This quick and easy cranberry sauce with fruit and nuts adds a bright, citrusy twist and festive crunch to your holiday table. Ready in just 15 minutes, it combines sweet-tart cranberries, apples, orange and lemon zest, and buttery pecans for a sauce that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
Quick Look at the Recipe
Ditch the canned stuff, this homemade cranberry sauce is a flavor bomb of tangy cranberries, crisp apple, fragrant citrus zest, and toasted pecans. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and it freezes beautifully, too.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 8-10 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
- Recipe variations and twists
- How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Fruit and Nuts (step-by-step guide)
- Serving Ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for perfect results every time
- More Holiday Recipes You'll Love
- Join The Conversation
- Recipe:
- Best Holiday Cranberry Sauce with Fruit & Nuts
Why you'll love this recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes: A one-pot wonder that couldn't be easier.
- Sweet, tart, and textured: Fresh fruit and roasted nuts add sparkle and crunch.
- Make-ahead perfection: Like my Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip, Cranberry Upside Down Cake, Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, and my No-Bake Cranberry Cheesecake, this homemade cranberry sauce can be made well ahead of all of the holiday craziness!
- A show-stopping color: Deep ruby red with flecks of citrus and apple-it's pure holiday cheer in a bowl.
- Versatile: Serve warm, cold, or baked into leftover dishes.
After a decade of holiday cooking (and more than a few canned-sauce mishaps), I've learned that the secret to a truly memorable cranberry sauce is layering fresh fruit flavors and adding texture for balance.
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
- Recipe variations and twists
- How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Fruit and Nuts (step-by-step guide)
- Serving Ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for perfect results every time
- More Holiday Recipes You'll Love
- Join The Conversation
- Recipe:
- Best Holiday Cranberry Sauce with Fruit & Nuts
Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen both work beautifully-no need to thaw if frozen.
- Sugar: Balances the berries' tartness. For a richer flavor, try brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Apple: Adds natural sweetness and a bit of crunch. Granny Smiths hold up best, but Honeycrisp or Fuji are lovely too.
- Orange & lemon zest: Add fresh citrus notes that brighten the sauce.
- Pecans: Toasted pecans bring warmth and a buttery crunch. Substitute walnuts or skip the nuts for a smoother version.
- Optional flavor twist: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or a splash of Grand Marnier for extra depth.
Recipe variations and twists
This base recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Try one (or more!) of these delicious variations:
- Jalapeño Twist: Stir in a minced jalapeño for a sweet-heat Southern spin.
- Boozy Cranberry Sauce: Replace some water with Grand Marnier, bourbon, or red wine.
- Spiced Cranberry Sauce: Add a cinnamon stick, clove, or a pinch of allspice for warmth.
- Cranberry-Pineapple Mix: Stir in crushed pineapple for tropical brightness.
- Pear or Dried Fruit Version: Substitute chopped pears or add dried cherries or apricots.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Fruit and Nuts (step-by-step guide)
- Combine the base. Add cranberries, sugar, and one cup of water to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Simmer. When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until most berries burst and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the extras. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest, lemon zest, chopped apple, and roasted pecans.
- Chill. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. The sauce will thicken as it chills.
Serving Ideas
This versatile sauce goes way beyond turkey:
- Classic pairing: Serve with roast turkey, baked ham with pineapple and cherries, or herb-crusted pork tenderloin.
- Modern twist: Spoon over baked brie or serve alongside chicken salad sandwiches.
- Breakfast favorite: Swirl into yogurt, spread on sweet potato biscuits, or top pancakes.
- Festive appetizer: Use as the base for cranberry brie bites or layer over cream cheese for a quick holiday dip.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving, and add apples and pecans just before serving for the best texture.
If it's too thick, stir in a splash of hot water or orange juice. If it's too thin, simmer a few minutes longer-remember, it thickens as it cools.
Absolutely. Skip the pecans for a smooth, kid-friendly sauce, or leave out the citrus for a milder flavor, or leave out both for plain cranberry sauce.
