This Crockpot Apple Cranberry Sauce is spiked with orange and crystallized ginger. Fantastic with roast turkey!
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
Maple & Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce 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.
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.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Other cranberry sauce recipes:
Cookin' Canuck's Maple & Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce
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
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
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.
Sally
This is such a good idea for the busy holiday cooking season when stove and oven space is at a premium!
brandi
this is gorgeous! i love adding ginger in with the cranberries - and homemade is the only way to go when it comes to cranberry sauce.
Maria
I love apples in my cranberry sauce! I will have to try ginger next time too!
Bev Weidner
My eyes are processing the beauty.....
Kathy - Panini Happy
I love the practicality of involving the slow cooker in Thanksgiving prep. The crystallizes ginger is an especially nice touch!
claudia lamascolo/aka pegasuslegend
oh boy this sounds great I love crockpot recipes going to try this one with a dash of Amaretto in it too! Thanks this is an awesome time saver for me!
Biren @ Roti n Rice
I will have to try this cranberry sauce. Adding apples and crystallized ginger sounds like a yummy idea.
Heather (Heather's Dish)
i did something similar with just cranberries...the apples are such a great addition though! and crystallized ginger?! be still my heart 🙂
Belinda @zomppa
Lovely combination - love it, might have to be on the Thanksgiving table!
Jessica @ How Sweet
I adore crystallized ginger! That totally sold me. Love this.