Apple Cranberry Sauce

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This Apple Cranberry Sauce is bursting with mouth-watering flavors and has the perfect balance of sweet & tart. Your taste buds won't even know what hit 'em. 

All those years of seeing that can-shaped jelly stuff on the holiday table, who would've known it was the easiest thing to make homemade. This Apple Cranberry Sauce takes less than 20 minutes and calls for very few ingredients. Not to mention, it's much tastier and healthier than the store-bought stuff.

So, if you have a last-minute holiday potluck to join, and you don't have a lot of time to prepare something, choose this Apple Cranberry Sauce to bring to the celebration. It's quick, easy & delicious!

I'm sure you'll hear some compliments on it too, which almost never happens with this holiday condiment.

Many homemade cranberry sauce recipes require dumping a bunch of sugar into the mix. Sweetness is required to balance out the tartness of the cranberries, but definitely not that much.

The sweetness from the apple will help break things up, along with adding a different texture. I also add a small amount of brown sugar and pure maple syrup. Feel free to add more or less, depending on your taste buds.

I've also added some fresh orange juice, for a little zing in every bite. It also adds some extra sweetness and some vitamin C. Now we're talkin'!

If you want extra zing, you can add a teaspoon of fresh orange zest to the popping cranberries. You can also swap the OJ out with apple cider or water. It will still be fabulous!

How to make Cranberry Sauce

You just heat up the orange juice & brown sugar, until the sugar has dissolved. Then you pour in the ruby-red cranberries and watch the magic happen. They will start to pop open and smell heavenly.

While this is happening, add the crisp apple pieces and let the sweetness marry with the tartness of the cranberries. With a few dashes of cinnamon & pure maple syrup, this holiday delight will be complete. Transfer into your favorite serving dish and keep chilled until it's chow down time. Voila!

If you are expecting holiday guests this year, pop this deliciousness on the table. They'll love the sweet, tart, cinnamon-y flavors of this popular table ornament. It will compliment all the flavors of your harvest feast.

Usually, cranberry sauce is the most neglected at the table and merely just eye candy, but not anymore. It will make a statement this year, with its vibrant color and deep, rich flavor.

If you'd like to see more holiday classics, you might be interested in this Vegan Sourdough Bread Stuffing. It tastes just like a classic stuffing recipe, but with a little twist. The sourdough bread puts a subtle hint of zing in every bite and will keep you coming back for more.

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5 from 7 votes

Apple Cranberry Sauce

This Apple Cranberry Sauce is bursting with mouth-watering flavors and has the perfect balance of sweet & tart. Your taste buds won't even know what hit 'em. This recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make and is worlds healthier & tastier than store-bought varieties.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 12 oz cranberries , fresh or frozen (3 cups)
• ▢ 1 large apple , peeled & diced (1 cup)
• ▢ ¾ cup orange juice , fresh or bottled
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup agave or pure maple syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of salt

Recommended Equipment

• Medium Saucepan

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• In a medium/large saucepan over medium heat, add orange juice, water, and brown sugar. Gently simmer and stir for 30-60 seconds to dissolve the sugar.
• Add cranberries, apples, agave, cinnamon, salt, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and most of the cranberries have popped (or all if you don't want whole pieces).
• Taste for sweetness and add more if needed (it's easier to use liquid sweetener at this point).
• Remove from heat and let it completely cool. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and keep chilled in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Cranberries - if you're using frozen, you don't have to thaw them first. 
2. Apples - It's best to use fresh apples that aren't overly ripened. Otherwise, they tend to lose their shape and become too soft while cooking. I used a honey crisp apple, but I also like pink lady, braeburn, northern spy, and gala apples. They all add a nice sweetness and hold their shape well. If you don't like apples, you can omit them or use a pear instead. 
3. Sweetener - you can use any variety you have on hand. I like to use a blend of liquid sweetener and granulated, but you can use just one type if preferred. Regular cane sugar works well too. Feel free to add more/less sweetness to suit your taste.
4. If you don't have orange juice, you can use apple cider or water (you may need to add more sugar if you use water)
5. If you'd like extra zing, add a teaspoon of fresh orange zest to the popping cranberries.
6. Yields about 2 cups of sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 18.8mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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