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

Published: Nov 11, 2011 · Modified: Oct 20, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 61 Comments

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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
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
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

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

5 from 2 votes

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

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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Megan @ Ginger Mom's Tastes and Travels
November 14, 2018 at 11:43 pm
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
Natasha Coleman
November 23, 2017 at 5:58 am
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
Yokuyst
November 24, 2015 at 3:10 pm
My crockpot has something in it now. Can I cook this on top my stove on low heat?
Reply
Erin
November 28, 2014 at 11:46 am
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
  December 01, 2014 at 4:11 pm
  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
  See Also
  Better-than-Boxed Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffing recipe - Fab Everyday
Amy
November 20, 2014 at 4:47 am
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
  November 23, 2014 at 2:11 pm
  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
CiaoFlorentina
November 12, 2014 at 10:51 pm
Yummy! What a great idea to add the crystalized ginger! brilliant !
Reply
Mary Thompson
December 18, 2012 at 11:11 pm

I made this for my work Christmas dinner and it was a hit even with the one that were not fond of cranberries. I will be making this every year. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Reply
Mary Thompson
December 10, 2012 at 1:49 pm
I would like to know how long after making the crockpot cranberry & apple with orange and crystallized ginger will keep in the fridge. Please let me know soon. Thank you. Mary.
Reply
- Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
  December 10, 2012 at 2:08 pm
  Hi Mary, I've stored it in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes really well. I hope you enjoy it!
  Reply
  - Mary Thompson
    December 10, 2012 at 4:16 pm
    Thank you so much for getting back to me so fast. I'm making this for a work Christmas dinner on the 14 th. I'm looking forward to trying this.
    Reply
Jessi
November 10, 2012 at 7:15 pm
How long will this be good for? I would like to make some and put in jars for gifts before we let out for the Thanksgiving holidays.
Reply
Lauren
November 21, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Thank you! I'll try it and report back! Lucky for me, my friends will have nothing to compare it to 🙂
Reply
Lauren
November 19, 2011 at 5:00 pm
This cranberry sauce looks amazing! Do you think I can make it with frozen cranberries? I live in Australia and sadly, cranberries are something that do not grow here! I'm American and am going to attempt making my first ever Thanksgiving dinner for my Aussie friends. And for an extra challenge I've decided to do it in a country where they don't have all the ingredients I need 🙂 Help please!
Reply
- Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
  November 19, 2011 at 9:29 pm
  Hi Lauren, I admire your tenacity in making a Thanksgiving dinner while living abroad. Good for you! I don't see why you couldn't make this with frozen cranberries, but I have never actually tried it myself. I would defrost the cranberries first and then make the sauce as directed. Let me know how it turns out!
  Reply
hope
November 17, 2011 at 7:42 am
I made this last night. It smelled so good while cooking. I put it on high and was planning to stir it about every 45 minutes but I forgot about it at one point and went about 90 minutes without stirring and it burned (I was still able to salvage it though!). At that point it was cooking for 4 hours. If I would make it again on high, I would use a timer to remind me to stir or cook it on low.
Anyway, it is extremely delicious! I added about 7 tablespoons sugar total and may add more. I am freezing it until next week for Thanksgiving.
Thank you!!!!!
Reply
- Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
  November 17, 2011 at 9:29 pm
  Hope, thanks so much for letting me know. I have cooked it on High in the past without any troubles, which makes me wonder if different brands of crockpots heat a little differently. I'll be sure to make a note in the recipe about frequent stirring.
  Reply
Carolyn
November 16, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Well, you know how much I love crystallized ginger. This would be a hit with me!
Reply
MikeVFMK
November 15, 2011 at 6:42 am
I had no idea cranberry sauce could look that frickin good. That first image is so pretty, Dara! Loving these recipes as we enter the holiday season (you know we had our thanksgiving but christmas is just around the corner) so these are all so helpful and full of new ideas.
Reply
sippitysup.com
November 14, 2011 at 6:49 pm
A gorgeous seasonal classic! GREG
Reply

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

FAQs

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Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.

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Add some spices

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The sauce will thicken as it cools. If you want a cranberry mold that holds its shape, continue to boil the mixture so that more pectin is released from the fruit, additional water evaporates, and the sauce becomes thick enough to set into a firm gel.

What if I add too much water to cranberry sauce? ›

The simplest reason that your cranberry sauce is too runny is that it has too much liquid in it. Usually, this is just water, but some people use orange juice or other flavored fluids. No matter what you're using, the answer is to cook it longer.

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How do you thicken a sauce that's too watery? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency.

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Tomato Paste. If your soup or stew is watery, adding tomato paste may help! ...
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Jul 15, 2022

How do you thicken homemade fruit sauce? ›

The best way is to boil the sauce down until it's as thick as you want it, but it takes a lot of fruit to do it that way. There are other thickeners: tapioca starch, potato starch, agar, various kinds of grain and bean flour, pectin. Each has it's own flavour and texture.

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How much cornstarch to make a slurry? ›

To make a slurry, start with 1 to 2 ratio of cornstarch to water. For example, prepare 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Then whisk together really well. When you add more water, it just takes more time to thicken the sauce or soup.