Go Back

Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce

Make-ahead cranberry sauce with chunky berries and tender apple, simmered until the skins pop for a jammy texture. Finished with orange and lemon juice plus golden raisins and toasted nuts, then chilled for easy make-ahead serving.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 orange zested and juiced
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or pecans toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Simmer the cranberry base
  1. In a saucepan, bring fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the skins pop, stirring occasionally so the fruit cooks evenly.
  2. Add Granny Smith apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the mixture looks thick and the apple is tender with visible fruit chunks.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from heat, then stir in golden raisins and toasted walnuts or pecans. Mix until the additions are evenly distributed through the cranberry sauce.
  2. Cool the cranberry sauce completely, then cover and refrigerate. Chill up to 1 week, until fully cold and set.
  3. Serve the cranberry sauce chilled or at room temperature. Spoon into a serving dish so the surface shows chunky cranberries, diced apple, raisins, and nut pieces.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the skins pop in step one and keep the mixture at a steady, gentle simmer in step two so you get a chunky, not watery, texture. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week; for best texture, stir once after cooling. Freezing is not recommended because the cranberries can soften and weep when thawed. For a lighter option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute meant for baking/cooking so the sauce still thickens similarly.