This cranberry sauce with homemade apple pie filling is delicious and makes a beautiful addition to a holiday table.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is a great side dish.

It’s easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and adds such a vibrant color to the Holiday table.

And it tastes wonderful too.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

About the Ingredients

The apple pie filling is made with Granny Smith apples which tend to hold their shape nicely when cooked.

The tartness of the apples is a nice contrast to the sweet cranberry sauce.

I especially like how the Granny Smith apples add texture and a subtle flavor of apple pie filling to the cranberry sauce.

Let’s check out the ingredients.

Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling – Granny Smith Apples (or other type of tart apple), fresh lemon juice, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and butter

Cranberry Sauce – Fresh cranberries, water, granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

A printable recipe with the measurements and instructions is located at the bottom of this post.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the Apple Pie Filling:

Peeled apples on cutting board

Peel the apples and cut the flesh away from the core.

Cut apples on cutting board

On a cutting board, lay the apples cut-side down and cut them into pieces that are about 1-inch square.

Add cut apples in bowl

To a medium-size bowl, add the cut apples

Add lemon juice on apples

…and fresh lemon juice.

Stir cut apples in bowl

Mix together to coat the apples with lemon juice.

Add brown sugar on apples

To the bowl, add brown sugar

Add cinnamon on apples

Add cinnamon on apples

…ground cinnamon

Add cloves on apples

…ground cloves

Add nutmeg on apples

…and ground nutmeg.

Stir apples in bowl

Mix together…

Stir apples in bowl

…until the pieces of apple are coated with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Transfer the apple mixture to a small to medium-size baking dish.

Butter cut in small cubes

Next…

Cut apples in bowl

…top the pie filling with small cubes of butter.

Cut apples in bowl with lid

Cover the baking dish with an oven-proof lid or foil and…

Baked apples in dish

bake in a preheated oven (at 350 degrees F.) until the apples are cooked through (about 35 minutes).

Baked apples in bowl

After baking the apples, remove the lid on the baking dish and let the apples cool to room temperature.

While the apples are baking, make the cranberry sauce.

For the Cranberry Sauce:

Fresh cranberries in colander

Rinse the cranberries in a colander and set aside.

Pour water in pot

To a medium-size pot, add water

Add lemon juice in pot

…fresh lemon juice

Pour sugar in pot

…and granulated sugar.

Stir sugar water in pot

Heat the pot on medium heat and stir.

Boiling sugar water in pot

Bring the mixture to a low boil.

When the sugar dissolves, turn the heat down to low.

Add cranberries in pot

To the pot, using a large spoon, carefully add the cranberries.

Stir cranberries in pot

Stir and turn the heat up to medium heat.

Boil cranberries in pot

Next,

Stir cranberries in pot

…when the cranberries start to boil, turn the heat down to a low simmer

Cranberries in pot with lid

…and cover with a lid.

Let simmer for about 7 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

TIP – As the cranberry sauce cools, it should set and thicken up just a bit.

Cranberry Sauce on Spoon

I like to cook the cranberry sauce up to the point to where it’s still a little saucy because as it cools, it generally turns to a more “jellied” consistency.

Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature.

For the Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce:

Apple Filling in Cranberry Sauce

Once the apple pie filling and cranberry sauce are cooled, transfer them to a medium-size mixing bowl.

Stir apples in cranberry sauce

Using a spatula or large spoon…

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

mix together.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

Serve chilled

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

warm, or at room temperature.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

For holiday color, garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

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Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce with homemade apple pie filling is a beautiful and delicious addition for your holiday table.
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

For the Apples Pie Filling:

  • 3 medium-size Granny Smith apples (or other type of tart apple), peeled and cored
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar (dark or light)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 pinches ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon chilled butter cut into small cubes

For the Cranberry Sauce:

  • 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 whole lemon (juiced)

For the Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce:

  • Apple pie filling (cooled)
  • Cranberry sauce (cooled)

Instructions

For the Apple Pie Filling:

  • Peel the apples and cut the flesh away from the core. On a cutting board, lay the apples cut-side down and cut them into pieces that are about 1-inch square.
  • To a medium-size bowl, add the cut apples and lemon juice. Mix together so that all of the pieces of apple are coated with lemon juice.
  • To the bowl, add brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Mix together until the pieces of apple are coated with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
  • Transfer the apple mixture to a small to medium-size baking dish. Top with small cubes of butter. Cover the baking dish with an oven-proof lid or foil, and bake in a preheated oven (at 350 degrees F.) until the apples are cooked through (about 35 minutes).
  • After baking the apples, remove the lid on the baking dish and let the apples cool to room temperature.
    While the apples are baking, make the cranberry sauce.

For the Cranberry Sauce:

  • Rinse the cranberries in a colander and set aside.
  • To a medium-size pot, add water, fresh lemon juice and sugar. Heat the pot on medium heat and stir.
  • Bring the mixture to a low boil. When the sugar dissolves, turn the heat down to low. To the pot, using a large spoon, carefully add the cranberries.
  • Stir and turn the heat up to medium heat. When the cranberries start to boil, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover with a lid.
  • Let simmer for about 7 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. As the cranberry sauce cools, it should set and thicken a bit.
    I like to cook the cranberry sauce up to the point to where it's still a little saucy because as it cools, it generally turns to a more "jellied" type consistency.
  • Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature.

For the Apple Pie Filling Cranberry Sauce:

  • Once the apple pie filling and cranberry sauce are cooled, transfer them to a medium-size mixing bowl. Using a spatula or a large spoon, mix together.
  • Serve chilled, warm or at room temperature. For holiday color, garnish with fresh mint leaves. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

TIPS:

  1. When cooking the cranberries, if the liquid in the pan is boiling too rapidly (and rising), turn down the heat to low.
  2. As the cranberry sauce cools, it should thicken a bit.

Cranberry Recipes

Here are more recipes with cranberries you may like “Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Spice“, “Lemonade Cranberry Sauce” and “Whole Cranberry Sauce with Blackberries and Lime“.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes

If by chance, there are any leftovers, here’s a delicious recipe using cranberry sauce you may like “Cranberry Sauce and Blueberry Galette“.

Side Dish Recipes

More Side Dishes You May Like:

Candied Yams (Sweet Potatoes) with Pecans and Marshmallows

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Sage and Ham

Easy Macaroni and Cheese with Cavatappi Pasta

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes