A kid-approved, bright and flavorful take on traditional applesauce.
Cranberry Applesauce
Ingredients
8 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup water
1 ½ cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse or scrub fresh fruits under running water before preparing.
- In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly. Mash to a thickness you like with a potato masher or fork.. Serve warm or cold.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- When frozen or fresh cranberries are not available, substitute canned cranberry sauce for the cranberries and brown sugar. Add 1 can (14 ounces) of cranberry sauce to the saucepan after the mixture has been simmering for about 15 minutes.
- For a smooth texture, puree in batches in a regular blender, using the manufacturer's directions for pureeing hot liquids.
You might also like...
Zucchini Salad

Zucchini Salad
Quick and tasty side with fresh vegetables, herbs and a lemon dressing.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
6 Cups
Rice Bowl Breakfast with Fruit and Nuts

Rice Bowl Breakfast with Fruit and Nuts
A great breakfast idea with filling grains, crunchy nuts and your favorite fruit.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Un-beet-able Berry Smoothie

Un-beet-able Berry Smoothie
Kid-approved recipe with berries, pineapple and colorful beets is quick and fun to make!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Chicken Chowder for Two

Chicken Chowder for Two
Creamy, hearty and comforting soup for two. Ready in under an hour!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
2 servings
Turnip Pancakes

Turnip Pancakes
A batter of grated root vegetables cooked in a skillet until golden and crispy.
Prepare:
30 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
12 pancakes
Strawberry Sipper Flavored Water

Strawberry Sipper Flavored Water
Strawberry puree makes this water refreshing and tasty!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
6 Servings
Comments
Amazing recipe! My whole family loved it! I halved the recipe to not use up all our apples, but i should not have! The girls raved and raved about it every bite and went for seconds. ALSO, i did blend it to be extra smooth, especially for my picker eater as i knew that would up the chance she would eat it, and interestingly both girls kept mentioning it tased like clouds and that was one reason they loved it so much. They told me to make it again and again. We did happen to have a lemon, but next time i will for sure try without because to me i tasted a tad tart, but no one else had that taste.... THANKS for a GREAT kid approved recipe!
I love this recipe! It is bright and fun, so it really appeals to kids. It is a little tart and a little sweet, which makes it very tasty.
I made this recipe at home with frozen cranberries, added a few more apples and a couple pears. I did not add the brown sugar and the applesauce was still plenty sweet and delicious!
I made this recipe for a lunchroom tasting this week and the kids LOVED it! They all wanted seconds! Because I was making it for such a large quantity (350 students) I opted to use unsweetened applesauce and canned cranberry sauce. Based on the suggestion in the notes, I ommitted the sugar. The color was still beautiful and it tasted great warm or cold. I would definitely make this again!