This Easy Cranberry Sauce with Apples is made using fresh or frozen cranberries, orange juice, and cinnamon. This dish will have your home smelling like warm cider and it tastes like it, too!
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavor Pairing: Apples and cranberries complement each other beautifully. The natural sweetness of apples balances the tartness of cranberries, creating a delicious and well-rounded flavor profile.
- Texture Variation: Apples add a delightful texture to the cranberry sauce. As they cook, they soften and break down, creating a chunky yet smooth sauce that adds an appealing contrast to the cranberries.
- Customization: You can choose from a variety of apple varieties, such as Granny Smith for a tangy contrast or Honeycrisp for a sweeter note. This allows you to customize the sauce to your taste.
- Seasonal Twist: Apples and cranberries are both in season during the fall, making this combination a perfect fit for Thanksgiving and other autumn-inspired meals.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Cranberries
- Apples
- Orange Juice
- Cinnamon
- Honey
- Sugar or Sweetener
What Type of Cranberries to Use/ Fresh vs Frozen
You can use either fresh or frozen in this recipe. If using frozen you don’t have to defrost them, but I recommend rinsing off any ice crystals if present.
What Type of Apples to Use
I like to use Granny Smith apples because they are really crisp with a sharp taste, but they are tart. If you are looking for sweet cranberry sauce, go with something sweet. Other apples that will work great are: Fuji, Gala, Envy, and Golden Delicious. Pick apples that won’t get soggy (Red Delicious apples are an example).
Do You Have to Peel the Apples
Whether or not you need to peel the apples is a matter of personal preference. The decision to peel the apples can depend on the texture and appearance you desire in the final sauce. I prefer to peel them. Here are some things to consider:
- Leaving the peels on the apples can add a rustic, chunky texture to the sauce. The peels are edible and contain additional fiber and nutrients. If you prefer a sauce with some texture and visual appeal, you can leave the peels intact.
- If you want a smoother, velvety apple cranberry sauce, or if you prefer a more traditional, texture, you can peel the apples before adding them to the sauce. This can result in a sauce that’s closer to a traditional fruit sauce.
- Some people choose to compromise by peeling some of the apples while leaving the peels on others. This creates a sauce with a mixture of textures and flavors.
How to Make the Recipe Healthy Without Sugar
You can omit the honey in this recipe and opt for sweetening the sauce solely with something like monkfuit. It’s a fruit extract with zero calories and zero carbs.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Apples
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Heat a saucepan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat and add cranberries, apples, sweetener, orange juice, honey, and cinnamon. Stir.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- See below for slow cooker instructions.
Sauce Texture
It is important to decide the texture you will want for your sauce. That will vary the cook time. If you want the apples to still hold their structure, cook the sauce for less time. If you want all of the ingredients to blend together and form an actual sauce, cook it for more time.
How to Thicken Cranberry Sauce/Runny Cranberry Sauce
- Using granulated sweetener helps with thickening cranberry sauce (it is used in this recipe).
- The sauce will also thicken after it’s refrigerated and chilled properly.
- If you are still struggling: In a small bowl, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the runny cranberry sauce while stirring continuously. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and simmer for a few minutes, allowing it to thicken. Continue to stir.
Cool the Sauce
Allow the sauce to fully cool prior to chilling it.
Chilling
I allow the sauce to chill for at least 2 hours in advance of serving.
Can You Make it Ahead?
This is the perfect dish to make ahead because properly stored it will last in the fridge for 10-14 days.
How to Store It
Store leftovers tightly covered and sealed in plastic or glass in the refrigerator.
Freezer Tips
Store the cranberry apple sauce tightly covered and sealed and it will last up to a year. It keeps it’s optimal freshness for 2 months.
Pair With these Side Dish Recipes
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Southern Green Beans
Cornbread Dressing with Chicken
Caramel Apple Spice Starbucks
Pair With these Main Dish Recipes
Slow Cooker Turkey Legs
Slow Cooker Turkey Wings
Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast
Smothered Turkey Wings
Baked Crab Legs
Baked Turkey Wings
Southern Baked Ham With Pineapple
Air Fryer Turkey
Air Fryer Baked Ham
Cajun Roasted Turkey
Air Fryer Cornish Hens
More Cranberry and Apple Recipes
Slow Cooker Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Mimosas
Slow Cooker Crockpot Baked Apples
Southern Fried Apples
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
Cranberry Sauce with Apples
Ingredients
- 16 oz cranberries
- 3-4 cups diced apples I used Granny Smith, diced into 1 inch chunks.
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons sweetener or sugar Start with 1 teaspoon and taste repeatedly until desired taste is met
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a saucepan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat and add the cranberries, apples, sweetener, orange juice, honey, and cinnamon. Stir.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- Cook time will vary based on how you like your sauce. If you like for your cranberries to cook down, pop, and form a thick sauce cook it for longer until the cranberries pop. If you like to serve it with the cranberries intact, cook for less time. It's up to you.Simmer the sauce for at least 10-15 minutes or until your reach your desired texture.
- Taste repeatedly and adjust sweetener and spices as necessary.
- Allow the cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate (covered) until chilled, around 2 hours.
Slow Cooker Crockpot Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. (You may elect to add the sugar and sweeteners at the end so that you can adjust to taste.)
- Cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for 7-8 hours.
- Taste repeatedly and adjust sweetener and spices as necessary.
- Allow the cranberry sauce to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate (covered) until chilled, around 2 hours.
