Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Molasses

Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Molasses

Cranberry sauce with apples and molasses is so tasty, so simple, so much better than store bought. 

We know there are a million recipes out there for cranberry sauce but this is our all-time favourite. It’s adapted from Craig Claiborne’s timeless The New York Times Cookbook.

Our adaptation —  we swapped out some of the white sugar for molasses which deepens the flavour and works beautifully with the spices. The spicing is light so you still get that bright flavour that makes cranberry sauce so wonderful on a plate of heavy food. You can omit the spices altogether, if you prefer.

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Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Molasses

This cranberry sauce with apples and molasses takes just 30 minutes to make, is lightly spiced & delicious. Great with root vegetables & winter squash.

  • Author: Crosby Molasses
  • Category: Entrees and sides

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound of cranberries, picked over and washed
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp allspice (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot combine the cranberries, sugar, molasses and apples.
  2. Cover and place on medium heat, stirring from time to time.
  3. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Uncover, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook another 10-15 minutes.
  5. Stir in the spices.
  6. The mixture will thicken as it cools but cook it a little longer if you prefer a thicker sauce.
  7. Store in the refrigerator (up to three months) or preserve in canning jars.

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Adapted from The New York Times Cookbook

The Canadian Food Experience Project began June 7 2013. As we (participants) share our collective stories through our regional food experiences, we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity.

Comments

  • November 27, 2021
    reply

    Jill Thompson

    what type of apples do you recommend?

  • November 25, 2021
    reply

    Nick

    Holy moley! I made this earlier today and just had it at our Thanksgiving meal. I used about 1 cup of sugar (not 1.5) & 1/3 cup of Crosby’s molasses & 1 apple. It came out amazing!! Simple and very tasty. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  • November 25, 2021
    reply

    Neil

    Holy moley! I made this earlier today and just had it at our Thanksgiving meal. I used about 1 cup of sugar (not 1.5) & 1/3 cup of Crosby’s molasses & 1 apple. It came out amazing!! Simple and very tasty. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  • November 22, 2020
    reply

    Sadie

    I’ve tried dozens of cranberry sauce recipes and this is one of the best. The sauce is a beautiful deep rich red colour, and it’s nice and thick. I found the cloves a bit overpowering and would omit them the next time and add a pinch of ginger instead, but that’s a personal preference and doesn’t alter the base recipe. My sauce didn’t take as long to cook as the recipe indicated. The berries only cooked for a couple of minutes covered until they started to pop. The sauce had thickened nicely after simmering uncovered for about 10 minutes. I added 1/4 cup water to the cranberry, sugar, molasses, apple mix. Definitely a keeper!

  • December 8, 2016
    reply

    Doris

    I also grew up with a basement. The stairs were reached through a trap door in the kitchen . My mother would put milk , eggs , and anything else that needed to be kept cool on the stairs, so it was a like a refrigerator before we got one. As kids we never wanted to go down to the basement to get potatoes etc. except at Christmas time because there was goodies down there (cookies , chocolates, presents ) We would fight who would go then.!!! I like your stories and recipes. Keep it coming. One time I found what I had asked for Christmas while looking where I shouldn’t have and that was my saddest Christmas ever!! I never looked for stuff after that !!

    • December 9, 2016
      reply

      Hi Doris, Wow, a basement with a trap door! Sounds like the perfect spot to hide things. Like you, I once discovered some Christmas presents and never snooped again.

  • October 7, 2015
    reply

    Lorraine

    Love this recipe and will be making it again this weekend. It’s simple but adds a nice touch to our “humble cranberry” sauce. :) Happy Thanksgiving!

  • October 29, 2013
    reply

    Sher

    Using only the molasses it comes out a lot darker looking more like a date filling. Of course my Nan’s were darker still because of the Green berries LOL. …At Christmas Time she often used in it place of Jam for Thumbprint cookies…. So Glad you enjoyed my story….

  • October 27, 2013
    reply

    Sher

    I e-mailed you a few years ago asking if you had such a recipe in your archives..My Nan made cranberry molasses preserves. Your answer back at the time was no but it sounded interesting..This is very similar.. only difference is sugar..My Nan only used molasses to sweeten. The berries stayed quite firm, remarkable as they stayed on the back of the kitchen stove simmering away most of the day. They were bottled and away they went to the root cellar to join the rest of her pickles, jams and such. It was served as dessert with cream or spread between layers of Washington pie. My mother attributes their firmness to my grandfather who picked all the berries my Nan ever needed as she was crippled and unable to do so herself. He was color blind so the berry bucket was always brimmimg with Green not Red cranberries. I also remember the time he went out to pick spice cranberries and came home his entire berry bucket filled with Rabbit Droppings. Nan was not pleased and I can still see the berry bucket flying out of the kitchen door landing in the Currant bush. My grandfather was not far behind grinning from ear to ear as he scurried off to the barn to fetch his snares…. Memories….

    • October 28, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Dear Sher, This has to be the best story I have ever received! And now you have me thinking about this recipe with sweet things. I bet it would be great with a gingerbread layer cake. When I make my next batch I’ll try it with molasses only. So glad you shared your memories!

  • October 22, 2013
    reply

    Mareen Porter

    I served this at Thanksgiving and it was so enjoyed.Thank you Bridget for all your recipes with good old Crosby’s Molasses.

    • October 22, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      You’re welcome!

  • October 18, 2013
    reply

    Absolutely gorgeous and a hilarious and clever read, Bridget!
    :)
    Valerie

    • October 18, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Thanks Valerie, It’s was lots of fun to write and my brothers and sisters had a good laugh about it too.

  • October 17, 2013
    reply

    Sounds delicious — I love chunkier cranberry sauces like this one!

    • October 21, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Me too, the more texture the better.

  • October 12, 2013
    reply

    marie

    I’m making the cranberry sauce with apple for tomorrow’s dinner I will see the reaction from the guest. I’ll email the results latter.

    • October 21, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Enjoy!

  • October 12, 2013
    reply

    marie

    I would like to thank you as I received Family Favourites 2nd Edition & already tried the apple crisp it was so good. I hope I will receive more of your books thanks.

    • October 21, 2013
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Marie, Enjoy the book. There are a lot of great oldies in it too.

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