I Asked 3 Experts To Name the Best Store-Bought Cranberry Sauce—They All Said the Same Thing

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. One of my favorite occasions, Turkey Day, is a fantastic excuse to pull out all the stops in the kitchen. However, preparing every classic dish for this elaborate dinner can be a tall order, regardless of how much you love cooking. In my opinion, something’s gotta give!

While I have a prized cranberry sauce recipe, I often save it for later in the season when there’s more burner space on the stove and less chaos in the kitchen. For Thanksgiving, I opt for a store-bought cranberry sauce.

I’m not a fan of the homogenized sauce that holds the shape of the can, and neither are my loved ones. I prefer one of the many brands that mimic homemade stuff. But while I have a few tried-and-true whole-berry sauces I love, I thought it would be worthwhile to see which options food professionals reach for. Interestingly, they all said the same thing!

The Food Professionals I Asked

• Kat Marris: Senior recipe developer at Green Chef
• Julie Andrews, MS, RDN, CD, FAND: Food editor and recipe developer for Taste of Home and the blogger behind The Healthy Epicurean
• April Benshosan, MS: Freelance food and health editor and writer

The Best Store-Bought Cranberry Sauce, According to Food Pros

The one brand of whole berry cranberry sauce these foodies all agreed upon is Stonewall Kitchen Holiday Spiced Cranberry Sauce.

“It's an intensely warming, orange zest–forward sauce that isn’t too sweet,” Marris explains. The intriguing citrus, ginger, and other spice flavors in this festive cranberry sauce evoke nostalgia. “It is most similar to homemade, in my opinion, because of its texture and flavor. I can taste the warm spices in every bite,” says Andrews. The added orange peel and ginger purée really elevate the depth of flavors.

Benshosan agrees. “And I love that it uses whole-food ingredients.” Indeed, with its short, recognizable list of ingredients, you can also feel good about feeding this jarred delight to your family.

Ideas for How To Use This Cranberry Sauce

When it comes to culinary applications for this sauce, the options are nearly endless. “It spreads nicely and the cranberries are mostly broken down, so this sauce can be used in lots of different applications,” says Marris.

After serving it alongside Thanksgiving dinner, the jarred sauce can easily go back in the fridge for the week of leftovers ahead. “I like to use cranberry sauce to make fun takes on Thanksgiving leftovers. I thin it out and drizzle it on my Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza, and use it as a dipping sauce for my Thanksgiving Leftovers Gravy Balls and Leftover Stuffing Waffles,” says Andrews.

Benshosan slathers Stonewall Kitchen’s sauce on a classic leftover turkey sandwich, regardless of whether Thanksgiving has recently passed or not. “I dollop a heaping spoonful of Stonewall Kitchen's cranberry sauce and a bit of mayo on toasted whole-grain bread, pile the turkey high, and top it off with some salad greens for a festive sammy that feels like the holidays all year round,” she says.

Marris also enjoys this pungent sauce outside of the holidays. “For year-round use, I like to thin this cranberry sauce with a bit of lime juice and drizzle it over grilled chicken,” she says.

“This is an intense cranberry sauce,” Marris adds, “so a little goes a long way.” I’ll say!  These food pros use Stonewall Kitchen’s as a topping for yogurt parfaits, overnight oats, and chia pudding, as well as a zesty addition to smoothies, salad dressings, crostinis, dips, cinnamon rolls, savory sauces, and charcuterie boards. It’s so versatile and flavor-packed that, from here on in, I intend to keep a jar in my fridge at all times!

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