This delicious and ruby red jewel toned sauce is the holidays all wrapped up in a single dish! In fact, nothing looks MORE like the holidays than a dark red glistening tart and delicious sauce atop your miracle holiday dinner! There is nothing like this Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce!

You probably have about a million questions about Cranberry sauce, and I promise, we will get to all of them! You’ll even end up with GREAT recipes for both natural cranberries AND canned cranberries!

Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce

WATCH THIS QUICK VIDEO OF WENDI PREPARING A CANNED CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE RECIPE

WHY THIS RECIPE FOR CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE WORKS

• It’s EASY
• Nothing tastes more like the holidays than a combination of cranberry, apples and oranges!
• When you serve homemade cranberry sauce, it looks so elegant and tastes SO GOOD!
• No one will believe that you made cranberry sauce from scratch!
• There are several substitutions you can make (see the tips and tricks).
• Much of the sweetness comes from the applesauce!
• You get terrific recipes for both canned and scratch made cranberries!

But first, let’s get to your questions, I know there are a bunch!

Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce

WHAT IS CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE?

Cranberry sauce (with applesauce) is a red jewel toned sauce that you see on every holiday table!

Sometimes plain ol canned cranberry sauce  looks like a reddish loaf with the ribs from the inside of the can and can be served in round disks.

At times, it appears as a jellied spoonful and sits atop a slice of turkey or ham.

Some folks like to serve cranberry sauce made from scratch and it looks more like the original cranberries.

All cranberry sauce share an undeniable acidic tanginess that accompanies holiday meats so well as a perfect balance and foil to the fatty meats.

WHY IS THE CRANBERRY SAUCE CAN UPSIDE DOWN?

When you look at a can of cranberry sauce, you’ll see that you open it from the bottom! This is because when you open it this way, insert a knife, the vacuum is released and the jellied cranberry sauce slides RIGHT OUT!

WHY CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH TURKEY OR ANY HOLIDAY MEAL?

Cranberries are a classic holiday meal accompaniment. Often people serve this in the tradition of the first Thanksgiving meal (although, according to Martha Stewart, it’s uncertain if cranberries appeared on that first Thanksgiving table).

What is true is that cranberry sauce with its tangy flavors is the perfect side taste to a more fatty meat like ham, duck or a piece of succulent turkey.

WHAT DOES CRANBERRY SAUCE GO WITH?

Cranberry sauce (either homemade or canned) goes with all kinds of dishes including:

• Turkey ( The Perfect Roasted Turkey)
• Ham
• Duck
• Pork
• Meatballs (Blow your mind meatballs )
• Pork Loin
• Pork Chops
• Lamb
• Fish
• Salmon
• Smoked Turkey
• Chicken
• Chicken wings
• Duck Confit
• Meatloaf

HOW MUCH CRANBERRY SAUCE DO I FIX FOR A CROWD?

A good rule of thumb for ANY sauces you are likely to serve is to allow ¼ cup serving per person.

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH MANDARIN ORANGES?

If you prefer to use mandarin oranges for your recipe instead of the orange juice listed….

For whole oranges…

simply zest the oranges and preserve the zest. Juice the slices (remove pithy strings and seeds) in a food processor and substitute for the orange juice.

For canned mandarins…

If you have canned mandarin oranges, simply process in a food processor until juiced and then use that juice for the recipe.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROCESS FOR HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE

First, pick through the fresh cranberries and remove any with bad places and organize your supplies.

Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce

Then place onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar

Cranberry sauce with applesauce

Then bake the cranberries with the sugar covering

Cranberry Sauce with applesauce

Add the orange juice and applesauce

Cranberry sauce with Applesauce

FAQ and TIPS AND TRICKS

WILL CRANBERRY SAUCE THICKEN AS IT COOKS?

Cranberry sauce DOES thicken as it cooks. If you prefer a thicker consistency then what you are getting, simply cook longer.

If you are making the cranberry sauce from scratch, then it won’t be as thick as the canned version.

HOW LONG CAN I LET CRANBERRY SAUCE SIT OUT?

