Cranberry Apple Sauce

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.

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

1. 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.

2. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes.

3. 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.

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

Cranberry Apple Sauce

By Meggan Hill

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.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings (¼ cup each)

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 125

4.99 from 186 votes

ReviewPrint

Equipment

• Medium saucepan

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 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

1. 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.
2. Apples: I like tart Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape in the sauce.
3. Yield: This recipe makes 3 c. of sauce, enough for 12 (¼ c.) servings.
4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 cupCalories: 125kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 75mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg

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