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Homemade Cranberry Juice Recipe in 20 Minutes

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Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Ellen Christian

Wondering how to make cranberry juice? Find out how with this homemade fresh cranberry juice recipe in just a few minutes.

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Wondering how to make cranberry juice? Find out how to make homemade fresh cranberry juice in just a few minutes.

Homemade Cranberry Juice Recipe

Cranberries can help prevent urinary tract infections and some people even use it for type 2 diabetes, chronic fatigue, to prevent blood clots. These berries are loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, and salicylic acid.

You can see why a good homemade cranberry juice recipe is the way to go.

If you buy this drink in the beverage aisle of the grocery store, chances are what you’re buying is a cocktail. That means you buy the juice and extra stuff – generally high fructose corn syrup if you’re buying the leading brand.  

I’m not a huge fan of starting each morning off with a hefty helping of high fructose corn syrup, so, for me, fresh natural cranberry juice is the way to go.

While I can buy a jar of this beverage that isn’t sweetened, it’s so tart that even if I wanted to spend $8 a bottle, I wouldn’t. The cranberry juice price at the store is too high and homemade is so much better.

You can make this homemade fresh cranberry juice recipe in a large or small batch. Since I’m the only one drinking it, I make just enough for a few days.

Remember that it has no preservatives in it. So, it should be used within 3 days. You can freeze it for longer-term storage if you want to. Check out my Cranberry detox water

cranberries in a measuring cup and on a wooden cutting board

This recipe is very easy and quick. I use real maple syrup from the trees in our back yard. If you don’t have an easy source of maple syrup, you can use honey or stevia to keep it Paleo.

If you don’t mind the tartness, you can drink it without the sweetener. It isn’t super sweet this way, but it’s enough so it doesn’t make you pucker.

Just store it in the refrigerator for easy access.

This is a really easy juice to make from scratch. If you want to enjoy it with breakfast, make it the night before so it can refrigerate overnight to get cold.

Here are a few more easy Paleo recipes.

cranberries in a jar

How do you make cranberry juice taste good?

If you’re wondering how to make your drink taste good, you’re probably used to drinking the cocktail blends from the grocery store. The beverage itself is very tart which isn’t pleasant for some people.

You might want to try to blend it with a small amount of apple or grape juice to see if that’s easier for you to drink.

Love berries? Check out these fresh blueberry recipes. Or, check out this easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe with honey.

Is cranberry juice acidic?

Yes, cranberry juice is very acidic. But, drinking cranberry juice is healthy in moderation because it is high in Vitamin C. Unsweetened cranberry juice is the best type, but it’s also very tart. That’s why many people drink cranberry juice cocktail.

It’s a simple way to enjoy real cranberries. 

Wondering how to make cranberry juice? Find out how with this homemade fresh cranberry juice recipe in just a few minutes.

What are the benefits of drinking cranberry juice?

This beverage is very high in Vitamin C so drinking it is a great way to boost your immune system. The main benefit of cranberry juice is that it is a fantastic way to help ward off infections and boost your overall health.

Cranberries are also a great way to help prevent a UTI. There are lots of homemade cranberry juice benefits because they are low in calories and high in vitamins.

If you’re wondering about cocktail mixtures like cran grape. The potential cran grape juice benefits are often fewer due to the added sugar content. 

If you’re hoping for benefits of cran grape juice, it’s better to drink pure cranberry juice. That is the healthiest cranberry juice.

hands holding cranberries

How much should I drink a day?

There are no guidelines that I am aware of that advise how much homemade cranberry juice you need to drink in a day. But, if you are hoping to help prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI), you should try to drink at least 13 ounces of 25% juice.

So, a cup in the morning and evening would work fine. Most people can drink cranberry juice daily. Learn more about the health benefits.

Can diabetics drink cranberry juice?

Please consult your doctor. Many can in moderation.

Ingredients / tools to make this recipe

This recipe is very easy to make. You don’t need a lot of complicated ingredients or fancy kitchen appliances.

