Homemade Cranberry Juice: Fresh, Tart, and Perfectly Sweetened to Taste

Photo byAngie Bright

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as homemade cranberry juice. With its vibrant color and tangy flavor, this juice brings a fresh taste of fall and is loaded with the natural goodness of cranberries. Unlike store-bought options, homemade cranberry juice lets you control the sweetness, making it as light or as sweet as you prefer. This easy recipe uses only three ingredients and allows you to pick the sweetener that suits your taste, from traditional sugar to honey or even agave nectar.

Making cranberry juice at home is simple, and it’s a great way to use fresh cranberries when they’re in season. The juice also stores beautifully, and with a quick canning technique, you can preserve it for months, letting you enjoy the refreshing taste of cranberries long after the season ends. Here’s how to make your own homemade cranberry juice, and you might never go back to store-bought again!

Recipe: Homemade Cranberry Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 quart fresh cranberries
• 1 quart water
• 1 cup sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, pure cane syrup, agave nectar, or artificial sweetener), adjusted to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, combine the water and cranberries. Bring the mixture to a low boil and let it simmer until the cranberries pop, about 10-15 minutes.
2. After the cranberries have cooked, carefully strain the juice through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Gently press the berries with a spoon to release any remaining juice.
3. Sweeten the juice to your taste with your preferred sweetener. If you like a tart flavor, add less sweetener; for a sweeter juice, add more.
4. Pour the juice into a jar and refrigerate until cool.

For long-term storage, you can pour the hot cranberry juice into a sterilized 1-quart canning jar and seal it. This creates a vacuum seal that allows the juice to last for months in the refrigerator. Once opened, it will still keep for a good length of time.

Homemade cranberry juice is not only refreshing but also versatile. It’s delicious on its own or can be mixed into cocktails, smoothies, or even holiday punches. The natural tartness of the cranberries pairs well with various sweeteners, but sugar tends to highlight the cranberry’s true flavor, making it the best option for cocktails and recipes where the cranberry taste is the star. Enjoy this delicious homemade juice all season long!

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