I love spending time with my kids in the kitchen during the holiday season. From cookies to dinners, cooking activities are perfect for building tradition and family connection. Cranberry sauce is a favorite in my home because the kids love making it, it is a healthier, no-added-sugar holiday option, and I love the many anti-inflammatory, pro-gut, and antimicrobial health benefits.
Below, I offer a recipe for a refreshing cranberry sauce: not too sweet, not too tart, and not too bitter. Best of all, your kid can do most of this, fostering feelings of independence and contribution in kids of all ages. I’ve also included fun cranberry facts to share while you cook.
Dr. Angel’s No Sugar Cranberry Sauce
6-10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes (30 minutes if a young child is doing all the chopping)
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
What You Need:
2- 12 oz bags of cranberries (fresh is more fun, but frozen works just fine)
24 Dates, chopped. Somewhere between 20-30 dates, depending on sweetness desired
1- large apple (Honeycrisp recommended), chopped
1- large orange, chopped
2-4 Cinnamon sticks
2-4 Whole cloves
Tools:
A medium saucepan
A spatula
Colander
Potato masher
Instructions:
Note: If children are at the age where they can chop (most are by age 3), I encourage them to chop the apples and dates. Cookie cutter style or scraper style choppers work well for younger kids. An adult can cut the apple into manageable pieces for the child. Similarly, an adult can help ensure all the dates are pitted. Taste testing is encouraged!
Always supervise children closely when the stove is on.
- Wash the cranberries in a colander and set aside to dry.
- Chop the apple, orange, and dates.
- Add cranberries to the saucepan.
- Add the apple, orange, dates, cloves, and cinnamon sticks into the pan.
- Turn the stove to medium heat.
- Mix the ingredients and cover.
- When you hear popping sounds, stir and re-cover. If there’s no popping, increase the heat slightly.
- Continue stirring every minute or two, covering again between stirs.
- After 10-15 minutes, many cranberries will have popped or softened. At this point, an adult can mash the (very hot) mixture with the potato masher until you reach a desired consistency. I like it a little chunky. Alternatively, allow the mixture to cool, and a child can enjoy the mashing.
- Enjoy it warm or chilled, as a snack or as a side dish!
Cranberry Sauce Fun Facts!
- Did you know that cranberries are one of THREE fruits native to North America? Concord grapes and blueberries are the other two.
- Cranberries help your gut bacteria by providing prebiotic fibers. One cup of cranberries, uncooked, has 5-6 grams of fiber. A 12-ounce bag (two used in the recipe above), provides about 20-25 grams.
- Dried cranberries, usually sweetened, are not as nutritious as fresh or frozen. They are high in sugar and lose some of their fiber content during processing.
- Medicinal properties of cranberries include reducing inflammation in the urinary tract and prevention of urinary tract infections. However, cranberries are also known for their high antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Cranberries may help reduce ulcer-promoting gut bacteria, H. pylori!
- Your teeth and gums benefit from compounds found in cranberries. Who knew that you might fight cavities by eating cranberries?
Cranberry Sauce Final Thoughts
Please let me know if you have any twists or tricks to add to my recipe. I love hearing from you!
Thank you for reading my human-generated and human-researched articles! If you found this helpful or educational, please share, follow on your preferred platform or subscribe below. For coaching or consultations, please contact me at www.DrAngel.com.
References:
Nemzer, Boris V et al. “Cranberry: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Impact on Human Health: Overview.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 27,5 1503. 23 Feb. 2022, doi:10.3390/molecules27051503
USU Extension. “Cranberries.” Utah State University Extension Food Fun for Healthy Eating,
https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/FFruits-Cranberry.pdf