You will need a large pot with a lid to boil the berries in. And, you will need a slotted spoon or a strainer to strain the berries from the juice.

Ingredients in this homemade cranberry juice are simply berries, water, and some type of sweetener. I prefer maple syrup or stevia because they are better for you.

But, you could try sugar if you want to or agave nectar. You would need to experiment with the measurements since I have never tried fresh cranberry juice that way before.

If you want a cranberry juice drink recipe, I enjoy this half and half with ginger ale. If you have leftover berries after making this cranberry juice recipe, why not try this easy craft or this stovetop potpourri recipe.

Wondering how to make cranberry juice? Find out how to make homemade fresh cranberry juice in just a few minutes.

How long is cranberry juice good for?

This homemade fresh cranberry juice contains no preservatives. Please refrigerate it and use it within 3 days.

What is cranberry extract?

Cranberry extract is often found in pill format and is not exactly the same as cranberry juice. It has many of the same benefits of cranberry juice.

Is cranberry juice good for dogs?

It’s not recommended to give dogs cranberry juice due to potentially toxic ingredients. But you can let your dog have fresh cranberries. 

Yield: 4

Homemade Fresh Cranberry Juice in 20 Minutes!

Homemade Fresh Cranberry Juice in 20 Minutes!

Wondering how to make cranberry juice? See how easy it is to make homemade fresh cranberry juice in 20 minutes!

Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of fresh cranberries
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1/2 cup of real Vermont maple syrup (or stevia or honey)

Instructions

  1. Put fresh cranberries and water in a pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Simmer for 15 minutes until the berries soften and pop.
  3. Strain the berries from the juice and return the juice to the pan.
  4. Add the sweetener and heat until it dissolves.
  5. Pour it into a bottle and refrigerate.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 4gSugar: 53gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this, tag me on Instagram so I can see @ellenblogs

© Ellen Christian
Cuisine: American / Category: recipe

38 thoughts on “Homemade Cranberry Juice Recipe in 20 Minutes”

  2. Thansk so much for sharing! I love cranberries and am like a squirrel this time of year when they go on sale and stock pile them for various recipes throughout the year. I honestly never thought about making my own juice! This is awesome! On my way to make a batch!

    Reply

  5. My husband is diabetic and now suffering from chronic kidney disease. I hope this will help him in some way. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. So someone gave me cranberries. I but them in my freezer. I decided i wanted to make cranberry orange kombucha. What a great idea . Thank you!!!

    Reply

  7. This is almost the same way you make cranberry sauce, just more water and less sweetener. The way I make my sauce is adding a cinnamon stick or two while it simmers (There is also a way to do it in the Instant Pot, but I haven’t tried it yet). The reason I mention it is there are health benefits with cinnamon in controlling glucose and diabetes treatment, and also maple cinnamon cranberry juice sounds divine.

    Reply

  8. I just made a batch for my wife on Thanksgiving. This juice is fantastic! I used local honey for the sweetener and she loves it. Not only does it taste wonderful, it’s very easy to make, and the house smells great too (BONUS!!).

    Thank you for posting this recipe.

    Reply

  9. Just tried your recipe and excited to have my juice in the morning.  What do you do with the left over cranberry chunks? Trying not to waste 🙂

    Reply

      • Sadly I live in a condo so no chickens here.  Maybe someday when I finally get out of the city!  I mixed a little organic sugar with it and will figure out how to use it!  Probably will have on toast or eat alone! Thanks for the recipe!  The juice is currently cooling right now 🙂

        Reply

  13. Cranberries should be going on sale next month so might try this recipe. I do have some liquid stevia I’ve been adding to my tea but would be perfect for this. I don’t like it too sweet either, especially in the morning.

    Reply

  14. Why didn’t I think of this?!  I buy and freeze several bags of cranberries when they are on sale in the Fall, then make “cranberry sauce” throughout the year to use as jam.  I love cranberry juice but have never thought to make it.  I pinned this!  Thanks!

    Reply

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