The Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce

Leave the canned cranberry sauce behind! This traditional Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce combines cranberries, apples, and orange zest and turns it into the perfect complement to turkey or a vegan roast. The best part - this sauce cooks in less than 10 minutes!

With all of the rich dishes on the Thanksgiving table, cranberry sauce is necessary to break up savoriness. Cranberries and apples are in season and perfectly ripe, so I like to use them during Autumn as much as I can.

That's why I make this sweet and tart mixture, which becomes The Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce! To me, this is the perfect sauce to accompany any savory dishes such as stuffing, potatoes, or green bean casserole. You'll make this fast and simple sauce every year forward!

Combining Fall Fruits

When multiple fruits are in season, why not combine them at their peak freshness? If you have some farm-fresh apples, they add the perfect natural sweetness to cranberry sauce.

Granny smith apples are both tart and sweet, which is why I love them for cranberry sauce. They also keep their shape well when cooked, so you will still see chunks of tender apple within the sauce.

To top it all off, I also like to add some fresh orange juice to the sauce and orange zest once the sauce has completely cooled. You will find orange zest or juice in a variety of fall dishes. These three fruits combine to make a complex, sweet, and tart cranberry sauce that is second to none!

Have pears in the house? Throw one in! Have lemon instead of orange? No problem! This Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce is very delicious and forgiving, so be sure to use the best ingredients or whatever you have in the house.

Ingredients in The Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce

You only need a few ingredients for this amazing sauce:

• 2 cups whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled + diced
• ½ cup organic cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup filtered water + 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice

How to Make the Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce

In a saucepan, add together all ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring until combined and the mixture begins to boil, about 1-2 minutes. Once cranberries begin to pop/burst, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 6-7 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the cranberries are broken and tender.

Once done, remove heat and allow the sauce to cool completely before serving. Garnish with orange zest, if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Other Recipes You'll Love

Adorn your Thanksgiving table with some of these other amazing dishes!

• Maple Herb Glazed Carrots and Cranberries
• Not So Traditional Loaded Mashed Potatoes
• Southern-Style Cornbread Stuffing
• Best Thanksgiving Pizza
• Cranberry Maple Roast Chicken

The Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce

5 from 2 votes

Homemade cranberry sauce is simple and quick, and my Perfect Apple Cranberry Sauce is ready in under 10 minutes of active cooking time!

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 cups whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled + diced
• ½ cup organic cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup filtered water + 2 Tbsps!
• 2 Tbsps pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsps freshly-squeezed orange juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a saucepan, add together all ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring until combined and the mixture begins to boil, about 1-2 minutes. Once cranberries begin to pop/burst, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 6-7 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the cranberries are broken and tender.
• Once done, remove heat and allow sauce to cool completely before serving. Garnish with orange zest, if desired.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

STORAGE: Leftover sauce can be stored in a tightly sealed glass or container in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. To freeze, pour the cooled sauce into a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 72IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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