Canning Cranberry Juice At Home

Homemade Cranberry Juice

Cranberries show up in Michigan stores for a short window every Fall, so when they arrive, we grab several bags and get to work. Canning cranberry juice is one of the easiest ways to enjoy fresh cranberries all year. You can make a few jars to test it or put up a big batch if you already know you love cranberry juice.

The flavor reminds me of the cranberry juice cocktail my grandma used to serve. If you enjoy this recipe, add it to your yearly canning list. You can also try our grape juice recipe, which is made in a similar way.

Cranberries are great for more than juice. Pick up extra bags for muffins, cranberry relish, fruit leather, or even adding flavor to tea.

Wash your cranberries and sort out any berries that are soft, unripe, or damaged.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Flavor gets better the longer it sits
• Uses fresh cranberries you can only get seasonally
• Easy water bath canning
• Great beginner recipe
• Lets you enjoy cranberry juice all year
• You can make a few jars or a large batch

What You’ll Learn

• What to do with leftover cranberries
• How to prep cranberries for canning
• The best jar size for cranberry juice
• How long to water bath can cranberry juice
• Whether you need sugar
• How long the juice needs to infuse

What Size Jars Should I Use

Because cranberries are larger berries, quart jars work best for canning cranberry juice. They give the berries enough room to infuse properly.

How Long Do I Water Bath Can Cranberry Juice

Quart jars are processed for 40 minutes in a water bath canner.

Do You Need To Add Sugar

If you prefer unsweetened cranberry juice, skip the sugar and fill your jars with boiling water. The berries will still infuse and create a flavorful juice.

Cranberry Juice Tips

• Enjoy your favorite cranberry cocktail once the juice is ready
• Cranberry juice needs 6 weeks to infuse for full flavor
• Sort out any unripe berries
• Make sure the water in your jars and canner is the same temperature to prevent cracking
• Make a few jars or a lot depending on how much you love cranberries

How Long Before You Can Use the Cranberry Juice

You need to wait 6 weeks before straining and drinking the juice. The berries need time to infuse the water. If you use the juice right away, it will taste weak and not fully developed. The longer the berries sit, the stronger and more concentrated the flavor becomes.

Will the Juice Need To Be Diluted

This recipe is not concentrated juice since water is added. If the flavor is stronger than you prefer, you can dilute it with water when serving.

What Can I Do With the Leftover Cranberries

Use the leftover berries to make fruit leather, muffins, or cranberry-infused tea. They are also great in cocktails, yogurt, oatmeal, or applesauce for extra flavor.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Cranberry Juice for Canning

Homemade cranberry juice is one of the easiest canning recipes you can make during cranberry season. Fresh cranberries are packed into quart jars, covered with boiling water, and processed in a water bath. The berries infuse for six weeks, creating a bright, flavorful juice you can enjoy all year. Perfect for cocktails, baking, or sipping straight from the jar.

Course: Canning

Cuisine: American

Author: Regina Sober

Equipment

• Quart Canning Jars
• Canning jars, bands and seals
• Water Bath Canner
• canning utensils
• Ladle
• Spatula
• Dissolvable Labels

Ingredients

• 2 cups washed cranberries per jar
• ⅓ cup sugar per jar
• hot water

Instructions

• In each quart jar, add 1/3 cup sugar (you can add more if you want it sweeter).
• Add 2 cups of fresh washed cranberries into each jar.
• Fill each jar with hot water, leaving 1 inch head space.
• Wipe the rim of the jar clean with a sterile towel.
• Place a seal and hand tighten jar.
• Water bath can jars for 40 minutes.
• Label and date the jars.
• Allow the jars to sit for at least 6 weeks to extract flavor from the berries and soak.

Using Juice

• Once they have soaked, remove and strain berries out. 
• While in the strainer, use the back of a spoon to extract the juice from the berries.
• Place the seal back on the jar and seal until use.  Store in your refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Cranberry Juice Tips

• When canning cranberry juice, it takes 6 weeks before you can drink the juice, so the berries have time to release their full flavor
• Sort out any unripe berries
• Make sure your water in the water bath canner and in the jars is the same temperature to prevent jars for cracking
• Make a few or a lot of jars, depending on your love for cranberries
• Enjoy your favorite cranberry cocktail!

What Can I do With the Leftover Cranberries?

Use the cranberries to make fruit leather. You can also use them in muffins, to infuse tea and in cocktails. Add them to your yogurt, oatmeal or in applesauce for extra flavor as well.