This homemade cranberry juice is simple, delicious and nutritious all at the same time. It can easily beat a store bought version any time! And can also be made without processed sugar.
About The Recipe
This homemade cranberry juice is made of three main ingredients, fresh cranberries, water and sugar. However I do like to add some additional ingredients like, lemon juice and cinnamon to enhance it’s flavor, but these can be left out if preferred.
This cranberry juice is perfectly sweet and has just the right amount of tartness. Plus you can add as much or as little sugar (sweetener) as you like to make it perfect for you liking.
Unlike other juice or smoothies, this homemade cranberry juice is made by boiling the cranberries in water rather than blending, this is because of their seeds. Note: I have actually seen recipes where they blend the cranberries as well, but I have never tried it that way.
Health Benefits of Cranberries
Cranberries have many health-boosting benefits, which is probably the main reason you need to try this homemade cranberry juice recipe, here are a few:
- lowers blood pressure
- improves cholesterol levels
- lowers the risk of UTI (urinary track infection)
- improves immune function
- helps with oral health
- may protect against certain cancers
- may protect against gastric ulcer
and the list goes on, I mean cranberries are called superfood for a good reason. They’re also high in antioxidants and contain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and manganese.
Read more about the health benefits of cranberries here.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Cranberries: use ripe cranberries.
Lemon Juice: this is an optional ingredient and I’m only using a little bit of it, but it really makes a difference in the final product.
Cinnamon: again an optional ingredient but makes the drink so much more flavorful.
Sugar: I’m using regular granulated sugar, if you want to use honey, agave or any other sweetener I recommend you add it into the juice after straining it.
Water: you’ll also need water, lots of it!
How To Make Homemade Cranberry Juice?
Step 1: In a large pot cook the cranberries with water and the additional ingredients. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 2 : Strain the juice into a large bowl or pitcher. Let it come cool down until it’s warm, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool. Serve with or without ice.
FAQ’s
How long does homemade cranberry juice last?
Any leftover cranberry juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag.
Can I replace the sugar with another sweetener?
Of course you can, just add it in after boiling and straining the juice instead of before. Some great alternatives include, honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, jaggery etc. Note: sweeteners like molasses or jaggery have a quite strong flavor, this could effect the flavor of the cranberry juice.
What are the benefits of drinking cranberry juice?
Cranberries contain countless health benefits, see section above. Cinnamon is also loaded with antioxidants, helps lower blood sugar levels, has anti-inflammatory properties, improves sensitivity to insulin, helps boost metabolism etc.
What else can I add to the cranberry juice?
There are lots of ingredients you could add like, orange juice, other spices like cloves or nutmeg, apple juice and many more. Just make sure not to add too much of any ingredient or the tart flavor of the cranberries will be lost.
Can I make homemade cranberry juice without cooking the cranberries?
Although it is possible, juicing cranberries(blending with water) without cooking them make the juice somewhat bitter or too tart.
Pro Tips
- Sweeten to taste, everyone has a different desired sweetness level, so start by adding a small amount of sugar and adjust, by tasting in between until it reaches your desired sweetnes.
- If you’re using honey to sweeten this cranberry juice, add it after straining and allowing it to cool down slightly.
- No doubt this homemade cranberry juice is delicious as-is, but you can also add it to juice blends, smoothies, cocktails, or mix it with some sparkling water to make a quick mocktail!
Recipe Card
Homemade Cranberry Juice
This homemade cranberry juice is simple, delicious and nutritious all at the same time. It can easily beat a store bought version any time!
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Total Time: 30 min ( + 1-2 hrs. additional chilling time)
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 175kcal
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh cranberries
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- ice cubes *optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or saucepan add in the cranberries, granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water.
- Place on high flame and bring to a boil.
- When it starts to boil reduce the flame to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the flame and strain the juice through a sieve into a large bowl or pitcher, Let it cool down slightly then transfer to a refrigerator to chill.
- Serve cold with or without ice, enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 175.78kcal
Total Fat: 0.14g
Carbs: 45.83g
Sugars: 37.42g
Protein: 0.53g
Sodium: 2.35mg
Fiber: 3.86g
** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more. **
