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Cranberry Juice Recipe (Instant Pot)

09/10/2020 40 Comments

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Tagged With: 5 ingredients, budget friendly, cinnamon, cranberries, cranberry, dairy free, GAPS, honey, instant pot, kid friendly, paleo, pressure cooker, primal, whole30

Slightly tart, with hints of cinnamon and sweetened with honey, this homemade Cranberry Juice recipe is simple and made in Instant Pot with very little hands on time needed.
Juice in a glass with ice, mint and lemon slice with cranberries on a white flour sack
This Cranberry Juice recipe has only 4 ingredients and requires very little hands on time. You can omit the lemon and cinnamon and use just the two main ingredients: cranberries and honey to sweeten. But I promise – it is just as simple as it sounds. 
 
Whether you are looking for a festive drink to complete your holiday menu or are simply looking for a healthier alternative, this homemade cranberry juice fits the bill.  Skip the store bought juices often filled with added sugars and corn syrup and make your own – easily and effortlessly in the Instant Pot. 

Cranberry Juice Recipe

Cranberries are good for you year round not just during the holidays. So when they start showing up in stores and go on sale, I usually buy more than my current needs so I can restock my freezer to use the rest of the year. Cranberries freeze exceptionally well when properly stored. They can be frozen in home freezers for 8-12 months and still retain their quality flavor and texture.

Homemade juice in half gallon mason jars ready to be served

Converting Cranberry Juice to Hot Cranberry Cider

Cranberry juice is pretty versatile in that it can be enjoyed year round, with minor tweaks to suit the seasonal changes.  Cranberry cider is great during the cooler months and ice Cranberry Juice over ice is ideal in the warmer months. You can even add a shot or two of vodka for a healthy cocktail.

To make Cranberry Juice: follow instructions below and make sure it’s completely chilled. You may add fresh mint, lemon slices, or even some frozen berries for a fun drink.

To make Cranberry Cider: follow instructions below and but do dot chill. Add a dash of cinnamon, ground clove, or nutmeg. An orange slice for garnish completes this cranberry cider. Enjoy warm. 

Hot cranberry cider in a mug with small mint leaf.

Homemade Cranberry Juice with Lemon and Honey

This healthy cranberry juice is sweetened with honey, a much better alternative than sugar. If you are new to the real food-clean eating world, eliminating white processed sugar is one of the easiest and simplest ways to start on that journey. There are so many better options available to sweeten your treats, you can read more about them in the post Alternative Natural Sweeteners. One of our favorites is undoubtedly honey. It’s rich in minerals and nutrients and we use it often in homemade drinks, various desserts and even marshmallows.

To get the maximum benefits of raw honey, wait for the cranberry juice to cool slightly so as not to destroy the beneficial enzymes and nutrients. Generally, anything over 96 degrees Fahrenheit would change the honey’s structure. But even if used in cider, honey is still much better than regular sugar.

Alternatively, you may use other mineral rich sweeteners that are not destroyed by heat such as maple syrup or coconut sugar. 


In addition to honey, lemon is added to bring out more cranberry flavor and add more vitamin C to the mix. You can omit lemon if you feel the cranberry juice would be too tart for your tastebuds. 

Instructions how to make cranberry juice in the instant pot in under 8 minutes.

Making Juice in the Instant Pot

Making this in your electric pressure cooker frees your stove for other delicious recipes and this is especially important during the busy holiday season.
 
I prefer to use my Instant Pot so I don’t have to babysit it. Some Instant Pot models have the option of turning off the “Keep Warm” function once cooking has completed. If your Instant Pot has that, this would be a good time to use it if you want this chilled.  This is the Instant Pot model I currently have.

Note: You can test that by pressing “Keep Warm/Cancel” button and if the light toggles off and on, you can disable the “Keep Warm” function and instead it will “cancel” automatically. As mentioned, not all Instant Pots have this ability, so either check your user manual or press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button twice to check.

For this recipe, you don’t want the Instant Pot to continue to keep warm (unless making it as cider). Alternatively, you can also simply press “Cancel” once the cooking time has concluded.

Helpful Tip to Save Time

Cooking liquids in the pressure cooker can be time-consuming because of the time it takes to build up pressure. The more liquid, the more time is needed to pressurize then the then the actual cooking time begins. For this reason, I prefer to add only 1/2 gallon of water for the cooking time. I add the remaining water after it’s strained. Doing it this way also kickstarts the cooling process.

Healthy cranberry juice in a glass with ice and lemon slice

Making Juice on Stovetop

If you don’t have a pressure cooker or want to use the stovetop for whatever reason – the recipe is still just as simple. Toss everything in a medium stock pot and bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Carefully strain and then proceed with the rest of the instructions in the recipe card. 

Homemade Cranberry Juice Recipe

glass and mug of cranberry juice, iced and hot respectively
Print Pin
4.82 from 16 votes

Cranberry Juice Recipe

This festive drink can be made in the Instant Pot and enjoyed hot or iced. 
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Keyword 5 ingredients, budget friendly, Dairy-free, GAPS, kid friendly,, Nut-free, one-pot/pan, paleo, pressure cooker,, primal, quick & easy,
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Pressure Time 40 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 45kcal
Author Anya @ Prepare & Nourish

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cinnamon stick optional
  • 1 gallon filtered water divided
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 cup raw honey

Instructions

  • Add cranberries, cinnamon and 1/2 gallon of filtered water to pressure cooker inner pot.
  • Close lid and set to sealing position.
  • Press "Manual" and reduce time to 8 minutes.
  • After cooking time has concluded, turn off Instant Pot by pressing "Cancel" and allow to naturally release pressure.
  • When safe to do so (check for safety valve to be down), carefully open lid and remove inner pot. Set it on a cooling rack or another safe surface to cool. 
  • Once cooled enough to handle, strain to remove cranberry pulp and cinnamon stick.
  • Add remaining water and continue to cool juice before adding lemon and honey. Or sweeten now and enjoy as a hot cider.
  • When juice has cooled considerably, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and raw honey. Stir well. 
  • Enjoy slightly warm as a cider or iced as juice. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 months. 

