Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce?

Have you ever found yourself wondering “can you freeze cranberry sauce?” Freezing cranberry sauce is a great way to savor this holiday favorite year round! This post will show you how to freeze cranberry sauce, ways to use your leftover cranberry sauce, and answer questions about freezing and thawing cranberry sauce.

Can You Freeze Cranberry Sauce

Yes! And the good news is homemade cranberry sauce freezes incredibly well! There is no reason not to freeze leftovers after your big holiday feast.

Why Freeze Cranberry Sauce

Wondering why you might want to freeze cranberry sauce? Here are some of the most common reasons:

• Planning ahead is your thing, and you made your homemade version ahead of time so you can meal prep your Thanksgiving meal.
• You made extra on purpose because you love leftover cranberry sauce recipes.
• You at all your leftover roast turkey and you don’t want to toss your leftover homemade cranberry sauce. 
• Or, you made too much cranberry sauce for your Thanksgiving dinner, and you’re tired of the cranberry sauce leftovers. Maybe you’ve had one too many leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce.
• Cranberry sauce is an incredibly versatile recipe and you want to be able to enjoy it beyond the holiday season when fresh cranberries are harder to find in the grocery store

Freezer-Friendly Cranberry Sauce Recipes

I have 2 favorite cranberry sauce recipes and both of them freeze well.

If you prefer a smooth cranberry sauce, this Red Wine Cranberry Sauce is great. It is a pureed sauce (though you can always opt not to blend it!) and has rich flavor.

For a relish style sauce with chunky cranberries, golden raisins, and walnuts, this Cranberry Orange Relish is a family favorite.

Tools Needed to Freeze Cranberry Sauce

You will need storage containers to freeze cranberry sauce in. An airtight container such as a freezer-safe bag, freezer-safe mason jars, other freezer-safe container.

Besides that, you’ll need something to label the container with and the utensils you plan to use to transfer the cranberry sauce into the containers. Examples: spatula, wooden spoon, serving spoon, etc.

How to Freeze Cranberry Sauce

Freezing cranberry sauce couldn’t be easier! Here’s an overview of how to do it:

Freezing Containers of Cranberry Sauce

1. Make sure the cranberry sauce has cooled to room temperature.
2. Transfer the leftovers to a storage container or a ziplock bag that has been labeled with contents and date. Seal the container
3. Place the sealed container or bag in the freeze and freeze.

Freezing Cranberry Sauce in Ice Cube Trays

1. Alternatively, spoon it into ice cube trays for smaller portions.
2. Freeze the ice cube trays.
3. After the cubes are frozen solid, transfer them to a labeled and dated freezer safe bag.

Best Tips for Freezing Cranberry Sauce

Freezer bags or vacuum sealer bags – are great if you want be able to lay the frozen cranberry sauce flat so that the frozen cranberry sauce takes up less room in the freezer.

Press a square of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce before securing the lid on the container. This prevents any air in the container from coming in direct contact with the cranberry sauce and subsequently causing freezer burn. 

Ice cube trays are great for smaller portions – small portions are ideal when you want to use just a little. Then, transfer the frozen sauce cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag after freezing in the ice cube trays.

Remove air before freezing – best results, make sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn during the freezing process.

Ways to Use Frozen Cranberry Sauce

Now that you know how to freeze leftover cranberry sauce, you might be wondering what you can do with it. Here are some of our favorite serving ideas:

• Add a scoop of cranberry sauce to Greek yogurt granola parfaits.
• Use it as a topping for breakfast treats like pecan fresh toast, multi grain pancakes, or apple oatmeal.
• Use cranberry sauce as a no bake cheesecake topping in place of cherry pie filling on these no bake cheesecake bars.
• Serve a bowl of cranberry sauce with rosemary roast chicken after the holidays.
• These cranberry tartlets are a great leftover cranberry sauce recipe. we like to use this cranberry relish made with fresh orange juice and orange zest, but any time of fresh cranberry sauce will work

Freezing Cranberry Sauce FAQs

Got questions about how to freeze cranberry sauce? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

How long does cranberry sauce last?

For best results, use the frozen cranberry sauce within 3 months of freezing. The taste and texture may change if frozen longer.

However, as long as it is stored at the proper temperature it will not “spoil” in the way that refrigerated foods can go bad.

How do you thaw frozen cranberry sauce?

Here are a few different ways you can thaw the frozen cranberry sauce:

• Let frozen cranberry sauce sit at room temperature until thawed. After use, transfer any leftovers to the fridge.
• Gently reheat the homemade sauce in a covered medium saucepan over low heat until thawed.
• Place the container of frozen cranberry sauce in a bowl of cold water until thawed. Switch the water out as needed.
• Take the cranberry sauce out of the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• If you’re defrosting a large quantity of frozen cranberry sauce, it can be thawed in the slow cooker. Just remove the cranberry sauce from the container it is frozen in and place it in the slow cooker set to low.

Try Freezing Your Own Cranberry Sauce

Next time you have too much leftover cranberry sauce, try freezing the leftovers from your homemade recipe!

Did you love being able to extend the shelf-life of your cranberry sauce? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of tutorial.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of what you make with your cranberry sauce leftovers!

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