Apple Cranberry Sauce (Vegan + GF)

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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.

Step By Step Photos Above

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.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Holiday, Oil-free, Vegan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
• 1 large apple , peeled & diced
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or agave
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, add orange juice, water, and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add cranberries and bring to a low boil. Stir occasionally.
• Cranberries will start to pop open. When most of them have popped, add the apples, maple syrup & cinnamon. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until sauce has thickened up. Taste for sweetness and add more as needed.
• Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a serving bowl and keep chilled in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

* Feel free to add more or less sweetness to suit your taste. If you need more sweetness, add a teaspoon at a time until desired taste is achieved. If you prefer, you can swap out the brown sugar for all maple syrup.

 

*If you don't want the extra zing in this recipe, you can use apple cider or filtered water instead of orange juice. If you'd like extra zing, add a teaspoon of fresh orange zest to the popping cranberries.

 

 

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

Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me, Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs.

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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Melissa Huggins

Melissa is the creator and recipe developer of the popular food & lifestyle blog, Vegan Huggs. It's a friendly and approachable environment for anyone who's curious about plant-based eating or cruelty-free living. Her blog is filled with comforting, familiar and easy-to-follow recipes that will fit into every household. Each dish is beautifully photographed in her own unique style with an inviting feel to them. Also, she has built a solid relationship with her readers and has a real understanding of what makes them return.

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