgiving and I thank you!
Lisa
I really enjoyed this one and hope you do too!
Linda
Love the new blog, very nice!
You are a multi-talented person!
Lisa
Thanks Linda!