Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing
This easy Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing is sure to fill your home with the aroma and memories of the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you want to try a new spin on a thanksgiving classic or add a fun side dish to Christmas dinner, this savory dish is sure to be a winner!
While this recipe is most popular around the holidays, cranberry apple baked stuffing is a delightful dish that can be enjoyed year-round. Notes of sage and parsley bring out the best flavors in the sweet cranberries and tangy sourdough that will leave your mouth watering. In just 15 minutes, you’ll have this dish prepped and ready to bake and bring with you to your next dinner party. Say goodbye to stuffing from a box, you won’t be able to go back after trying this recipe!
Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing is a chewy, savory dish featuring sweet apples, white onion, and celery. Let your dried sourdough bread soak up all the juices and flavors of your stuffing to create a dish that you’re certain to go back to for seconds. Whether this dish is served with Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham, it’s sure to impress all your dinner guests. With a quick prep time, easy-to-follow recipe steps, and lots of flavors, what’s not to love about classic holiday cranberry stuffing?! Pair this with our amazing Air Fryer Roasted Carrots for two amazing side dishes to make your meal complete.
We Love This Recipe Because It’s…
- The perfect side dish to any holiday dinner party
- A quick recipe with a 15-minute prep time
- Just as a yummy leftover as it is right out of the oven
- Super flexible—make it ahead of time or with different add-ins!
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp ground sage
- 6 cups sourdough bread, dried
- ½ Granny smith apple, diced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
How to Make Easy Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing
- In a medium-sized pan, cook together the onion, butter, and celery until soft and fragrant.
- Add the sage and parsley and mix to combine.
- Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl, then add the dried bread, apples, dried cranberries, and vegetable broth. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Put your mixture into a well-greased glass pan and bake until golden. Make sure to cover the top with tin foil so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove the tin foil and cook until the cranberry stuffing is crisped to your liking.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bake Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing in a turkey?
Yes, just make sure that the stuffing reaches at least 165°F since it will have mixed with the turkey juices.
Should stuffing be moist or dry?
This stuffing is normally moist, but it’s up to personal preference. You can continue baking it if you prefer drier stuffing.
Can you make this stuffing with fresh cranberries?
Yes, you’ll just need to use more of the fresh cranberries (1 ¼ cup instead of 1 cup dried) and bake it for longer to compensate for the extra moisture. The fresh cranberries will add a ton of fresh flavor.
Can you make Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble the stuffing as normal, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The stuffing can go in the oven straight from the fridge.
How to Store and Reheat Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When stored this way, easy cranberry stuffing will stay good for up to 5 days. Make sure you allow the stuffing to cool fully before storing it.
Leftover Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing is best reheated in the microwave or in the oven. If you find that your stuffing has dried out a little, you can add some leftover vegetable broth to help re-moisten it. You can also use the broiler setting on your oven to give the reheated stuffing a bit of crunch on the top.
Recipe Variations
Make this cranberry stuffing your own by switching up the kind of bread, fruit, or add-ins you use. Below are a few ideas to get you started!
Different Breads
- Brioche
- Challah
- Italian Bread
- French Baguette
Other Dried Fruits
- Cherries
- Dates
- Apricots
- Blueberries
Add Some Protein
- Breakfast or Italian sausage
- Chickpeas
- Ground Beef
Expert Tips and Tricks
- The easiest way to dry your sourdough bread is to leave it out overnight, but you can also bake it in the oven for 25 minutes at 200°F.
- Top your stuffing with extra dried parsley or even some fresh thyme to add an extra punch of flavor.
- You can sometimes find pre-dried bread from the store around the holiday season. This is a great option if you’re in a rush!
More Recipes:
Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing
This easy Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing is sure to fill your home with the aroma and memories of the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you want to try a new spin on a thanksgiving classic or add a fun side dish to Christmas dinner, this savory dish is sure to be a winner!
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp ground sage
- 6 cups sourdough bread, dried
- ½ Granny smith apple, diced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the butter, onion, and celery in a medium sized pan and cook on medium heat until the onions are translucent, and the celery is soft.
- Add the parsley and sage to the pan and stir until just combined.
- Combine the bread, onion mixture, apples, dried cranberries, and vegetable broth in a large bowl until the ingredients are evenly distributed among the bread.
- Pour the stuffing mixture into a 9x13 inch glass dish, cover it with tin foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover the stuffing and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Sourdough—a loaf of your favorite store bought or home baked sourdough bread, dried and cubed.
- Cranberries—Dried or fresh will add just a hint of sweetness to this dish.
- Granny Smith Apple—Are tart without overpowering the other savory and sweet flavors.
- Onion—Brings a bite and seasoning to the meal that balances well with the other fruits and vegetables.
- Celery—Adds a great crunch and texture and it also soaks up those yummy juices.
- Vegetable Broth—Or your favorite chicken or bone broth. Helps to keep things moist, salty, and delicious.
- Butter—What’s a holiday classic without a little butter? Adds a nice richness.
- Spices—To top off this dish, season with a dash of parsley and a pinch of sage.
Notes
- Cooking the stuffing for an additional 5 minutes at the very end allows the top of the stuffing to get a little crispy. If you leave it uncovered for the whole 50 minutes, then it will likely burn.
- I found that the easiest way to dry your bread is to either let it sit over night or you can bake it for 25 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes you can buy pre-dried bread from the store, but it is hard to find when it is not thanksgiving/ Christmas season.
- You can store this stuffing in the fridge for up to five days.
- I like to top the stuffing with some extra dried parsley and a little bit of fresh thyme as it comes out of the oven.
- I like to use granny smith apples because they are not overly sweet. You don’t want to overpower the sweetness from the cranberries.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 284Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 20mgSodium 611mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 3gSugar 23gProtein 5g
