Cranberry Apple Sauce

There’s almost nothing better at Thanksgiving than to have a side of cranberry sauce with your meal. But, as I’m sure you’re aware, traditional cranberry sauce comes in a can and is loaded with sugar and preservatives.

This cranberry applesauce recipe is super fresh, simple to make, has way less added sugar and is a little tangier, but still satisfies that little sweet kick you like.

I enjoy eating it any time of the year. In fact, this is a good substitute for jam, as long as it’s thick enough.

For a thicker sauce, cook a little longer or add about 1 tsp. chia seeds. They act as a thickener, absorbing the extra liquid around them and offering extra fiber, anti-inflammatory omega 3s, and digestive soothing properties.

Serve this cranberry sauce alongside these dishes:

• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa
• Baked Tofu
• Greek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Sheet Pan Tempeh Puttanesca

Apples are full of fiber, and aside from being delicious, cranberries are great for maintaining a healthy bladder, blood pressure and immune system.

Try adding some of this cranberry sauce to your oats the day after Thanksgiving for a quick and healthy post-Thanksgiving breakfast.

Or, you can use as a topping to your pancakes, waffles,  or scones. Serve with vanilla ice cream as a dessert, and even use as filling in a gluten-free pie crust for a delicious pie!

I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Cranberry Applesauce! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking in your caption, and I won’t miss it!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Cranberry Apple Sauce

Cut down on the sugar with this recipe that includes apples. Tart and sweet and a wonderful addition to your holiday meal.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

1/21x2x3x

Equipment

• Non-stick pan
• Spatula Set

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz package fresh cranberries (can be frozen)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 medium organic apple peeled and chopped
• 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon* broken in half
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or, substitute 1/2 tsp stevia equal to 1/2 cup sugar)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Instructions

• Sort over cranberries and put them into a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and the cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil and cook the mixture for 1 minute.
• Add the chopped apple and continue to cook until the apples are tender, about another 10 minutes.
• Stir in the maple syrup (or sugar substitute), lemon juice and stir to combine.
• Cool to thicken.

Notes

*I recommend using Ceylon cinnamon, which has a sweeter, more delicate flavor, because the most common cinnamon, cassia, contains coumarin, a naturally occurring compound that may be toxic to the liver at doses of 1 teaspoon per day for adults and 1/4 teaspoon for children a few times a week. See reference from nutritionfacts.org.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Apple Sauce

Amount per Serving

Calories

103

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.1

g

0

%

Saturated Fat

 

0

g

0

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

3.2

mg

0

%

Carbohydrates

 

52

g

17

%

Fiber

 

4.2

g

18

%

Sugar

 

16.9

g

19

%

Protein

 

0.1

g

0

%

Vitamin A

 

0

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

15.7

mg

19

%

Calcium

 

20

mg

2

%

Iron

 

0.2

mg

1

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information is a rough estimate. Values will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it’s recommended that you calculate your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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