Fruit Filled Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a little cranberry sauce on the table. For most people it’s often an overlooked side dish, but with a little extra effort it can become an elevated favorite at your holiday gathering.

Today I want to introduce you to my homemade fruit filled cranberry sauce, a celebration of fall’s best flavors! This isn’t your ordinary cranberry sauce…this one is loaded with fresh apples, juicy pears, vibrant oranges, and crunchy pecans. It’s definitely a bold upgrade from anything you’d find in a can. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, each spoonful is layered with warm, comforting notes that highlight the natural tartness of cranberries, balancing them with just the right touch of sweetness and texture.

Ingredients Needed:

• Fresh cranberries
• Orange
• Apple
• Pear
• Dried fruit mix
• Pecans
• Honey
• Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Salt

How To make Cranberry Sauce:

This recipe is really quite simple. Basically, chop the fruits and nuts, combine with the cranberries in an orange honey syrup sauce and add the spices. Stir and cook until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

How easy is that?! You can make this recipe a couple days ahead of your big meal and just store it in the refrigerator to help cut down on the holiday stress of meal prep.

Fruit Filled Cranberry Sauce

This is a tasty fruit filled cranberry sauce recipe that will elevate your holiday table.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup water

• 2/3 cup honey

• 12 oz package fresh cranberries

• 1 orange, peeled and pureed

• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

• 1 pear, peeled, cored and diced

• 1 cup chopped dried mixed fruit

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

Peel the orange and puree it in a blender. Set aside.

Peel and chop the apple, pear, dried fruits and pecans and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, honey and orange puree and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, and stir in the apple, pear, dried fruits, cranberries and pecans.

Add the salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Notes

I like choosing a dried fruit mix that has apricots in them, because I love apricots, but choose whichever dried fruit you have access to or like the most.

What To Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce

This recipe does make a large pot of cranberry sauce, so let’s explore other ways to eat and use the leftovers after the big Thanksgiving meal.

Sweet Potatoes: Top a roasted sweet potato with a dollop of the cranberry sauce for a warm and comforting meal.

Pancakes: Spread on top of your pancakes like a fruity jam. The sweet and tart flavor of the sauce pairs perfectly with pancakes.

You could also swirl some of the cranberry sauce into your pancake batter and make a fun cranberry pancake. It will add fruity pockets to each bite.

Coconut Yogurt Parfaits: Layer cranberry sauce with coconut yogurt, granola, and fresh berries for a refreshing parfait. The tartness of the cranberry pairs perfectly with the creamy yogurt!

Cranberry Balsamic Salad Dressing: Thin the sauce a little and whisk cranberry sauce with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and a touch of Dijon mustard for a sweet and tangy dressing that’s amazing over greens, roasted veggies, or grain bowls. The nuts and other fruits from the cranberry sauce will add a little extra oomph to your dish.

Vegan Cranberry BBQ Sauce: Mix cranberry sauce with a bit of apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and a touch of maple syrup to create a unique BBQ sauce. Use it for marinating or glazing grilled veggies, tofu, or tempeh.

Hope that gives you some good ideas about how to use up some of the leftover cranberry sauce. It’s perfect for more than just the holiday table. This sauce is versatile enough to be used in other dishes throughout the season. It brings the cozy flavors of fall to every bite. Once you try this homemade version, you’ll never look at canned cranberry sauce the same way!

Harvest Hugs to All!