Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce (Keto)

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free cranberry sauce, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Cranberries – You can use fresh cranberries or frozen ones! Cranberries actually have a small amount of natural sugar, which helps the sauce thicken and gel a little, just like you’d expect from a traditional cranberry sauce. If you have extra cranberries left over, use them for my sugar free dried cranberries, stuffed acorn squash, or turkey roulade!
• Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – My favorite sweetener for sauces, because it tastes like sugar (no aftertaste), dissolves completely, and won’t crystallize! Most brands labeled “monk fruit”, “stevia”, or “erythritol” have trouble dissolving and will form crystals. If you’ll be enjoying your sugar free cranberry sauce right away, other powdered sugar substitutes can work (see my sweetener conversion chart for amounts), but Besti is the only one to use if you want to avoid your sauce becoming crunchy after storing — and it tastes the closest to real sugar.
• Water – Thins out the sauce and gives the berries something to simmer in.
• Orange Zest – Add as much or as little as you like. If you can’t get a fresh orange, then a little orange extract (to taste) is the next best option.
• Vanilla Extract – This brand is one of my faves.

How To Make Keto Cranberry Sauce

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Combine all the ingredients. Mix cranberries, water, powdered Besti, and orange zest in a medium saucepan.
2. Simmer away. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Let your sugar free cranberry sauce simmer to thicken, until the cranberries pop and a sauce forms. (See my tips below on this!)
3. Add the vanilla. Remove from heat, then add it in. Stir in the vanilla extract. You can serve this sauce warm, at room temperature, or chilled in the fridge.

Flavor Variations

It’s super easy to change up the flavor of my basic sugar free cranberry sauce! Try these add-ins:

• Maple – Use 1/2 cup of my Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup instead of the sweetener.
• Brown Sugar – Swap the powdered Besti with my Besti Brown sweetener, which will give you a brown sugar flavor.
• Spices – You can add ground cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, and/or ground ginger. I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cloves. From there you can adjust to taste.
• Orange – I already add orange zest to my keto cranberry sauce, but double it if you want a stronger orange flavor.
• Spicy – Simmer the sauce with some minced jalapenos.
• Apple – Use 3/4 cup of unsweetened apple juice or 1 cup unsweetened applesauce instead of water. (This option makes a low sugar cranberry sauce, but it’s not keto friendly. You can use apple extract instead for a keto version.)

More Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

With how quickly this sugar free cranberry sauce comes together, you’ll have plenty of time to make other holiday dishes. I recommend:

• Turkey – I love a juicy roasted Thanksgiving turkey (pictured above with this low carb cranberry sauce). But you can’t go wrong with spatchcock turkey for a faster option, or Crock Pot turkey breast or turkey legs for a smaller gathering. Don’t forget my keto gravy!
• Potatoes & Swaps – Choose from my healthy sweet potato casserole (uses real sweet potatoes, but no refined sugar), or my keto sweet potato casserole as a low carb swap. For something simpler, try my mashed cauliflower or mashed sweet potatoes.
• Classic Sides – Complete your Thanksgiving dinner with my cauliflower stuffing and keto green bean casserole. My family also really loves cauliflower mac and cheese, garlic roasted green beans (in my picture above), and butternut squash salad.
• Desserts – If you’re watching your carbs, you can still enjoy a slice of my keto pumpkin pie, sugar-free pecan pie, or keto pumpkin cheesecake. My healthy cheesecake is a more recent fave at my house.