Drinks & Beveragescreativecanning
Cranberry Applesauce
Cranberry applesauce is a bright, tart twist on classic homemade applesauce, cooked until smooth and then canned in pint jars for easy pantry storage. Made with apples, cranberries, and your choice of water, cider, or juice, it’s a simple fall batch that’s perfect for oatmeal, yogurt, and everyday dinners that need a pop of flavor.
👥 16 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 45 min⏳ Prep: 10 min🔥 Cook: 20 min👤 Ashley Adamant📖 creativecanning
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pot
- ●blender
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Combine the sliced apples, cranberries, and water or juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, stirring often, until the apples are completely tender and the cranberries have burst and broken down. If the pot starts to look dry at the bottom, add a splash more liquid and keep stirring so nothing scorches. Total cook time is usually 15 to ⏱️ 25 minutes on the stovetop. This can also be made in a crock pot, cooking 3 to ⏱️ 4 hours on high, or 6 to ⏱️ 8 hours on low.
sliced apples (see notes)16 cupscranberries (see note)6 cupswater (or juice, see note)6 cups
2
Purée the hot mixture to your preferred smoothness. A food mill gives the smoothest sauce (and neatly removes peels if you left them on), but an immersion blender works well too. However you blend it, make sure the finished sauce is a true purée with no large chunks, since an even texture helps ensure consistent heat penetration during canning.
3
Stir in sugar if you’re using it, then bring the applesauce back to a full boil. Keep it hot while you prepare jars.
4
Ladle the boiling-hot cranberry applesauce into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings to fingertip tight.
5
Process jars in a boiling-water canner, starting the timer once the water returns to a full rolling boil. Process pints for ⏱️ 15 minutes and quarts for ⏱️ 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. When processing is complete, turn off the heat, let jars rest in the canner for ⏱️ 5 minutes, then remove and cool undisturbed for 12 to ⏱️ 24 hours before checking seals.
water (or juice, see note)6 cups
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