Cranberry Apple Relish

Tart cranberries and chopped apples simmered down with brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts into a chunky, jewel-toned relish. This is the Thanksgiving condiment that puts canned cranberry sauce to shame, and it stores beautifully in canning jars for months.

The brown sugar gives it a deeper, more molasses-rich sweetness than white sugar would, which balances the cranberries’ natural pucker. Walnuts and cinnamon go in near the end so the nuts keep some crunch and the spice stays bright rather than cooking out.

A 15-minute boiling water bath after jarring makes this shelf-stable, so you can put up a batch in fall and have jars ready for holiday tables or gift-giving.

Pro Tips

• Chop the cranberries rather than leaving them whole. They break down more evenly and the relish has a better, more spreadable texture.
• Stir frequently during simmering. The brown sugar can scorch on the bottom if you walk away.
• Add the walnuts in the last 5 minutes as directed. Adding them earlier makes them soft and they lose their crunch entirely.
• Leave exactly ¼ inch headspace when filling jars. Too little and the jar won’t seal; too much and you get excess air.

Variations

• Add a splash of orange juice or grated orange zest for a citrusy brightness.
• Swap walnuts for pecans for a more buttery, Southern-leaning version.
• Stir in crystallized ginger for a warm, spicy bite that pairs beautifully with turkey.