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For a sweet and simple twist on the classic Thanksgiving side dish, try Cranberry Apple Sauce. It’s a tasty without getting too crazy on a menu that is rooted in tradition.
In my family, Thanksgiving is all about traditions. The turkey goes in the oven, not in a barrel for deep-frying. We do not add gorgonzola, pears, and walnuts to our stuffing. Our potatoes are mashed, not roasted. And our dinner rolls are the ones Grandma used to make.
So when it comes to cranberry sauce, there isn’t a whole lot of wiggle room. It must still look and mostly taste like cranberry sauce. But I can get away with adding apples! Apples add an element of surprise without upsetting anyone, and apples mixed with cranberries somehow make a lot of sense.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. If your cranberries are already frozen, no need to thaw. Just cook them straight from the freezer and add 2 minutes to the simmering time.
- Apples: I like tart Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape in the Apple Cranberry Sauce. But you can use your favorites like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Fuji.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cranberries and apples.
- Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature or chill.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 3 cups of sauce, enough for 12 (¼ cup) servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Cranberry sauce is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Cool the sauce completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Cooled sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- More sweeteners: This recipe calls for white sugar, but you can substitute brown sugar, coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, or honey (the flavor will change, but not in a bad way).
- Customize your flavors: Try vanilla extract, a splash of red wine, orange zest, lemon juice, a cinnamon stick, or warming spices such as ginger and cloves.
- Super smooth: For the smoothest possible cranberry sauce, blend your cooked sauce with an immersion blender.
- Classic Cranberry Sauce: Sweetened with orange juice and sugar, this classic Thanksgiving side dish is perfect for cutting through all the richness of the other holiday recipes.
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce: When stove-top and oven space are in high demand, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce is a no-brainer.
- Cranberry Relish: This no-cook version is 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep (plus 8 hours of chilling time so the flavors can blend).
- Small batch: My Cranberry Sauce for Two has been scaled down for a pair.
- Homemade Cranberry Applesauce: Stir fresh cranberries into your next batch of Homemade Applesauce.
- Leftovers: Extra cranberry sauce is delicious on Leftover Turkey Sandwiches or folded into my favorite Cranberry Cheesecake Galette. You can also drizzle it over ice cream for dessert (maybe add a handful of pecans?), pancakes, waffles, and crepes.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll start seeing cranberries at grocery stores in November, and they should be stocked all through December. I usually stock up and vacuum-seal a few bags for the freezer because once they’re gone, they’re gone!
Just five states produce all the cranberries in the United States. More than half come from Wisconsin. Massachusetts grows the second largest amount, about 30%, and the rest come from New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.
More recipes with apples
Drink Recipes
Apple Cider Drink Recipe
Cake Recipes
Cinnamon Apple Cake
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Apple Crisp with Oatmeal
Main Dishes
Pork Cutlets with Apples
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Cranberry Apple Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries picked over and rinsed (see note 1)
- 1 cup tart apples peeled and diced (see note 2)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt to boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Stir in cranberries and apples. Simmer until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature or chill.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. If your cranberries are already frozen, no need to thaw. Just cook them straight from the freezer and add 2 minutes to the simmering time.
- Apples: I like tart Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape in the sauce.
- Yield: This recipe makes 3 c. of sauce, enough for 12 (¼ c.) servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I just wanted you to know, I made this last year and it was a HUGE hit! I’ve never cared for cranberry sauce and was determined to find one I like. As I’m prepping again for Thanksgiving, I’ve added this recipe to my 100 year old family cookbook for future generations to enjoy! Itll always be on my Thanksgiving table! Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you so much Ashley!!! Makes my day. I agree, the apples make such a difference in cranberry sauce. And it’s so easy, so obvious! Thank you again, and Happy Thanksgiving. 😀 -Meggan
Beautiful thick red cranberry sauce. So easy to prepare. The diced apple adds to the flavor of the sauce. I added some nutmeg but aside from that this is a go to recipe as it is. This sauce is so good it can be used as a dessert sauce or as a filling in tarts and turnovers. I made this sauce for a family gathering this weekend. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I found your recipe and made it Thanksgiving. IT came out fabulous!! I could never stand the canned stuff. The apples make a huge difference. Thank you so much!! I’ll continue you make this all the rest of the year!!
I just made this for tomorrow and it tastes AWESOME! My first time making them, we have always had the canned but never again, these were so simple and tasty!
Thank you going to make it right now
Meggan, did you ever experiment with oranges? i eat one or two oranges every day 7 days a week 365. i just found this recipe and am going to try it out tomorrow as written but I’m curious what you think about a chopped up navel orange in the last few minutes of cooking..?.. Sounds promising but things that sound good dont always taste as good.. I’m planning on using one honeycrisp and one granny smith with plain whole cranberries.. But I would really like to know your thoughts on the orange..
Hi Ryan! Yes, I have a version of cranberry sauce that I just posted which is made with orange juice and orange zest. I LOVE it! I haven’t tried it with the apples, but honestly, it could only make it better. Honeycrisp are my FAVORITE, good call on that. So yes, I would say add some orange (maybe zest the peel and add that too?) and I’m sure it will be wonderful! Thanks Ryan!
How well do you think it would work to sub honey for the sugar? And would it be a 1:1 sub?
Hi Tonya! It would definitely work. It would add honey flavor, but obviously that isn’t a bad thing! I don’t know if it would be a 1 to 1 sub. I would start with 1/2 cup, stir it in, taste it, and add more if you think it needs it. I’d love to know how this goes for you! Thanks Tonya.
This worked fantastically! I used 3/4 cup honey and the rest of the recipe as is. PERFECT! Thank you!!!!
Yum, yum, yum! I didn’t measure the cinnamon, and I used two apples, but other than that, I followed the recipe, and my family loved it. Thanks for posting!
The apples and cinnamon are a fantastic add. The leftovers are awesome over vanilla bean ice cream too!
My daughter made a similar recipe last year with cranberries and red seedless grapes. I didn’t think that recipe could be beat but I believe you have topped it! I added some fresh orange zest and actually sliced the orange in big pieces to let it simmer with the other fruit. Added some purple seedless grapes as well. Love the Granny Smith apples in it so much I added another one at the end of cooking time so it could be crisper! I like the different textures together. Thank you for a great recipe! This one is a keeper!
Thanks so much for the great comment and your ideas! I am absolutely going to try a version with oranges and grapes in it. Sounds amazing. Thanks again, wishing you a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving!