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Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce with Apple, Raisins, and Nuts

Make-ahead cranberry sauce with chunky cranberries, diced Granny Smith apple, and golden raisins simmered until the skins pop. This easy saucepan method finishes with toasted chopped nuts and chills for up to 1 week.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 230
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.75 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 0.5 cup golden raisins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Simmer the cranberries
  1. Bring cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until you can see the skins pop.
  2. Add diced apple, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice, then simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture looks thickened and the fruit is softened.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in golden raisins and walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed.
  2. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 1 week for the flavors to meld.
  3. Serve the cranberry sauce chilled or at room temperature, with a spoonful that holds its chunky shape.

Notes

Pro tip: For the most chunky texture, keep the simmer steady (not a hard boil) during the 5-minute and 15-minute stages so the skins burst without turning the sauce too smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week; freeze is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, replace half the sugar with an equal-measure sugar alternative designed for cooking, then taste and adjust if needed.