Video

Notes

| Nutritional Information Disclaimer | 

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

If you liked the recipe above, please consider rating the recipe and leaving a comment below. Also, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. 

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>>> Pin This<<<

Instant Pot Cranberry juice picture with text

This post was originally published December 2017 but has since been updated to include helpful information.

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Filed Under: Drinks, holiday Tagged With: 5 ingredients, budget friendly, cinnamon, cranberries, cranberry, dairy free, GAPS, honey, instant pot, kid friendly, paleo, pressure cooker, primal, whole30

About Anya

Previous Post: « Easy Paleo Banana Muffins (Nut Free, Dairy Free)
Next Post: Chicken Potato Bake Recipe (Whole 30) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sally

    12/09/2017 at

    I don’t have an instant pot. Could you please give me slow cooker and stove-top instructions.

    Reply
    • Anya

      12/10/2017 at

      For slow-cooker: toss cranberries, water and cinnamon and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Then proceed with the rest of recipe. For stove-top: bring cranberries, water and cinnamon to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and slightly simmer for about 15 minutes for all cranberries to cook down, then proceed with rest of recipe. Enjoy!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sarah

    12/10/2017 at

    Made this today! We’ve been drinking it warm since it’s been snowing all day and it’s soo good! My husband keeps saying how much he enjoys it so I think it’s safe to say we’ll be making it again soon. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Anya

      12/10/2017 at

      Awesome to hear, Sarah! Thanks for the sweet comment.

      Reply
      • Jade

        12/24/2020 at

        I found the ratios to be WAY off here. 4 cups of cranberries to a gallon of water made a very thin, flat, diluted liquid. Disappointing!! I wish I had only used a small amount of water (like 4 cups) then I could have added more after the fact to dilute as needed.

        Reply
        • Anya

          01/05/2021 at

          Thank you for your feedback.

          Reply
  3. Joni Gomes

    10/22/2018 at

    Wow so easy to make and that color is gorgeous! I have all of the ingredients right now. Will give it a try!

    Reply
  4. ChihYu Smith

    10/22/2018 at

    Wow ! This cranberry juice looks so good ! It will go well with many holiday dishes for sure!

    Reply
  5. Kari - Get Inspired Everyday!

    10/23/2018 at

    What a festive and oh so pretty holiday drink, and I love that it’s made in the Instant Pot!

    Reply
  6. Tessa Simpson

    10/23/2018 at

    I am so impressed by this!! I have some fresh cranberries that need to used, will give this a try! Yum!

    Reply
  7. Hope

    10/23/2018 at

    This looks so fresh and colourful – great for the festive season! Love the tips about heating raw honey 🙂

    Reply
  8. linda spiker

    10/24/2018 at

    I love this for the holidays! We don’t drink so we always appreciate a festive drink for parties!

    Reply
    • Anya

      10/24/2018 at

      This is one of our favorites! And so easy.

      Reply
  9. STACEY CRAWFORD

    10/25/2018 at

    Oh wow, I love that this can be made in the IP and uses honey! Great idea 🙂

    Reply
  10. Megan Stevens

    10/25/2018 at

    I love the idea of presenting this for the holidays!! My family and extended family will so appreciate it, and it’s a beautiful addition to such a pretty holiday time!

    Reply
  11. Elaina

    10/27/2018 at

    This would be SO yummy as a festive warm beverage in lieu of apple cider (too sweet for me on its own). And it’d be extra good with splash or two of good whiskey for the adults. 😉

    Reply
    • Anya

      10/27/2018 at

      Sounds like a plan. Apple cider is too sweet for my liking but this is perfect because the sweetness can be controlled. Thanks Elaina.

      Reply
  12. jennifer

    10/27/2018 at

    what a great holiday drink idea! I love the color and that it can be made in an Instant Pot!

    Reply
    • Anya

      10/27/2018 at

      Thank you Jennifer! The color is beautiful.

      Reply
  13. Astrid

    10/27/2018 at

    Wow that’s brilliant! Never thought of making my own cranberry juice in the instant pot. Will be trying this soon because I add cranberry juice to my morning detox drink, but can’t find a low sugar version. This is way better than the organic store option.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Anya

      10/28/2018 at

      Yes – and you can control how much sweetener you use. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  14. Catherine Baez Sholl

    10/28/2018 at

    I can definitely see myself having this delicious drink cold and hot. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Anya

      10/28/2018 at

      Hope you get to try it Catherine!

      Reply
  15. Alena

    12/11/2020 at

    Looks fresh and delicious! Can you use dried cranberries and powdered cinnamon for substitution?
    Much thanks!

    Reply
    • Anya

      12/14/2020 at

      Hi Alena,
      I have not tried with dried cranberries but please let us know if it works out for you. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Maria

    01/01/2021 at

    Why do you have yo boil cranberries? I read in another site to put them in a blender strain them and drink it, I did and is delicious like lemonade.

    Reply
    • Anya

      01/05/2021 at

      Sure Maria – you are welcome to do that too. This is a completely different recipe from what you are referring to.

      Reply

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