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Update your Cranberry Sauce with apples for a simple and sweet twist on the classic Thanksgiving side. Tasty without getting too crazy!
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 makes a lot of sense.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
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 sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. 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 tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 3 cups of sauce, enough for 12 (¼ cup) servings.
- Make ahead: Cool the cranberry sauce completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or, freeze it up to one month in advance. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Freezer: Cooled sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- With orange: For a citrus twist, try this cranberry sauce recipe with orange zest and orange juice.
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Cranberry Sauce with Apples
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 (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 cups of sauce, enough for 12 (¼ cup) servings.
- Make ahead: Cool the cranberry sauce completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or, freeze it up to one month in advance. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Freezer: Cooled sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- With orange: For a citrus twist, try this cranberry sauce recipe with orange zest and orange juice.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Use Splenda for lower calories
Hi Guy, thanks for the tip! – Meggan
I have made different cranberry sauces during the past many years. This is the BEST I’ve ever made. My family raves about it!
Hi Donna, I’m glad you all loved it! Take care! – Meggan
I am 88 now and I can remember my mother making this same recipe every Thanksgiving for our crowd of nine. It would not be Thanksgiving without this crowd pleaser. The aroma alone was enticing. I still follow her recipe – which, as a child, thought it was her own recipe! I am now disallusioned but ….stlll love it and make it.
What a sweet memory, Kay! Thank you so much for sharing about your mom! It’s so lovely how even just the smell of something can bring back wonderful memories. Take care!
Delicious! I could use a bit less sugar next time, but I’m definitely keeping this recipe. Thanks!
Great recipe! I added 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (fresh lemon juice) to this recipe. Are used honey crisp apples about a cup and a half. After the cranberries were cooked I took a potato masher to pop the remaining cranberries. Very delicious! Thank you! :)
Does this thicken as it cools? Mine looks very watery after over 10 min of simmering
Hi Austin! Yes, the sauce thickens as it cools. Enjoy! – Meggan