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Combine a few simple ingredients in a saucepan to make this fresh homemade apple cranberry sauce. Thanks to the addition of apples, fresh orange juice and a bit of ginger, this cranberry sauce is packed with flavor. Make it in under 30 minutes!
Cranberry sauce is a must on any Thanksgiving menu! I like my cranberry sauce thick, flavorful and slightly sweet. Homemade apple cranberry sauce is our favorite because it includes fresh chunks of apples. The sweetness of the apples balances out the tartness of the cranberries. I add freshly squeezed orange juice and ginger to make it even better. I also add a small amount of honey for natural sweetness.
If you don’t like orange or ginger, you can definitely omit it. The ginger adds an extra zing and the orange zest and juice adds fresh seasonal flavor that I love.
This easy cranberry sauce is naturally paleo, vegan and gluten free. It’s the perfect addition the your holiday table!
Why Everyone Loves This Recipe
- Well rounded flavor: In addition to the cranberries, this sauce includes fresh apples, orange juice, ginger and cinnamon for a delicious combination of flavors. It’s subtly sweet, but mostly tart like classic cranberry sauce.
- Easy to make: Whole berry cranberry sauce requires minimal prep. Toss all of the ingredients into a saucepan and simmer until the cranberries break down and the sauce thickens. The entire process takes less than 30 minutes.
- Make ahead: The best thing about this recipe is that you can make it up to 3 days in advance. You can also use fresh cranberry sauce for things like Cranberry Brie Bites.
Ingredients You Need
This recipe uses the best fresh ingredients to create the perfect side dish for any holiday meal!
- Fresh cranberries: Of course!
- Apples: I use a sweet tart apples like gala apples or Honeycrisp apples. Granny smith apples, red delicious apples or another variety will also work. You will need medium apples.
- Orange: You will use the zest and juice. You can substitute the orange with lemon, if desired. Or even substitute with apple cider for more crisp apple flavor.
- Honey: This is the natural sweetener for the sauce. Honey pairs well with the cranberries and other ingredients. You can substitute the honey with pure maple syrup, dark brown sugar or even white sugar.
- Fresh ginger: You just need a small knob. The ginger adds a bit of a kick, so if you don’t like ginger, you can omit.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a fresh seasonal flavor to the sauce.
- Balsamic vinegar: This adds a rich sweet flavor. You can omit it if desired.
How to Make Apple Cranberry Sauce
To make this easy apple cranberry sauce, combine cranberries, apples, honey, fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, the zest and juice from an orange and balsamic vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the liquid thickens.
Storage and Make Ahead
The best thing the sauce is that you can make it up to 3 days in advance. Store leftover cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To freeze, store the cranberry sauce in an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Cranberry sauce is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table or Christmas meal. We love enjoying the sauce throughout the year with our favorite dinner recipes.
Main dish: Serve the sauce with a main dish like Turkey Tenderloin or Ham.
Side dishes: The options are endless for serving cranberry sauce. Serve it with your favorite holiday favorites like Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole and Gouda Mac and Cheese.
Sandwiches and more: Use cranberry sauce as a spread for a sandwich, as a topping for a holiday appetizer or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt.
We know that you’re going to love this apple cranberry sauce recipe as much as we do. Try it and then let us know what you think!
Apple Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- zest and juice from one orange
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, until the fruit is tender and the liquid has thickened. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- You can make the cranberry sauce a day or two in advance, store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature just prior to serving.
- You can omit the ginger, if desired, but it won’t be as flavorful.
- Freeze the cranberry sauce in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cranberry and apples are 2 of my favorite flavors! Then on top of it, you brought orange and ginger into the mix, holy cow. I made this recipe for our family dinner on Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I had to double the ingredients tho, our family likes leftovers for a few days.
I made this for Thanksgiving without the ginger since I didn’t have it and we loved it!
I made this dish yesterday to be served today at Thanksgiving (2014). It turned out great. I ended up doubling the honey because it initially seemed too tart; I believe it was because of the cranberries I used and not the recipe. Overall, an outstanding dish!
I am so glad to hear that you loved it! Happy Holidays 🙂
Made this tonight for tomorrow’s thanksgiving meal. Good thing I made a lot because I couldn’t stop eating it. So good!! I probably only put about 1/3 of the honey called for in the recipe and added about 1/2 cup if frozen pineapples too and it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe and happy thanksgiving!!
Hi, Stephanie! I am so glad to hear that you loved it. The addition of the pineapple sounds amazing!
Would i be able to make this and keep stored in jars? Would it be fine as long as the jars are airtight? Wanting to try this recipe for a Christmas market in November.
Hi, Lisa! You can certainly use this sauce for canning. But, if you are only going to keep them in an airtight container I would store them in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!
I cooked this tonight….delicious! Have tried a variety of cranberry sauce recipes and like the flavors of this one the most. Thanks for sharing.
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Francesca!
Sounds delicious! I was just wondering if the balsamic vinegar is very noticeable? My mom isn’t a fan of balsamic vinegar, so I was wondering how much it cooks down?
Thanks 🙂
Emily, I don’t notice the balsamic vinegar at all. The cranberries, ginger and citrus flavors really shine in this dish. I don’t think your mom wouldn’t notice it at all.
Just made this today and it is delicious! I also segmented 3 oranges and put those in too because my husband adores oranges. Will be making again for sure! Thanks!
Lori, I am so glad that you enjoyed it! The addition of oranges sounds great, I might have to try that when I make it again.
I’ve never made homemade cranberry sauce, but I think that will have to change! I love the combination of flavors. This would be great for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing!
You should definitely try making homemade cranberry sauce. It is so flavorful and easy!
This sounds delicious and looks amazing. I will give this a try. Fresh cranberry sauce will be a great change!
You should definitely try it, Sue. It is so delicious and incredibly easy!