Cranberry Applesauce
Naturally sweetened, kid-friendly addition to the holiday table
Ingredients
- 2 pounds apples 6 to 8 large
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries 1 bag
- 3 clementine manderins or 1 large orange
- 2 cinnamon sticks or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or use brown sugar or 1/2 of each
Instructions
- Chop apples into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice. Pick through fresh cranberries and discard any bruised or bad cranberries. Cut clementines or orage in half.
- Stove-top: Add chopped apples, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks to a large pot. Squeeze juice from the tangerines or orange over the top and add a 1/4 cup of water. Stir to combine and place over medium heat. Place a lid on the pot and let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the apples have started releasing their juices, remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Stir in maple syrup and cook for an additonal 10 minutes or until all the cranberries have popped and everything is very soft. Stir frequently to prevent burning on the bottom. At this point, most of the liquid should be evaporated. If the sauce still has a lot of liquid, continue to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot): Add chopped apples, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and maple syrup to the pot insert. Squeeze juice from the tangerines or orange over the top and pour in a 1/2 cup of water. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set to Manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Use quick release or natural release if desired.Slow Cooker/Crock Pot: Add chooped apples, cranberries, cinnamon stick, and maple syrup to the slow cooker. Squeeze juice from tangerines or orange over the top. Stir to combine ingredients and place the lid on. Cook on Low for four hours.
- Once applesauce has cooked, remove the cinnamon sticks. Allow sauce to cool slightly then blend to desired consistency with an immersion blender or in the reguar blender in batches. Store in a jar or other container in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.