Cinnamon Apple
Cranberry Relish
A bright, fresh, no-cook cranberry relish that belongs on every holiday table. Raw cranberries and two kinds of apple chopped in the food processor and tossed with warm spices, fresh orange zest, and a squeeze of juice — no boiling, no sugar syrup, no fuss. Make it the morning of Thanksgiving and let it chill while you worry about everything else.
- 24 oz fresh raw cranberries
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored & sliced
- 1 large Jonagold apple, cored & sliced
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp orange zest (zest from one navel orange)
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (about ½ a navel orange)
- 1–2 tsp Splenda or sweetener of choice (optional, to taste)
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1
Chop the cranberries
Add the raw cranberries to your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped — you want texture here, not a purée. If your food processor is on the smaller side, work in two batches rather than overfilling it. Nobody wants cranberry on the ceiling. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
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2
Chop the apples
Core and slice both apples, then add to the food processor and pulse to the same coarse consistency as the cranberries. You want small pieces, not apple sauce. Transfer to the bowl with the cranberries and stir to combine.
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3
Add the spices & orange
Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, orange zest, and fresh orange juice to the bowl. Stir thoroughly until all the spices are evenly distributed throughout the fruit. Taste — if the tartness is too sharp for your preference, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of Splenda. Start with one and taste before adding more — the relish will mellow significantly as it chills.
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4
Chill & serve
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving — ideally 4 or more. The resting time is important: the flavors meld, the spices bloom into the fruit, and the natural juices from the cranberries and apples create a light, glossy sauce. Give it a final stir before bringing it to the table.
- Make it the morning of: This relish is genuinely better after several hours in the fridge — the spices deepen and the tartness softens beautifully. Making it the morning of Thanksgiving frees up oven space and gives you one less thing to worry about at dinner time.
- Two apple varieties is the move: Honeycrisp brings sweetness and crunch while Jonagold adds a slightly tart, complex flavor. Using both gives the relish more depth than a single variety — don't skip the double apple.
- Taste before adding Splenda: Raw cranberries are intensely tart but the apples and orange juice bring natural sweetness. Chill the relish for an hour before deciding whether it needs any added sweetener — it mellows considerably as it sits.
- Beyond Thanksgiving: This relish is wonderful spooned over plain Greek yogurt for breakfast, served alongside roasted pork tenderloin, or mixed into oatmeal. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week.
- Make ahead and freeze: This relish freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Make a double batch while fresh cranberries are available in November and keep a container in the freezer for holiday meals throughout the season.