You can’t have a proper Thanksgiving dinner without a beautiful, ruby-colored cranberry sauce on the table. And while I grew up on canned versions, nothing compares to making your own. Once I realized how quick and easy it is, I never looked back. And now that I can do it low carb, it’s even better!
Watch The Low Carb Cranberry Sauce Ever Video Below!
It may be hard to believe, but traditional cranberry sauce recipes usually contain added sugar. And for good reason. Cranberries only have 4 grams of natural sugar per cup and they desperately need something to balance out their extreme mouthfeel. It is the sugar, or rather the sweetness of the sugar, that makes these beautiful little red berries edible. But for this recipe, we’re ditching the sugar and empty calories and carbs.
Instead, we’re substituting our favorite zero-calorie, sugar-free sweetener – SPLENDA® Stevia Sweetener. It is 100% natural and 100% like real sugar. It’s made from a stevia leaf extract that’s rich in something called rebaudioside (Reb D). This extract is what gives the stevia leaf its sweet and savory taste. Most other stevia products today are made with Rebaudioside (Reb-A) extract, which can impart a bitter and unpleasant aftertaste. SPLENDA Stevia is also non-GMO and free of artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It’s perfect if you’re low-carb, Keto, Paleo, or diabetic but want a little sweetness in your life. It’s a healthier everyday option to sweeten things like coffee, tea, ice cream or lemonade.. Below we have details on where to find them and the different sizes available. Now for the sauce.
Making cranberry sauce is a one-pot deal.
Here’s how to make low carb cranberry sauce!
Start by washing the contents of a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, discarding any that look soft or bruised. You can find them in the produce section of your grocery store. Then we add a cup of water to a small pot with two cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches long) and start heating it to a low boil. We continue with ½ cup SPLENDA® Stevia SweetenerWhich is equal to the sweetness of 1 cup of white sugar. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, you don’t have to run to the store, just add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Stir quickly to dissolve and when you see the water start to bubble add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, including the cranberries, orange zest and vanilla extract. Adding the zest of a fresh orange gives us the essence of orange without its sugar, carbs or calories, and vanilla extract adds a warm floral flavor that balances the sweet and savory flavor of this sauce.
Bring this little cranberry concoction to low heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. You’ll start to notice the cranberries begin to pop as they cook. When the cranberry sauce is done, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before transferring to a serving bowl. Keep the cranberry sauce in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If you don’t like the sauce cold, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. We suggest making this Arabica sauce the night before. It will allow you to develop your taste buds and give you more time to relax and spend time with your family.
We calculated the nutritional profile of 8 servings of this low-carb cranberry sauce recipe. Each serving is based on a ¼ cup serving that is 4 tablespoons or 2 ounces.
8 servings (¼ cup each) = 2.5 net carbs per serving
Total carbohydrates 4.2 g
Dietary fiber 1.7 g
Total sugar 1.6 g
4.2 grams (total carbs) – 1.7 grams (dietary fiber) = 2.5 net carbs per serving
GET THE RECIPE!
Best Low Carb Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce (Keto, Paleo, Diabetic Friendly)
Tart, sweet, and lightly garnished, this low-carb, sugar-free cranberry sauce is flavored with orange peel, cinnamon, and vanilla, then topped with our favorite sweetener, Splenda Stevia. Perfect for your holiday table, you’ll never run out of sugar!
the equipment
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Citrus Zester or Grater
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the spoon
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Small saucepan
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Measuring Spoons
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Serving bowl
The ingredients
- 1 the cup the water
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks or 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * if using ground, start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste
- 1/2 the cup Splenda Naturals Stevia (same sweetness as 1 cup of sugar)
- 1 12 ounces bag fresh cranberries, wash and collect
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
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Add the water and cinnamon sticks to a small pot over medium-high heat. When you see the water start to bubble add the Splenda Stevia and stir to dissolve.
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Add the cranberries, orange peel, mix and simmer for about 8 minutes if you like more berries in the sauce, or 12 if you want it to be milder.
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Stir in the vanilla extract, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
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Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you prefer your cranberry sauce at room temperature, take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy!
Notes
♥ If you’re cutting out sugar but don’t want to waste oranges, try an orange cinnamon bowl to add a natural scent to your home. Slice the orange and add to a large pot or in the slow cooker (close lid) full of water Next, add 1/4 cup of cloves along with 2 cinnamon sticks (you can reuse the ones in the araundo sauce) and a splash of vanilla extract. Cook on low and your house will smell divine!
Happy Holidays!
