If there’s one ingredient that gets my holiday spirit started, it’s cranberries! These delightfully tart berries make an appearance just when the season begins to change here in Iowa. It’s the “cue” for all my holiday baking. And while I love all the cranberry sweets (like my well-loved cranberry orange scones), I cannot resist real, homemade cranberry juice!
What’s the History of Cranberries for the Holidays?
For decades cranberries have been a staple during the holiday season. Native Americans and European settlers harvested these bright, tart berries every fall and incorporated them into seasonal dishes, as well as stocked their medicine “cabinets” thanks to the cranberry’s multi-faceted benefits.
Cranberries quickly became an indicator that fall was in the air. The bright red glimmer beneath a light snow fall, or the shimmer after fall’s first frost, marked the beginning of a new season.
To those who went before us, cranberries carried many different meanings. Native Americans would use cranberries for food, medicine, dyes, and saw them as a symbol of peace and friendship. Today, the cranberry is a native, North American grown berry harvested during the fall.
Medicinal Benefits of Cranberries
Cranberries are more than just delightful, they’re medicinal. The most well-known medicinal use of cranberries is to support the urinary tract.
You may have been advised to drink cranberry juice if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), however most cranberry juices are also full of processed sugar and food preservatives – not good for your body!
Other, lesser-known medicinal benefits of cranberries include:
– Promoting heart health
– Regulating gut bacteria
– Potentially reducing risk of cancers and stomach ulcers
– Aids in controlling blood sugar.
Obviously the best way to maximize all of the potential benefits are through raw consumption. But have you ever had a raw cranberry? They’re sour… and not my family’s favorite. It takes a champ to consume them raw!
Other ways to consume cranberries include fresh in iced drinks, dessert toppings, or incorporated into dessert dishes such as pastries, cinnamon rolls, scones or special breads.
Is Homemade Cranberry Juice Good For You?
Yes, cranberry juice can be good for you. Cranberries carry antioxidants and nutrients that aid in heart health, improve blood circulation and aid in digestion. The antioxidants themselves are incredibly beneficial as they play an important role in neutralizing free radicals – which love to cause a ruckus in our bodies.
One thing America quickly gets wrong is thinking that any type of cranberry juice is good for you. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not all cranberry juice is good for you.
In our family, if we’re drinking juice to aid in an issue, we want to avoid sugar however we can. Why? Because granulated sugar is inflammatory. Inflammation is the last thing you want when trying to heal your body.
You’ll notice that this recipe is limited on sugar for that reason. Add more or remove what’s in the recipe to your preferred tasting. Just know that this recipe is pretty middle-of-the-road with sugar.
Homemade Cranberry Juice vs. Just Buying It?
If you haven’t been convinced by now, homemade cranberry juice is superior to store-bought juice for basically every reason… maybe not convenience? That’s completely situationally based! I’d argue this statement to be true about cranberry sauce as well! But that’s a different blog post…
Personally, the time it would take for me to load up, drive to the store and purchase the juice, I could have it made at home. I prefer to purchase whole berries from Aldi or our local Natural Grocers for organic cranberries. Thankfully we have the convenience of easily having bags of cranberries delivered strait to our door.
Homemade cranberry juice has less ingredients than store bought. It’s also just as shelf stable! When you make it from scratch, you control what goes into your juice – what’s better than that?
How To Make Shelf Stable Homemade Cranberry Juice
Our pantry shelves are stocked with glass jars full of goodies. And this juice never lasts long enough!
Our family comes together every Thanksgiving and as the grandma’s and I worked in the kitchen, there was no question whether we’d have cranberry juice or not. Even the nieces and nephews guzzled at least two quarts down before the meal!
Every year I anticipate having made “enough” of this delightful juice, only to be gravely disappointed when our pantry shelves run dry of everyone’s’ favorite homemade cranberry juice.
Homemade Cranberry Juice
Sip into the season with this vibrant homemade cranberry juice—perfectly sweet with a refreshing tart finish. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients and a 3 easy steps, this festive drink bursts with bright flavor and can be sweetened exactly to your taste. It’s a cheerful, feel-good treat that’s ideal for holiday gatherings or cozy moments at home.
Step 1: Sanitize Jars + Prep Ingredients
Begin by sanitizing all of your glass jars. This recipe is per quart size jar. It’s crucial each jar is well sanitized to avoid any bad bacteria developing while resting.
Prepare the ingredients by slicing the orange(s) and straining the bag of cranberries into a colander with the blueberries and rinsing them.
Step 2: Pack Jars
This recipe is per quart size jar. Begin boiling enough water to fill as many jars as you plan to pack and fill. While the water boils, pack into each jar: 1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, 1/4 cup blueberries (optional), 1 orange slice (cut to 1/4″) and 1/3 cup sugar. Top each jar with boiling hot water. No need to stir or mix anything.
Additional Notes:
1. If you prefer a sweeter juice, lean towards using 1/2 cup of sugar.
If you prefer a more tart juice, opt for 1/4 or less of a cup of sugar.
2. If you do not have an orange but do want a citrus flavor, you could add 2 tsps of lemon juice or orange juice. Don’t be afraid to play around with other juices as well – like apple juice!
3. If you do not want to use sugar, you could supplement with your sweetener of choice. I’d recommend adding something like maple syrup (or something similar) or agave nectar. Keep in mind other sweeteners may influence the overall taste. Adjust as you need to and don’t be afraid to make your own cranberry juice.
I believe best results can be found when you find what sweetener combination appeases your taste buds best!
Tip: You can use both frozen cranberries and blueberries.
Step 3: Water Bath or Refrigerate
If you plan to store this juice for longer than a couple weeks, I highly recommend this simple method of water bath canning the jar(s). Water bathing will allow you to preserve the juice for several months at room temperature as opposed to in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
I recommend allowing the juice to sit for a minimum of two weeks, but I’d be a liar if I said we didn’t break a jar open after a couple of days – if that!
In order to water bath the juice you will need to prepare a stock pot to use as a water bath canner that is tall enough to cover the top of your quart jar. Warm the water on medium heat while you fill the glass quart jar with produce and your choice of sweetener. Once you fill the quart jar with boiling water, secure the lid on finger-tight and place it into the warm water in the stock pot. Turn the temperature up to high heat and begin a 30 minute timer once it’s boiling.
Result
Homemade Cranberry Juice
Equipment
- 1 Glass Quart Jar + Lid
- Dry + Liquid Measuring Cups
- Medium Saucepan Or Large Saucepan if you're making several batches.
- Cutting Board + Knife
- Stock Pot If you plan to preserve the juice.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Cranberries
- 1/4 cup Blueberries optional
- 1/3 cup Sugar more or less
- 1 Orange
- 2 cups Water for Boiling
Instructions
- Begin by sanitizing all of the supplies and washing your produce. Bring a stock pot of water to medium heat in preparation for preserving the juice once fully combined and in the jar.
- Add 1.5 cups of Cranberries, 1/4 cup Blueberries, 1/3 cup Sugar, and 1 Orange slice to the glass quart jar.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour into the glass quart jar. Apply the appropriate lid finger-tight and place the jar(s) into the stock pot of warm water. Turn heat up to high. Water bath at a rolling boil for 30 minutes. Turn heat off and remove the jar(s) from the water and allow them to rest on the counter until sealed and cooled completely.
This homemade cranberry juice is sure to leave your friends, family and guests wanting more this time of year. Not only is it delicious but it is a beautiful sight! Pair this delectable homemade juice with carbonated water, soda or lemonade in a beautiful glass serving container for a refreshing drink.
If you enjoy this recipe please leave me a 5 star rating and comment below! And don’t forget to share your new holiday favorites with your friends and family.
Much love,
Courtney Michel
I love how simple and fresh this homemade cranberry juice recipe is. It’s great to have a natural alternative to store-bought juices, especially during the holidays!
Yes, it is! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe. 🙂