Top 10 Cranberry FAQs

Each year, Ocean Spray’s Consumer Helpline Representatives answer over 100,000 questions from consumers each year, many during the frantic holiday season. Here are the Top 10 most frequently asked questions. Click on the question for a quick answer.

Can I make my cranberry sauce ahead of time and freeze it?
Can I prepare a cranberry bread recipe and bake it as muffins instead (or vice versa)?
How do I prepare cranberries for cooking?
How long can I store fresh cranberries in the refrigerator? In the freezer?
Can I substitute Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries for fresh cranberries?
Why won’t my cranberry sauce gel?
Can I double the recipe to make more than one batch of sauce at a time?
Can I use less sugar in my cranberry sauce?
Do I need to soak or plump Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries before using in baked recipes?
Where can I buy Cran•Raspberry® Jellied Cranberry Raspberry Sauce and Cran•Fruit Cranberry Sauces?

1. Can I make my cranberry sauce ahead of time and freeze it?
We normally don’t suggest freezing cranberry sauce. After thawing, it may become too watery. We do suggest making sauce ahead of time and storing it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week.

2. Can I prepare a cranberry bread recipe and bake it as muffins instead (or vice versa)?
Yes. A bread recipe will yield approximately 1 dozen muffins, depending on the size of the individual muffins. Use the same oven temperature as indicated in the recipe for baking bread, but reduce your baking time to 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

3. How do I prepare cranberries for cooking?
First sort out any soft berries and stems. Rinse berries in cold water, drain well and use as the recipe directs. There are three cups of cranberries in a 12 oz. bag of Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before using.

Your recipe should specify whether to use chopped cranberries or not. If it doesn't, be sure to measure your cranberries before chopping them. Follow this guide:

If the recipe says to use “1 cup chopped cranberries” chop the cranberries first, then measure them.
If the recipe says to use “1 cup cranberries”, chopped measure the cranberries first, then chop them.

4. How long can I store fresh cranberries in the refrigerator? In the freezer?
Fresh cranberries stored in the refrigerator are usually good for up to 2 weeks. We suggest freezing them if you are not going to use them within two weeks. Cranberries will freeze nicely and last up to one year.

5. Can I substitute Ocean Spray® Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries for fresh cranberries?
Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup of Craisins®.

Craisins® should not be used in cooked sauces. Since they are a dried fruit, they do not contain the pectin necessary for the sauce to gel.

6. Why won’t my cranberry sauce gel?
Boiling is critical to release pectin, the key gelling ingredient, from the cranberry. You must cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes at a full boil for the pectin to react with the sugar and create the proper gelled texture. It is also important to let the cranberry sauce cool at room temperature. Moving it to the refrigerator too soon may also affect the gel.

If you have followed these instructions, and for some reason the sauce still won’t gel, add 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin to the sauce and bring to a hard boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.

7. Can I double the recipe to make more than one batch of sauce at a time?
We don't recommend doubling the recipe. There are too many variables, including cooking time, temperature, and pan size, that may affect the sauce's ability to gel.

8. Can I use less sugar in my cranberry sauce?
Yes, but your finished product will not be as firm as if it were made with the full amount of sugar. A firm gel depends on bonds with water, sugar and pectin. If you’re interested in a lower sugar recipe, try our recipe for Low Calorie Cranberry Sauce.

9. Do I need to soak or plump Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries before using in baked recipes?
No. Craisins® can be used right out of the bag. You can substitute Craisins® for fresh or frozen cranberries. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup of Craisins®.

10. Where can I buy Cran•Raspberry® Jellied Cranberry Raspberry Sauce and Cran•Fruit Cranberry Sauces?
Cran•Raspberry® Jellied Cranberry Raspberry Sauce is currently in limited distribution and available in select major supermarket chains during the holiday season. See below for product availability, or you can purchase these products online directly from the My Brands product service. Click here for more information.

Cran•Raspberry® Jellied Cranberry Raspberry Sauce is available in limited areas of the following states: California, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York,Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

Unfortunately we are no longer producing CRAN•FRUIT™ cranberry sauces. Although we considered it to be a very fine product, consumer demand was not what we had anticipated. Consequently, a marketing decision was made to stop production.

If you live in any of these states, please call the Ocean Spray® Helpline (1-800-662-3263) for additional information on where to find these products near you.