How to Can Cranberry Juice - Easy Canning Recipe

Name: How to Can Cranberry Juice - Easy Canning Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Cranberries (fresh or frozen); Water (enough to fill the jars); 1/2 cups White Sugar ((optional)); Lemon juice or orange juice ((optional) for added flavor)

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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.

Four glass jars of freshly canned cranberry juice.

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

A labeled graphic with text showing the ingredients and supplies needed 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.

A hand holding three rotten cranberries.

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

freshly washed cranberries being added to a glass canning jar to make juice.

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.

Jars of cranberries being covered with boiling water from a tea kettle.

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 4: 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 5: 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

A close up image of 4 jars of cranberry juice.

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

A glass of jingle juice with fresh cranberries an a sprig of rosemary.

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.

How much sugar should I use in my cranberry juice?

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.

Can I make this sugar-free cranberry juice?

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.

What’s the difference between hot pack and raw pack methods?

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.

Can I can frozen cranberries?

Absolutely! Frozen cranberries work just as well as the fresh cranberries. Just thaw them before starting the canning process.

What if my jars don’t seal?

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?

A measuring cup scooping up fresh cranberries.

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!