Apple cranberry sauce. Not quite as American as apple pie. Not until you taste this version, that is. Sweetly tart and superbly lovely with turkey and pork and so, so much more.
This apple cranberry sauce exists somewhere in the space between applesauce and cranberry sauce. While it of course goes beautifully with roast turkey it’s also quite lovely with roast duck and roast pork and so, so much more. Here’s how we’re intending to use it…–Renee Schettler Rossi
- With Greek yogurt and honey (granola optional!)
- Atop warm oatmeal or breakfast porridge
- On a pork sandwich
- Swirled into batter for coffee cake or muffins
- Thinned with orange juice to top pancakes or blintzes
- With brie or Cheddar on a cheese plate
- Alongside grilled chicken–Renee Schettler Rossi
Apple Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 sweet-tart apples, such as Granny Smith peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
- Zest and juice of 2 clementines (about 1 tablespoon zest and 6 tablespoons juice)
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated ginger
- A pinch of ground cloves
- 3 1/2 fluid ounces water
Directions
- Put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, the apples break down, and the cranberries burst, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little before serving or transfer to a glass jar with a lid. This sauce will keep in the fridge for one week.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This sauce is such a nice combination of sweet-tart apples and tart cranberries. The ginger and the clove make this such a warm, inviting sauce. This will be my new holiday go-to recipe for cranberry sauce. It’s delicious on its own but my young family especially enjoyed it cold mixed with plain Greek yogurt and honey; warm on top of quinoa breakfast porridge; mixed into a standard muffin recipe; and thinned out with a splash of orange juice on pancakes and blintzes. Next time I look forward to serving it on a cheese plate.
Although I was a little hesitant to make cranberry sauce in July, this is one recipe I will certainly be pulling out when the festive season rolls around. It’s very quick and easy and the resulting sauce is vastly superior to anything store-bought and would be lovely with turkey or a cold buffet. I’m planning to eat this batch as a compote with Greek yogurt and granola, although it may need a little honey over the top as it’s rather tart. The flavors of all the ingredients come through beautifully and it’s a very impressive condiment for such little effort!
I like cranberry sauce yearround and found this recipe provides an enjoyable mingling of tastes. Both the ginger and the cloves add something cranberry sauce doesn’t always have. And really, in 90-degree weather, why wouldn’t I want a fruity side dish that doesn’t include green gelatin? I served some as a side dish with grilled chicken. Some of the rest made a nice topping on a grilled pork sandwich. And the rest got swirled into a coffee cake. I think the Pilgrims would have approved.
The finished sauce had a wonderful tangy and savory taste. I want to try this apple cranberry sauce recipe this Thanksgiving with my turkey. It’s a different spin on the traditional cranberry sauce. I served the sauce as a topping for a roast pork loin and it was delicious and went perfectly with the pork.
Originally published November 16, 2017
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I’ve been making my Cranberry Sauce exactly like this recipe but this year I will add the cloves. It’s so good I munch on it like it’s dessert!
Love to hear that, Randi K! Thanks so much for trying our version. Kindly let us know what you think…
I made it yesterday in prep for “eating day.” Delicious with the clove spice. I used agave and a little bit of dark Vermont maple syrup instead of honey. TY for posting that recipe, I’ve already forwarded it to a family member. Happy Holiday Season to all @ Leites.
Thank YOU Randi. And happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!