Cranberry Apple Sauce
on Nov 12, 2023, Updated Jul 03, 2024
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Cranberry apple sauce is sweet and tart and a must make side dish for your holiday table! Made with fresh cranberries, apples, cinnamon, and sweetened with apple cider and maple syrup.
Looking for another great cranberry sauce recipe? Try my bourbon orange cranberry sauce!
Why you’ll love it
Fresh and flavorful – Cranberry sauce is a great way to add a pop of fresh, sweet, tart flavor to a typically heavy holiday meal. It also adds a little color to an otherwise very white and brown colored meal.
Sweet and tart – Cranberry sauce on it’s own can sometimes be a little tart. Adding apple to the sauce helps balance the tartness with sweet apple flavor.
Easy to make – If you’ve never made homemade cranberry sauce don’t be intimidated, it’s so easy! Just add everything to a saucepan and cook it until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens.
The ingredients
- Cranberries – Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used.
- Apples – You’ll want to use a sweet, crisp apple for this recipe since the cranberries are already tart. I used a honeycrisp apple.
- Cinnamon and allspice – Warm, sweet spices that pair well with the flavors of the cranberries and apple.
- Apple cider – Instead of cooking the cranberry sauce in water you’ll use apple cider to drive home that sweet apple flavor.
- Maple syrup – Used to sweeten the cranberry sauce. You could also use an equal amount of brown sugar or honey if you prefer.
How to make cranberry apple sauce
Add all of the ingredients to a medium sized saucepan and stir them together. Make sure you use a large enough saucepan so that the cranberries aren’t splattering everywhere as they cook.
Heat the cranberry sauce over medium-high heat until it starts to simmer. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Remember that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Taste the cranberry apple sauce once it’s cooled and add additional maple syrup if needed.
Storage and leftovers
Cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can eat it cold or reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water or apple cider if it’s too thick.
Can you freeze apple cranberry sauce?
Yes. Once the cranberry sauce has cooled, put it in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Variations
- Add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
- Substitute the apple with a peeled and diced pear.
- Add toasted chopped walnuts or pecans on top before serving for a crunchy element.
- Substitute ground allspice with ground nutmeg.
- Add a splash of vanilla off the heat after the cranberry sauce has finished cooking.
More holiday side dishes
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Apple Stuffing
- Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Balsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Autumn Apple Pear Salad
Did you make this cranberry apple sauce? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Cranberry Apple Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup peeled and diced Honeycrisp apples
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Stir occasionally and cook until the cranberries have broken down and the apples have softened, but still have a little bite to them, about 10-15 minutes. The sauce should be compote-like in consistency.
- Remove the cranberry apple sauce from the heat and let it cool completely before transferring it to a bowl to chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