Cranberry sauce can sit out for about 2 hours and then you should cover and put back in the fridge.

HOW LONG DOES CRANBERRY SAUCE LAST?

Once opened, the canned sauce lasts about 5 days if kept refrigerated.
The fresh cranberry sauce lasts about 5 days once it is made if kept refrigerated.

Cranberry sauce with applesauce

CAN CRANBERRY SAUCE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, in fact, my family thinks it tastes better if made the day before (if making from scratch).
Canned versions (if using the recipe below) can also be made the day before.

CAN CRANBERRY SAUCE BE FROZEN?

You CAN freeze cranberry sauce, but when it thaws back out, it will likely be more watery and that may not be pleasing to you. Will be good in the freezer for about 3 months.

If you are making the sauce from whole cranberries, the whole cranberries can be frozen for up to 6 months.

HOW TO GET CRANBERRY SAUCE OUT OF THE CAN

Open the can from the bottom
Use a table knife to run up into the can to release the vacuum and the sauce slides right out!

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CANNED CRANBERRY SAUCE RECIPE

• If you don’t have a medium orange it is fine to substitute ¼ cup of orange juice instead
• You can make this up to 1-2 days before serving.
• If you don’t have a way to zest the orange, just leave that part out.
• Some folks prefer cranberry sauce straight from the can and sliced into disks
• Serve this cranberry sauce alongside your main course for your holiday dinner

A TERRIFIC RECIPE FOR CANNED CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Can of Cranberry Sauce
• 1 medium orange (juice and zest) = ¼ cup juice
• ¼ cup apple sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium heat.
2. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients as it heats.
3. When heated through, pour into serving dish.

Cranberry sauce with applesauce

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SCRATCH MADE CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE

• Make sure to cover the baking dish very well and seal well with foil.
• When stirring in the orange juice and applesauce be VERY gentle so as not to burst all of the cranberries.
• If you prefer, substitute a good quality brandy for the orange juice (⅓ cup).
• We think this tastes better if you allow it to sit in the fridge for 1-2 days and allow the flavors to meld.

THE RECIPE FOR CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH APPLESAUCE

Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce

This is the perfect ruby red holiday dish that you will want to adorn your holiday table!  Your guests will exclaim, "How did YOU make cranberry sauce with applesauce yourself?"  You can just smile knowing how easy it actually was!

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Course: sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberry sauce with applesauce, how to make cranberry sauce with applesauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Fresh Cranberries
• 2 Cups Granulated White Sugar
• ⅓ Cup Orange Juice
• ⅓ Cup Apple Sauce

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300.
• Sprinkle the fresh cranberries in a 9x13 baking dish.
• Pour the sugar over the tops of the cranberries and coat well.
• Cover the baking dish well with foil making sure to pinch the sides down well.
• Bake at 300 for 1 hour and remove from the oven and remove the foil.
• Stir very gently.
• Add the orange juice and apple sauce and stir in gently.
• Allow to cool on a cooling rack and then place into containers to go into the fridge. Keep covered tightly until ready to serve.

Notes

Make sure to cover the baking dish very well and seal well with foil.

When stirring in the orange juice and applesauce be VERY gentle so as not to burst all of the cranberries.

If you prefer, substitute a good quality brandy for the orange juice (⅓ cup).

We think this tastes better if you allow it to sit in the fridge for 1-2 days and allow the flavors to meld.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Sauce with Applesauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 150

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

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A VERSE TO SHARE

Sometimes the world conspires FOR you! It’s true (but only when HE is in the picture, right?). Here is an example from RIGHT NOW at the World Wide Headquarters of Loaves and Dishes!

I am sitting here writing to you about these holiday cranberries while listening to music and I hear….,

🎶”Don’t worry, be happy.

When you worry your face will frown,

and that will bring everybody down,

so don’t worry, be happy”. 🎶

Are you singing it yet?

And then guess what my scriptures are open to?

Joshua 1, where Moses has died and it’s time for Joshua to lead the people across the Jordan River to their promised land.

What does God say….

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Amen God.

Thank you for the message straight from heaven. I know we can all use a positive word today.