Is it just me or does cranberry sauce have a bad reputation? Most people only eat the sauce during Thanksgiving, but the table just wouldn't be complete without it. For the longest time, I used to make cranberry sauce just the way my mom taught me, from the can. Add some orange zest and that was it. Over the years I've converted to "fresh cranberry sauce" only and let me tell you, the change is significant. After playing around with some flavors, I have created my favorite version, this ultimate cranberry sauce with apples and pears.

Print Recipe

The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Pears

yields about 3 cups

Total Time15 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sauce

Servings: 12

Author: Cherry on My Sundae

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice
• 12 ounces cranberries
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup apple chopped peeled
• ½ cup pear chopped peeled

Instructions

• Combine 1 cup apple juice and 1 cup brown sugar in a medium saucepot. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook until the sugar has melted.
• Add 12 ounces of cranberries, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ cup chopped apples, and ½ cup chopped pear to the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the fruits have softened. Remove from heat and let cool.

Video

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

Even if you're one of those people who doesn't really like cranberry sauce, you should give this ultimate cranberry sauce a try, you know just because it's Thanksgiving. Plus it's so easy to make that it doesn't hurt to have it on the table for anyone who might actually enjoy it.

You're basically simmering all of the ingredients together until the fruit becomes soft. Seriously, that's it. Just make sure to peel the apples and pears before adding them to the sauce. If you don't peel the fruit, the texture of the sauce might be a little offputting from the waxy skins.

The great thing about cranberry sauce is that it's so versatile. If you're not a fan of cloves or cinnamon, just take them out. Mix it up and add spices or fruits that you love! I've made other variations of this cranberry sauce, adding ginger and orange, dates, and even figs. At the end of the day, however, this apple and pear version is my favorite.

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving and enjoy this ultimate cranberry sauce with apples and pears!

For more holiday dishes, check out these stuffed acorn with sausage and apple farro stuffing or these orange roasted brussels sprouts.