Healthy Cranberry Applesauce
45 min
|
easy
|
gluten-free,
lactose-free,
low-fat,
vegan,
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Bright, ruby-red, and tart-sweet, this healthy cranberry applesauce brings cinnamon, vanilla, and maple together with a pinch of sea salt so there's no going back to sad jarred sauce.
Make it for holiday tables, meal prep, and lunchboxes, and serve it with pork chops and latkes or spooned over yogurt and oatmeal.
Ingredients (10 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients
- 3 medium Fuji apples, peeled, cored, chopped Fuji apples 3 ct medium
- 3 medium Gala apples, peeled, cored, chopped Gala apples 3 ct medium
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored Granny Smith apples 2 ct medium
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries fresh cranberries 6 oz
- ½ cup water water
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup pure maple syrup 2 Tbsp
- ¼ cup brown sugar brown sugar 1.72 oz
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.04 oz
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice lemon 0.22 ct (for fresh lemon juice)
- 1 tsp lemon zest lemon 0.07 ct (for lemon zest)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- pinch sea salt sea salt 0.01 oz
How to Make Healthy Cranberry Applesauce
-
Prep the fruit
Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1 inch chunks for even cooking and a hearty texture.
Rinse and drain the cranberries, then zest and juice the lemon, keeping them separate.
Toss the chopped apples with the lemon juice to slow browning and brighten flavor.
-
Load the pot
In a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, add apples, cranberries, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of sea salt.
Stir well to coat the fruit so the spices and sweeteners dissolve evenly.
-
Start covered, finish uncovered
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook 10 minutes to steam the apples without scorching.
Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes until the apples are fork-tender and most cranberries have burst.
-
Choose your texture
For rustic sauce, mash with a potato masher until chunky with cranberry jewels still visible.
For silky sauce, blend with an immersion blender right in the pot until smooth, or blend half and fold it back for the best of both worlds.
-
Finish with aromatics
Stir in vanilla and lemon zest off the heat so the aromas stay bright.
Taste and balance with a bit more maple for sweetness, a squeeze of lemon for lift, or a tiny pinch of salt to make the fruit pop.
-
Cool and store
Let the applesauce cool 15 to 20 minutes so it thickens naturally as pectin sets.
Transfer to clean glass containers, press parchment on the surface if you want to prevent a skin, and refrigerate up to 7 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Substitutions
- Brown sugar -> maple syrup
- Swap the 1/4 cup brown sugar for 2 to 3 extra tablespoons maple syrup to keep the sweetness unrefined while adding a round, woodsy flavor that complements cinnamon and vanilla.
- Water -> apple cider
- Replace the 1/2 cup water with unsweetened apple cider for deeper apple intensity and natural body from pectin, which yields a richer tasting sauce without extra sugar.
- Fresh cranberries -> raspberries
- Use 1 1/2 cups raspberries when cranberries are out of season for the same bold red color and a softer, floral tang that melts into the apples beautifully.
Tips
- Mix apple cuts for perfect body
- Dice some apples smaller and leave others in larger chunks so part of the fruit melts into sauce while a few pieces stay pleasantly rustic.
- Control moisture like a pro
- Keep the lid on early to steam and soften, then off to reduce and concentrate so you are not stuck with watery sauce.
- Heavy pot, gentle heat
- A heavy Dutch oven spreads heat evenly and prevents hot spots, so the sugars do not scorch while the cranberries burst cleanly.
- Salt is your secret weapon
- A small pinch of sea salt sharpens fruit flavors and keeps the sweetness from tasting flat, so do not skip it.
- Finish off heat
- Add vanilla and zest after cooking to preserve their top notes instead of cooking them off into the air.
- Use the scraps
- Simmer apple peels and cores with a little water and cinnamon stick for 15 minutes to make a fragrant apple tea that is a great base for oatmeal or cocktails.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 225 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1 | g |
| Total Fat | 0 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My applesauce is too tart, how do I fix it without making it cloying?
- Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup and taste, then add a splash of apple cider to round the edges so you get sweetness plus apple depth, not just sugar.
- The sauce is too thin after cooking, what now?
- Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, or grate in one raw apple and cook 2 to 3 minutes so its pectin naturally thickens the batch.
- It started to scorch on the bottom, can I save it?
- Turn off the heat, gently transfer the top portion to a clean pot without scraping the burnt bits, add a few tablespoons water, and continue on low with frequent stirring.
- Can I leave the apple peels on?
- Yes, the peels add fiber, color, and a subtle tannic snap, but plan to puree fully for a smooth finish since peel pieces stay chewy when left chunky.
- Can I use frozen cranberries?
- Absolutely, use them straight from the freezer and add 1 to 2 extra minutes to the covered steam time since they drop the pot temperature.
- How long does it keep and can I freeze it?
- Refrigerate up to 7 days in airtight glass and freeze up to 3 months, leaving headspace in containers to prevent cracking as it expands.
- Is this recipe safe for canning?
- It can be canned, but follow a tested water-bath recipe from a trusted source like the National Center for Home Food Preservation and keep the texture pourable without thickeners.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with Greek yogurt and toasted pecans for breakfast or alongside pork chops for a classic sweet-tart counterpoint that cuts through richness.
If you want a spicy wink, add a thumb of grated fresh ginger or a cinnamon stick during the simmer, or finish with a splash of bourbon for an adults-only dessert sauce.
More pairings:
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
