Vibrant Tart Homemade Cranberry Juice (Printable)

A tart and fresh cranberry beverage brightened with lemon and orange zest, ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

→ Liquids

02 - 5 cups water

→ Sweetener

03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Optional Additions

04 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse cranberries thoroughly, discarding any that are soft or discolored.
02 - Combine cranberries and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
03 - Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst and soften.
04 - Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large bowl, pressing to extract as much juice as possible. Discard solids.
05 - Return juice to saucepan; stir in sugar over low heat until fully dissolved. Adjust sweetness to taste.
06 - Incorporate lemon juice and orange zest if desired, stirring to combine.
07 - Allow juice to cool, then transfer to a clean pitcher or bottle. Refrigerate until chilled and serve over ice or as preferred.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes nothing like store-bought, bright and clean without any artificial aftertaste.
  • You control the sweetness, so it never feels cloying or too sugary.
  • It doubles as a cocktail mixer or a healthy morning ritual.
02 -
  • Do not skip straining, the pulp turns the juice gritty and unpleasant to drink.
  • Add sugar while the juice is still warm so it dissolves instantly and evenly.
  • Taste before you chill, cold mutes sweetness so you may want a little extra sugar upfront.
03 -
  • Press the solids firmly but not aggressively when straining, you want juice not cloudy pulp.
  • Let the juice cool completely before refrigerating so condensation does not dilute it.
  • If you love it really tart, cut the sugar to half a cup and let the cranberries speak for themselves.

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