Julia Child Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Julia Child Cranberry Sauce comes in three forms on this page: a quick classic sauce for when you need it fast, Julia’s famous Cranberry Chutney from The Way to Cook for when you want something extraordinary, and a no-cook relish for the truly time-pressed. Whatever brings you here, I’ve got you covered.

Here’s what you need to know: Julia didn’t publish a basic cranberry sauce recipe. What she gave us in The Way to Cook is better: a Cranberry Chutney with apples, onions, ginger, and warm spices that makes the jellied stuff from a can look sad. But if you need simple sauce in 15 minutes, I’ll give you that too.

Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce? Not in my kitchen.

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Recipe	Time	Best For
Simple Cranberry Sauce	15 min	Quick, classic, crowd-pleasing
Julia’s Cranberry Chutney	75 min	Impressive, complex, make-ahead
Raw Cranberry Relish	10 min	No-cook, bright, fresh

Simple Cranberry Sauce (15 Minutes)

The classic everyone knows. This isn’t specifically Julia’s, but it’s what most people are searching for. Here’s the quick version.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (one bag)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water or fresh orange juice
• Zest of 1 orange
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Add cranberries. Return to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cranberries will pop. That’s what you want.
4. Stir in orange zest and salt.
5. Remove from heat. Sauce thickens as it cools.
6. Serve warm or chilled.

Tips for Simple Sauce

• More tang: Add 1 Tb fresh lemon juice.
• Spiced version: Add ½ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp allspice.
• Not too sweet: Start with ¾ cup sugar, taste, add more if needed.

Julia Child’s Cranberry Chutney (The Upgrade)

Now for Julia’s actual recipe. This is what she published in The Way to Cook. She wrote that “you can make chutney out of almost anything” and that “it all has a kindred sweet-and-sour taste whatever the ingredients.”

This version layers cranberries with onions, apples, ginger, curry powder, and mace. It sounds unusual. It tastes incredible. And it improves with time.

Ingredients

For the Base:

• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup cider vinegar

For the Fruit:

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 4 cups fresh cranberries, picked over
• ½ cup currants (small raisins)
• Zest and juice of 2 oranges

For the Spices:

• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• ½ tsp mace
• ½ tsp curry powder

Instructions

1. Simmer onions with water and both sugars for 30 minutes. Onions should be very soft and translucent.
2. Add vinegar, apples, and all spices. Include ginger, mace, curry, salt, and orange zest.
3. Boil slowly 30 minutes. Apples should be tender.
4. Add cranberries, currants, and orange juice.
5. Boil slowly 10 minutes. Cranberries will burst.
6. Taste and adjust. Add more sugar if too sour. Julia’s note: “It is a relish, and should not be too sweet.”
7. Cool and refrigerate. Flavors improve after 1-2 days.

Why Make the Chutney?

• Depth: Onions and vinegar add savory backbone.
• Warmth: Ginger, mace, curry bring complexity.
• Keeps longer: Several weeks refrigerated.
• Versatile: Goes beyond turkey to pork, chicken, cheese.
• Impressive: People will ask for the recipe.

Raw Cranberry Relish (No-Cook, 10 Minutes)

For when you forgot about the cranberry sauce until guests are arriving. No cooking required.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 1 whole orange, quartered, seeds removed (keep peel)
• ¾ to 1 cup sugar
• Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Pulse cranberries in food processor until coarsely chopped.
2. Add orange quarters (with peel). Pulse until combined but still chunky.
3. Transfer to bowl. Stir in sugar.
4. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Let sugar dissolve and flavors meld. Overnight is better.
5. Add walnuts just before serving if using.

Notes on Raw Relish

• Very bright and tart: Balances rich turkey.
• Orange peel included: Adds pleasant bitterness.
• Make ahead: Up to 3 days refrigerated.

Comparison: Which Should You Make?

Recipe	Effort	Flavor	Make Ahead	Best For
Simple Sauce	Low	Classic, sweet	1 week	Quick Thanksgiving
Julia’s Chutney	Medium	Complex, spiced	3+ weeks	Impressive hosting
Raw Relish	Very Low	Bright, tart	3 days	Last-minute save

Make-Ahead Guide

Simple Sauce:

• Make up to 1 week ahead
• Store refrigerated in glass jar
• Serve cold or gently rewarm

Julia’s Chutney:

• Make 2-5 days ahead (flavors improve)
• Keeps 3+ weeks refrigerated
• Serve at room temperature

Raw Relish:

• Make at least 2 hours ahead
• Keeps 3 days
• Serve cold

How To Store

Refrigerator: All three keep well in glass jars with tight lids.

Freezer: Simple sauce and chutney freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Relish doesn’t freeze well.

What To Serve With

Traditional and beyond:

• Roast turkey (classic)
• Turkey sandwiches (the next day)
• Pork tenderloin or chops
• Roast chicken
• Brie or cream cheese with crackers
• Cheese and charcuterie boards

Nutrition Facts

Per ¼ cup serving (simple sauce):

• Calories: 70 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 15g

Per ¼ cup serving (chutney):

• Calories: 85 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 18g

FAQs

Source: The Way to Cook by Julia Child

– Claire