Use it as:
A glaze for chicken or pork tenderloin
A filling for muffins, pancakes, or quick breads
A topping for yogurt, oatmeal, or toast
A mix-in for mayonnaise or butter (hello, cranberry aioli!)
Tips for perfect results every time
- Let the sauce chill at least two hours for best texture and flavor.
- Don't panic if the sauce looks thin-it will firm up as it cools.
- Stir frequently while cooking to prevent scorching.
- Toast pecans in the microwave: 1 minute intervals, 4-5 minutes total, stirring between.
- For the brightest flavor, zest citrus before juicing.
More Holiday Recipes You'll Love
There's no doubt that Thanksgiving and Christmas are food lovers' holidays. If you're planning your menu, these recipe collections are full of tried-and-true Southern favorites that belong on every festive table.
Thanksgiving Recipe Inspiration
Holiday Dessert Inspiration
Because every meal deserves a sweet ending, these dessert roundups are packed with holiday inspiration-everything from cozy classics to modern showstoppers.
Christmas Recipe Inspiration
Still planning your Christmas menu? Here are a few crowd-pleasing favorites that make entertaining easy and delicious.
Join The Conversation
If you make this Best Holiday Cranberry Sauce with Fruit & Nuts, please leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe card!
I'd love to hear how it turned out and if it found a spot on your holiday table.
I'd love to know if it made your holiday table sparkle-and if you added your own twist, share it so we can all try it!
G&P Wisdom
"In the South, cranberry sauce isn't just a side-it's the sparkle on the holiday plate that keeps everyone coming back for seconds."
Southern Comfort Food Made Easy and Shareable
For over a decade, Grits and Pinecones has been serving up delicious recipes with a Southern flair, simple, flavorful, and perfect to share with family and friends.
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Best Holiday Cranberry Sauce with Fruit & Nuts
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ tablespoon orange zest
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ apple, unpeeled, chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup roasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, sugar, and one cup of water to a medium-size saucepan set over medium heat. When the mixture starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Add the orange and lemon zest, apple, and pecans and stir to combine. **If you are making it ahead, don't add the apple or pecans until you are ready to serve it.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Amanda
Could you blend part of the sauce if you wanted some of the berries not whole and to give it done smoothness?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Amanda, you could blend some if you like, but most of the berries will burst anyway while they are cooking, so I would wait to see if it is what you are hoping for before you use a blender.
I hope you enjoy it, and Happy Thanksgiving.
Sharon
Rosa Giordani
Hi what type of dish do u suggest if I double the recipe?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Rosa, I usually put mine in a small cut glass bowl because it looks festive. If you double the recipe, you may want to wait to decide what dish to use until you see how much it makes.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Sharon
Karen S
The cranberry is Wisconsin’s official state fruit. The state produces more cranberries than any other state in the entire country. There are only five states that produce cranberries in any significant quantity, and Wisconsin grows upwards of 60% of them. It was first harvested in Wisconsin in the 1800s by Edward Sacket in Berlin, Wisconsin. Just a little cranberry history there!
We enjoyed your delicious recipe and only reduced the sugar to 1 cup.
You are so right – once you make homemade cranberry sauce, you’ll never go back! This recipe is so easy and delicious with the addition of both zests, apple and toasted pecans. Thank you!
Linger
Hi Sharon. Once you make homemade cranberry sauce, you can never go back to opening a can. Your recipe sounds super yummy. And I love how simple it is. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Kristy,
Thank you! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
All the best,
Sharon
Joan McArthur
we ate something like this many years ago, and have been looking for the right recipe ever since. i think this is it!!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Joan, I hope you enjoy it!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Sharon
alice KOVACH
I am going to make this but, without sugar as I have to stay somewhat sugar free. I am sure this would taste just as good.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Alice, just remember that cranberries are very tart on their own but the apples may help sweet it up naturally. If you decide to make it without sugar please let me know how you like it.
All the best,
Sharon