How to Can Cranberry Juice – Easy Canning Recipe
If you’re looking for a simple and satisfying way to preserve the holiday season in a jar, learning how to can your own cranberry juice is a must! With its tart, refreshing flavor and versatility in the kitchen, cranberry juice is a delightful addition to your pantry.
This homemade cranberry juice recipe just uses fresh cranberries and a water bath canner, making it an easy recipe even for beginners.
Whether you’re stocking up for the holiday season a little longer or looking for ways to enjoy the cranberry harvest, I will walk you through everything you need to know!
What You’ll Need to Can Cranberry Juice
Tools
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- Water bath canner (sometimes called a boiling water canner)
- Large stock pot or Dutch oven (for heating the water to fill the jars)
- Canning jars (quart jars or pint jars) with lids and screw bands
- Canning funnel
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover (can also use a butter knife or chopstick)
- Damp cloth for wiping jar rims
Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups of cranberries per quart jar or 3/4 cup per pint jar)
- Water (enough to top your jars of cranberries)
- White sugar (optional: I usually skip using this and sweeten my juice as needed when I go to use it. If you don’t like unsweetened cranberry juice, use the sugar.)
- Optional: lemon juice, orange juice, or cinnamon stick for added flavor
How to Make and Can Cranberry Juice
Step 1: Prepare Your Jars
Wash all of your canning jars prior to use. I like to use my dishwasher to get them pretty hot before filling them for canning.
It’s such an easy way to clean them while also getting them much hotter than I can in the sink.
This is also when I like to get my canner heating and my pot of boiling water for filling the jars ready.
Step 2: Wash the Cranberries
Fill a pot or even your sink with water and a splash of white vinegar to clean off any debris or residue from your cranberries.
Be sure to feel through and check the cranberries for any rotten berries. It can be a tedious task if you’re working with a lot of cranberries, but trust me, you’ll be glad for every single bad berry you remove from the batch.
Good cranberries are firm and deep red in color.
Bad cranberries are often soft and almost watery feeling. The skin will become translucent and thin compared to a ripe cranberry. These should be discarded. I feed mine to the chickens!
Step 3: Fill the Jars
For quart jars: add 1 1/2 cups of whole cranberries to the hot jars. For pint jars: add 3/4 cup of whole cranberries to the hot jars.
If using sweetener, add 1/2 cup of sugar or honey to the quart jars or 4 tablespoons of sugar or honey to the pint jars.
Cover the cranberries and sugar with boiling water until the jars are filled – leaving 1″ head space.
Using a de-bubbler tool, remove any air bubbles from around the cranberries. You’ll start to hear the cranberries pop in the boiling water. This is good!
Wipe your jar rims with a damp towel dipped in vinegar to ensure a strong, clean seal.
Add the lids and tighten only until finger tip tight.
Step 5: Process the Jars
Place the filled jars into the water bath canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1–2 inches of hot water.
Bring the water to a full rolling boil and set your timer to process jars for 25 minutes for both quart jars and pint jars (Note: you may need to adjust for your altitude if necessary).
After the processing time is complete, turn off the canner and carefully remove the jars using a jar lifter. Place them on a clean towel to cool.
Step 6: Check the Seals
After 12–24 hours, check that all jars have sealed properly by pressing the center of the lids. If the lid doesn’t flex, the jar is sealed. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
All the sealed jars can be wiped down and stored on your canning shelf for 1-2 years!
Storage and Uses for Home Canned Cranberry Juice
Storage
After canning, try to allow the cranberries to steep into the juice for about 2 weeks before trying to enjoy the juice. The flavor will be much more strong after allowing them that time.
Store your homemade canned cranberry juice in a cool, dark place. When stored properly, it will retain its flavor and quality for up to a year. Once opened, refrigerate the juice and consume it within a week.
Uses for Home Canned Cranberry Juice
- Serve chilled as a refreshing drink.
- Use as a base for cocktails or mocktails – like my family’s favorite Jingle Juice!
- Mix into smoothies or combine with orange juice for a morning boost of vitamin C.
