This easy sweet and tangy cranberry sauce is a hit with kids. Serve this healthy cranberry sauce with any meal for a pop of color, fun flavor, and some vitamin C. Or, serve it as a snack. Kids love it!
About this recipe
This super easy cranberry sauce recipe uses fresh apple and orange juice to naturally sweeten the cranberry sauce. A small amount of brown sugar is added to top off the sweetness and to help create the texture that kids love. If your family loves cranberry sauce and you are looking for an easy and delicious recipe that uses less sugar, this is the cranberry sauce for you.
- This recipe calls for much less 'added sugar' than traditional cranberry sauce recipes.
- Kids love this cranberry sauce. Serve it with any meal.
- This cranberry sauce makes a delicious snack. Serve it with cheese and crackers.
- Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without a cranberry sauce that kids love!
ingredient notes
- Cranberries Store fresh cranberries in the refrigerator or freezer. Cranberries are beautiful in color, have a tart flavor, and are high in vitamin C.
- Honeycrisp Apple What kid doesn't love a good Honeycrisp apple?! Honeycrisp apples are sweet and delicious.
- Orange Juice Use fresh squeezed orange juice, if possible.
- Cinnamon Added for flavor.
- Brown Sugar Brown sugar helps balance out the flavor.
- Optional: Orange Zest. If your kids like the flavor of orange zest, add one teaspoon of zest at the end, while the cranberry sauce is still hot.
step-by-step instructions
Here is a quick overview of the steps to make this cranberry sauce. For a full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- First, peel, core, and chop up the apple into small pieces.
- Then, place apple pieces in a saucepan with one quarter cup of water and cook over medium heat for about five minutes.
- While the apple pieces cook, rinse cranberries and measure out the rest of the ingredients.
- Once the apples are softened, add cranberries and continue to cook for another three minutes, until cranberries start to pop.
- Using a food masher, mash cranberries and apple together.
- Last, add orange juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar and mix well.
- Cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until all ingredients are combined.
- Let cool.
Expert tips and FAQs
- This recipe is easily doubled.
- To reduce cooking time, cut apple into small pieces.
- Cranberry sauce can be served with any meal, not just on Thanksgiving!
- Most kids will end up taking seconds - let them!
questions you may have
Yes, it can!
Yes! Fresh cranberry sauce freezes nicely. Pack it in an airtight container or in a resealable freezer bag before freezing.
Serve cranberry sauce with any meal or with cheese and crackers as a snack. Also, try serving cranberry sauce in place of jam on bread or crackers.
Healthy Cranberry Sauce That Kids Love
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 Honeycrisp apple 1 large apple, or approximately 1½ cups chopped sweet apple
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop up the apple.
- Add chopped apple and water to a medium sauce pan.
- Cook apple for about 7 minutes, until softened.
- Add cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Add cranberries to apples and continue to cook.
- Once cranberries start to pop, mash cranberries and apples using a food masher.
- Add orange juice and cook for an additional ~2 minutes.
- Add brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook for an additional ~ 2 minutes, or until brown sugar has been dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Optional: 1 teaspoon of orange zest and one additional tablespoon of brown sugar, depending on preference.
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