Apple Cranberry Sauce
Condiments & Sauces,  Vegan

Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple cranberry sauce is my latest and new favorite recipe. Have you ever tried apple cranberry sauce? If not, you need to! Because this apple cranberry sauce recipe will change your views on traditional cranberry sauce recipes forever.

I must confess that I have hated cranberry sauce for the better part of my 30-something years that I’ve been walking on this planet. Until I discovered this absolutely amazing apple cranberry sauce. It was life changing! It was seriously that good.

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

An experiment

A couple of years ago now, I was gearing up for thanksgiving, or turkey day as I call it, with the in-laws. Now, that is no small gathering. It is always a large group of people. So in a group text, everybody started claiming the dishes they would be making. Typically I like to bake and make sweets for the event. Usually when we go to visit them, I’ve got 7 different kinds of cookies, a pie, and a cheesecake ready to go. I tend to go a bit overboard in my baking.

Well before I knew it, others had claimed the dessert portion of things, as well as many side dishes. It left me wondering what I was supposed to do. I really had to think about this one for a bit and I finally decided on cranberry sauce. Normally I hate it, but figured I could try it out and see what happened.

The end result was two batches of this, because I had no idea how much I would need and figured I couldn’t go wrong with a two helpings. Or, I’d simply be throwing it out later if it was a disaster. Turkey day comes and my husband and I make the drive to see his family.

We are all digging in to our delicious meals. I hear someone ask who had made the cranberry sauce? I honestly pretended I didn’t hear the question, as I hate being the center of attention and I was nervous about the feedback.

My husband, of course, speaks right up and says it was me. I couldn’t shrink under the table because I was sandwiched in between people, unfortunately. Luckily the feedback was far more positive than I was anticipating, and as the meal went on, a couple other people asked who made it and I finally started admitting to it.

I tasted what I expected to be a disaster and it really was amazing! My husband inhaled his, as did several others. My father in-law asked if they could keep part of it when we left. That was high praise! Needless to say, I was actually pretty proud of myself.

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

Becomes a family tradition

My disaster turned out to be the complete opposite. It was genius! Now, I’ve never been a fan of cranberry sauce in a can. I never understood how people could eat that. It was like mutant jello or something, with the rings from the aluminum can imprinted around the sides and it just sliced like a deli meat or something. This was the extent of my experience with cranberry sauce for many years.

Every other fresh sauce I tried was too tart and had a weird texture. My husband has always liked cranberry sauce, but I never attempted making it before this, and I’m honestly sorry I didn’t. If he wanted cranberry sauce, I told him to go buy a can, go to a restaurant, or make his own himself. After making this recipe, I’m far more willing to make it any and every time he wants it! It will absolutely be on our table this coming turkey day as well. Like I said, I am very sorry I hadn’t found this sooner.

This year for thanksgiving we are staying at home and just enjoying the day to ourselves. When making our shopping list and talking about what we each wanted made, we both agreed on the cranberry sauce being an absolute must-have ingredient. I am looking forward to making it again.

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

Cranberries (1 package)

Apples (1 cup, peeled and chopped)

Sugar (1 cup)

Cinnamon (¼ teaspoon)

Salt (¼ teaspoon)

Water (¾ cup)

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cranberry Sauce Directions

In a saucepan stir in the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and water and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.

Stir in the cranberries and apples. Simmer over medium heat until it starts to thicken up a bit and the cranberries start to pop. This should take roughly ten minutes..

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving.

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

Notes

I found this recipe was even better once it had set up overnight in the fridge and all the flavors married together. I also liked the consistency a bit better this way too. My recommendation would be to make this the day before Thanksgiving and keep in the fridge before serving.

Thanksgiving is all about traditions, but sometimes that means creating traditions of our own too. That is part of what I love about this recipe. It is creating a new tradition with my husband. We get to combine old traditions we grew up with, along with new ones we’re making ourselves. I don’t know about anyone else, but that makes me happy.

Discussion

As I get ready to celebrate not only my anniversary this next week, but thanksgiving as well, I realize I have a lot to be thankful for. Life may not be perfect, but it is pretty close, in my opinion. I am surrounded by amazing people, I have a wonderful home, and I’m establishing my blog. I’ve found what makes me happy. I finally found what makes me happy in life, and I am doing it.

What about you? What is your favorite part of thanksgiving? Tell me about what you have to be grateful for in the comments! Check out my other condiment and sauce recipes!

Apple Cranberry Sauce
Apple Cranberry Sauce

33 Comments

  • Tracy C

    I love your description of cranberry sauce in a jar! I love homemade cranberry relish. My recipe uses apples and oranges, and it’s absolutely delicious, especially with homemade sage and onion dressing/stuffing.

