Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means Christmas is not far behind. As a busy mum and a kid-at-heart, this fills me in equal measure with both excitement and terror. But there is one thing that elicits excitement alone at this time of year: it’s cranberry season.
Between our squash & apple soup, pumpkin bolognese and pumpkin & ginger muffins, it is probably clear to most that I am a fan of orange vegetables and autumn is a happy time for me.
But the truth is, I can get pretty excited about winter produce, too! And what says Christmas food more than cranberries?
So in celebration of the approach of both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided to try my hand at making a sugar free cranberry sauce. It took a little tweaking as I went, but I’m pretty happy with this now. It will certainly be making an appearance or two, or three again in the next few weeks! Maybe in a toastie with some brie and bacon. Because yum!
Now excuse me as I disappear and start to browse through my DVD collection in search of Elf and Home Alone, and bury my head in the sand about the impending money to be spent, presents to be bought and general busy-ness to contend with. I usually wait until December 1st. But this year, as advent gets ever so close, and I try to plan ahead and be a bit more organised, well, I guess maybe I’ll let myself get excited a little early…
Especially if it involves this sugar free cranberry sauce!
Little hands can:
- wash the cranberries
- help measure out ingredients
- add ingredients to the cold pan
- older kids can help stir the ingredients, being careful of the hot pan
A sugar free version of the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas side. All the taste without the enormous amount of sugar usually found in this sauce.
- 1 pack (about 300g/2 cups) fresh cranberries (also works with frozen if you prefer, but may require less water or a little more cornflour)
- 1 - 1 1/4 cup (200-250g) xylitol (try and use less each time you make it to adjust your tastebuds to the natural tartness of the cranberries - or swap half the cranberries for fresh or frozen cherries to add natural sweetness and reduce the sweetener to taste)*
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), optional
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Put all the ingredients except the vanilla extract (if using) into a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 10-15 mins, stirring regularly to check it doesn't catch (if it starts to, take off the heat).
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If you want your sauce thick and jam (jelly) like rather than a little more of a pouring consistency, then mix a couple of tablespoons of the sauce with the cornflour in a bowl at this point to form a paste, whisk it into the saucepan and simmer for a couple more mins until thickened.
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Take off the heat. Add the vanilla extract, if using. Taste, and if you think it needs more sweetness, add another 1/4 cup of xylitol and simmer again for a few more mins until it has dissolved. Taste again and add 1 tbsp of xylitol at a time if you feel it needs more.
*Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is known for its dental benefits (it's a common ingredient in sugar free gum and toothpaste), and while safe for human consumption, it is fatal to dogs, and can cause some digestive discomfort in very sensitive people (such as those with IBS). Not a xylitol fan? Alternatives here include: half the amount of an erythritol-stevia blend such as Natvia, half the amount of a sugar-stevia blend (it will add some sugar to the final product, although nowhere near as much as regular cranberry sauce), or replace half the cranberries with fresh pitted or frozen cherries and add in the juice of 2 oranges and sweeten to taste with your chosen sugar/syrup or sweetener, remembering that this will all add free sugars, although again, less than a shop-bought version!
Want more low sugar Christmas recipes? Check ours out here.
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