Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 61 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

This Crockpot Apple Cranberry Sauce is spiked with orange and crystallized ginger. Fantastic with roast turkey!
Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (1)

The barrage of holiday recipes has started. For my Canadian and other non-American readers, I urge you to think of these recipes not just for American Thanksgiving, but for the whole holiday season. In fact, our family tradition is to eat turkey at Christmas dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes and a double dose of gravy. For my family, it's not a proper turkey dinner without our favorite
and my mother-in-law's Crockpot Applesauce. Our favorite cranberry sauce will be making appearance again this year. In fact, I think my kids would have "words" with me if I didn't make it. However, since variety is the spice of life (so they say), I thought it would be fun to have another version on hand for day-after sandwiches.

Between the family applesauce recipe and the pear applesauce I made this year, the crockpot (slow cooker) has always worked well for us. Not only does it fill the kitchen with the smell of the holidays, but it can be tucked away in the corner of the kitchen, freeing up stovetop space, which is at a premium when cooking a holiday meal. This version is filled with cranberries, fresh orange juice, orange zest and chopped crystallized ginger. As the apples cook down and the cranberries pop, the color takes on a ruby red hue. Before removing the sauce from the crockpot, be sure to taste it. If you find it to be too tart, just add an extra tablespoon or two of brown sugar to sweeten things up.

The apple cranberry sauce recipe:

Place all of the apple pieces and cranberries in a large bowl and stir in brown sugar and orange zest.

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (2)

Pour orange juice into the bottom of a large crockpot (slow cooker) and add the apple mixture.

Cover, turn the crockpot setting to Low, and cook for about 8 hours, stirring occasionally and breaking up the apple slices and popping cranberries with a wooden spoon as they soften.

Stir in crystallized ginger. Taste and add an additional tablespoon or two of brown sugar if you find the sauce too tart for your liking.

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (3)

Serve warm or room temperature.

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (4)

Other cranberry sauce recipes:

Cookin' Canuck's
Two Peas and Their Pod's Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ciao Florentina's Blood Orange Cranberry Sauce

Printable Recipe

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (5)

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe

This Crockpot Apple Cranberry Sauce is spiked with orange and crystallized ginger. Fantastic with roast turkey or chicken!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauces/Condiments

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Holiday Recipes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 Servings (4 Cups Total)

Calories: 47kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 4 medium Gala apples peeled, cored, quartered & sliced
  • 1 12 ounce package fresh cranberries
  • 5 tablespoons brown sugar or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

  • Place all of the apple pieces and cranberries in a large bowl and stir in brown sugar and orange zest.

  • Pour orange juice into the bottom of a large crockpot (slow cooker) and add the apple mixture.

  • Cover, turn the crockpot setting to Low, and cook for about 8 hours, stirring occasionally and breaking up the apple slices and cranberries with a wooden spoon as they soften.

  • Stir in crystallized ginger. Taste and add an additional tablespoon or two of brown sugar if you find the sauce to be too tart.

  • Serve warm or room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25Cup | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

More Christmas Recipes

  • Caprese Christmas Tree
  • Maple Pear and Goat Cheese Salad
  • Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment

  1. Megan @ Ginger Mom's Tastes and Travels

    I have a bag of cranberries to use up and apples coming out my ears! This looks like something I'm going to have to try 🙂 The only question is: do I have enough crockpots. I've already allocated many of my side dishes to crockpots this year. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply

  2. Natasha Coleman

    Made this last year and forgot it had to be on 8 hours!!! So this year I have the pot on high. I will update on the result in 5 hours lol!

    Reply

  3. Yokuyst

    My crockpot has something in it now. Can I cook this on top my stove on low heat?

    Reply

  4. Erin

    I followed this recipe exactly, but the end results turned out a brownish color, and the taste was really off. Any idea what the reason could be for that?

    Reply

    • Dara

      Hmm...I'm not sure what went wrong as I haven't experienced that, but I'm sorry to hear that it didn't turn out for you. A few possibilities: 1) It's possible that your LOW setting is a little hotter than mine. Perhaps try cooking it for a shorter time. 2) Were the cut apples sitting out for awhile before going into the crockpot? I'm just wondering if they started to brown before being cooked. 3) Were the cranberries really fresh? I know I've bought bags of cranberries in the past that had some less-than-stellar cranberries in the bunch.

      Reply

  5. Amy

    How many servings does this make? I'm hosting somewhere between 15-20 people, and I'm wondering if I need to double the recipe and/or adjust cooking time if so...

    Reply

    • Dara

      Hi Amy, the recipe makes about 4 cups. So, it all depends on how much your guests like cranberry sauce. If you ration 1/4 cup per person, that would serve approximately 16 people. To be on the safe side, I'd probably make 1 1/2 time the recipe, which may require you to cook it slightly longer. I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

« Older Comments

Apple & Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Crystallized Ginger Recipe (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 6326

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-03-23

Address: 74183 Thomas Course, Port Micheal, OK 55446-1529

Phone: +13408645881558

Job: Global Representative

Hobby: Sailing, Vehicle restoration, Rowing, Ghost hunting, Scrapbooking, Rugby, Board sports

Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.