- Use in recipes like glazes for roasted meats, marinades, or cranberry sauce.
The amount of sugar depends on your taste preferences. You can use 1/2 of sugar per quart of juice, or try alternatives like honey for a different flavor. I like to leave it unsweetened in case I decide to use it in a marinade or savory application, I can add the sweetener I want when I’m ready to use it.
Yes! As stated above, simply omit the sugar before the canning process. When you are ready to drink or serve, add your sugar or honey, or even your sugar-free sweetener like stevia or monk fruit.
This water bath canning recipe uses the hot pack method, which involves heating the water before filling the jars. I usually prefer to use raw pack methods in my canning, but this hot pack method is the preferred way for best results here.
The cranberries need the boiling water to release the air in their centers before canning. Otherwise, the cranberries would rupture in the jars, and disrupt the 1 inch headspace.
Absolutely! Frozen cranberries work just as well as the fresh cranberries. Just thaw them before starting the canning process.
Don’t worry, if one or two of your jars don’t seal, you can still use the cranberry juice! Refrigerate the unsealed jars and use them within a week.
Where to Get Cranberries for Canning Cranberry Juice?
Thanksgiving and Christmas time in the midwest always calls for fresh cranberries on the grocery store shelves. Between those two holidays, though, they tend to offer up the Thanksgiving leftovers for super sale! The beginning of December seems to be the perfect time to stock up on them.
If you don’t have time during the busy holiday season to make this recipe, you can also freeze the cranberries for canning at a later time.
Why Should You Learn to Can Cranberry Juice?
Learning how to can cranberry juice is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy the flavors of the cranberry season year-round. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned canner, this simple method yields homemade juice that’s fresh, flavorful, and free of the additives found in store-bought cranberry juice.
Grab some bags of cranberries and get started—your pantry will thank you!
Sourdough Crepe Recipe: How to Make With & Without Discard
This sourdough crepe recipe yields tender crepes every time for an easy, yet stunning, breakfast recipe the whole family will love. With just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up these simple crepes that are perfect for a sweet or savory breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter (active or discard) - If you're wanting to make this without sourdough discard, mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour to use in place of the 1 cup of sourdough discard.
- 8 eggs
- 3/4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- (optional) 1/8 tsp vanilla for sweet crepes
Instructions
1. Make the Crepe Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together your sourdough starter (or the substitution noted above if not using sourdough discard), milk, eggs, melted butter (or coconut oil), and salt until smooth.
- For sweet crepes, add the vanilla extract.
- The batter should be thin and pourable, like heavy cream. If it’s too thick, add a little water or milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
- Pro Tip: You can also use an immersion blender for a lump-free batter that’s ready in seconds.
2. Let the Sourdough Crepe Batter Rest
- Letting your sourdough crepe batter rest for 10-15 minutes allows the flour to fully hydrate and the fermentation process to enhance the flavor. If you’re planning ahead, you can refrigerate the batter overnight in an airtight container. However, you can also let the batter rest while your pan preheats.
3. Heat Your Pan
- A crepe pan, cast iron skillet, or non-stick skillet works best for this recipe. Preheat your pan over medium heat. Add a little butter, coconut oil, or even lard to coat the bottom of the pan.
- I like to use cast iron for those lightly crisped edges on my crepes.
- If you're worried about your cast iron sticking to the crepes, check out my cast iron care and maintenance guide for tips and tricks on properly achieving a non-stick cast iron.
4. Cook the Sourdough Crepe Recipe
- Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the preheated pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the first side until the edges of the crepe begin to lift and the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. There will be bubbles that pop up along the surface of the crepe to let you know the underside is cooked.
- Carefully flip the crepe and cook the second side for another 30 seconds.
- Transfer the crepe to a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little butter or coconut oil to the pan as needed. Don’t worry if the first crepe isn’t perfect—it’s often a test run to get the heat and technique just right.
Notes
Serve with whipped cream, fresh berries, or berry compote for sweet pairings.
Serve with cheese, bacon, tomatoes, or sausage for a savory pairing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 290mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
