Apple Cranberry Sauce
This apple cranberry sauce is made with fresh ingredients and contains no refined white sugar. It’s sweet, tart, and so simple to make.
Featured Comment
This recipe is so yummy. I’ve never made cranberry sauce with apples before, so this was a treat. And the orange zest is a must! – Kelsey
The jellied cranberry sauce from the can was always a must at Thanksgiving for my family. It would literally still have the indentation of the can on it when my mom put it on the table! Since changing my diet and cooking from scratch more often, I started making my own cranberry sauce from scratch, and now it’s a classic at my table!
This apple cranberry sauce is the perfect sweet, tart, and simple homemade Thanksgiving side!
Why you’ll love this apple cranberry sauce
- No refined sugar. Most cranberry sauce recipes are overly sweet and have way too much sugar. This recipe is made with maple syrup instead of refined white sugar! I love making less-sweet Thanksgiving classics, like my AIP pumpkin pie bars, and this recipe is the perfect naturally sweet option!
- It’s more flavorful than just plain cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce can be a little one-note, but this recipe has more texture and flavor with the added apple.
- It’s so easy to make. We don’t need any more headaches on Thanksgiving, and this recipe is just so much easier! Pair it with something like my Instant Pot mashed white sweet potatoes and my oven baked turkey tenderloin, and you’ll have a much easier holiday.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries. This is the time to get fresh cranberries! You can buy these at most grocery stores this time of year. However, if you can’t find it, you can sub frozen… just make sure to adjust the liquid if needed.
- Granny Smith apple. Granny Smith is what I think works best in this recipe, but you can also try to use Honeycrisp apples.
- Orange juice. Though you could also use water in this recipe, I love the sweet and tart hint from the orange juice.
- Maple syrup. Rather than using sugar, we’re using maple syrup to add a touch of sweetness. Both the cranberries and the Granny Smith apple are tart, so I wouldn’t skip this ingredient.
- Cinnamon & orange zest
How to make Apple Cranberry Sauce
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step one. Combine the cranberries, apple, orange juice, and cinnamon in a pot.
Step two. Bring to a simmer.
Step three. Allow to simmer and reduce, making sure most of the cranberries pop.
Step four. Chill and top with orange zest.
Tips & Tricks
- Stir often! Even though it cooks quickly, this isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it recipe. You want to make sure you’re stirring often to reduce any splatter, and making sure that it cooks evenly.
- Adjust the sweetener to your liking. This recipe is naturally tart and not overly sweet. If you prefer a slightly sweeter cranberry sauce, bump the maple syrup up to 1/2 cup.
Can you freeze cranberry sauce?
Yes, cranberry sauce freezes wonderfully! Here are some tips…
- Freeze it in souper cubes for optimal storage.
- Allow to defrost in the fridge for 24 hours.
If you tried this Apple Cranberry Sauce or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
More classic Thanksgiving recipes to try..
Apple Cranberry Sauce
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Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
- ⅓ cup maple syrup, see notes
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
Instructions
- Combine the cranberries, diced apples, orange juice and maple syrup in a small pot.
- Bring to a simmer until the cranberries start to pop. Continue to simmer and stir for about 8-10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce and the bulk of the cranberries to pop.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Serve chilled topped with orange zest.
This worked exactly as written, thanks! My community loved it. So easy to make and so delicious.
This recipe is so yummy. I’ve never made cranberry sauce with apples before, so this was a treat. And the orange zest is a must!
This recipe is SO good. I made it last year while doing AIP, but it will remain with me forever *heart eyes*
YAY! So glad, it’s a great recipe!
This just became my new favorite cranberry sauce! I used a honeycrisp apple. I served it along with the turkey cranberry poppers. Yum!
I really enjoyed this cranberry sauce. I made it with pink lady apples, and it was sweet without being overly sweet. I liked the chutney-like consistency. I didn’t have any orange zest so I added a little bit of lemon zest and it seemed to be just fine.
Delicious. I did end up adding more maple syrup than the recipe calls for. Cranberry sauce went over well at our office thanksgiving meal. Will probably become a staple holiday meal recipe for me!
Wow, this is very, very tart. I followed the recipe exactly. Next time, I’m going to use a sweeter apple.