Cranberry Juice Recipe

Cook cranberries

Place 4 cups cranberries and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and soften, about 10–12 minutes.

Sweeten and steep

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest (if using) until the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture steep off the heat for 10 minutes so flavors meld and the liquid cools slightly.

Strain

Place a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Pour the cranberry mixture through the strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon or ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard or reserve the pulp for other uses (like muffins).

Adjust acidity and dilute

Stir 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional) and a pinch (1/8 tsp) salt into the strained juice. Add about 2 cups cold water to dilute; taste and add more cold water if you prefer a milder flavor. If the juice is too tart, add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Chill and serve

Chill the juice in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve over ice (about 1 cup ice per pitcher, optional). The finished yield should be about 6–7 cups of juice. Refrigerate leftover juice in a sealed container for up to 5 days.