    • The Prepping Wife

      I wouldn’t have thought to add oranges to it, but that sounds amazing, Tracy! I’m going to try homemade stuffing this year for the first time. My husband doesn’t normally eat stuffing, so I’ve just cheated and done a box because I’m putting so much more effort into other things, but he’s agreed to try it this year if I make it.

  • Nicole Anderson | Camping for Women

    I can only imagine the massive sigh of relief you must have had when your cranberry sauce ended up being a hit with your husband’s family. Especially so, when this is something that you never previously enjoyed. The recipe you have included here really looks so easy to do and I am looking forward to giving it a try.

    • The Prepping Wife

      I’m pretty sure I stopped breathing for a bit when the first person asked who made the cranberry sauce and Nathan speaks right up and points to me. Felt like I had a neon sign flashing on top of my head! It was a definite relief to know they enjoyed it so much.

  • Elizabeth | Tired Mom Supermom

    This looks so easy! I always buy the canned stuff but I’m going to have to try to this recipe this year!

  • Sarah Emery

    You have given me a new interest in ‘mutant jello’ with imprinted rings. Lol! I love your extra tip about refrigerating it over night and thought about getting creative with traditional food.

  • Scott J DeNicola

    I absolutely love everything about Thanksgiving and it is easily my favorite combination of foods on the planet, except for Cranberry Sauce. I think for me it’s textural more than anything else. This recipe, however, seems like something I could totally enjoy. It looks delicious. Thanksgiving may never be the same at my house gain thanks to this recipe!

  • Despite Pain

    Our cranberry sauce comes in glass jars. I like it, but my husband hates it. If I buy it, I normally have to throw half the jar out as it’s been lying in the fridge too long. I wonder if he would like your recipe. I like the sound of it. Might have to try it sometime.

  • Lindsay Brown

    This is awesome because I too hate cranberry sauce! So of i could find a recipe that is tasty i would definitely make it for the holiday season. I am totes going to try this out, thanks for sharing!!!

  • Charmaine Daisley

    This cranberry sauce sounds amazing and it’s so easy to do. Glad you figured out how to take the ‘boring’ and ‘uninviting’ out of your Thanksgiving cranberry sauce experience. I like how you always explore with your cooking and come up with some impressive creations.

  • Karen

    I can’t wait to try this! Apples and Cranberries will soon be in season at my local farmer’s market, so it’ll be the perfect time to try this. Cranberries can sometimes be too bitter for me, but I think the sugar & apples will give enough sweetness that it’s delicious!

  • Megan Kerry

    I’ve made plenty of cranberry sauces but I haven’t thought to include apples before! This is just perfect because I have a huge crab apple tree in my backyard so I will definitely be trying this recipe out!

  • Alexandra

    Your recipe actually sounds good. I’ll bet the apples make it taste really a lot better. I’m not a cranberry sauce fan either. And I love how you weave a great story around this recipe post. You are a talented writer. I could almost see all of you sitting at the table and you kind of sinking down to be invisible when people where asking who made the sauce.

  • Kaye

    Ah I love Cranberry sauce. My one purpose in this life…during Christmas time at least…is to figure out how to make Cran Sauce without sugar…or sugar substitutes…I have NOT found a great solution yet. My mouth is legit watering from thinking about cranberry sauce right now.

  • Kara

    This would be perfect to enjoy on Thanksgiving! My mother in law has a similar recipe but I need to give this one a try, as well!

  • Debra Roberts

    I love cranberry sauce! It seems like a lost art of sorts when it comes to making it for Thanksgiving. I don’t know why we don’t make it more. It goes so well with turkey and chicken and it’s like having dessert before dessert! I love the idea of adding oranges!

  • Lyosha

    Cranberry sauce is my favorite addition to meat. So delicious! I really like your recipe, will try to make it, the addition of apple makes me intrigued.

  • Subhashish Roy

    I need to try out this sauce. Cranberry and apples both are my favorites and the combination effect should be awesome.

  • Kelly Martin

    This cranberry apple sauce sounds great. Unfortunately we don’t celebrate thanksgiving here in Australia but I’ll give it a try next time I cook turkey.

  • The Sunny Side Lifestyle Co.

    I’m one of those people that enjoy cranberry sauce, even from a can. This however sounds like a delicious whole new ballgame! We recently found a local butcher that prepares stuffed turkey breast (one hour in the oven and you have dinner) so I’ll be trying this out on a standard Tuesday night. Thanks for the delicious recipe!

  • Norma

    This apple cranberry sauce looks delicious and easy to make. I love cranberry sauce especially because I only eat it for Thanksgiving. Happy anniversary! I am super grateful to be with my loved ones.

  • Fatima Torres

    Sometimes when you don’t like something, you’re better off creating your own version! I love that you went for an apple cranberry sauce that is less tart. Excited to try it for the holidays!

  • Daphne takahashi

    Wow! That recipe seemed delicious! I have never attempted to make cranberry sauce but yours definitely seem way more delicious than the store bought! Nothing beats homemade food!

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