Cranberry Sauce with Pineapple

The perfect balance of tart and sweet, this Cranberry Sauce with Pineapple is a surprising Thanksgiving side dish that your guests will love.

I know — PINEAPPLES in cranberry sauce? Ma’am, don’t knock it til you try it.

One of my aunts used to make this every Thanksgiving, and it was my absolute favorite cranberry sauce version ever. That memory inspired this recipe, and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes? Here you go:

• Soft Dinner Rolls
• Baked Mac & Cheese
• Cranberry & Prosciutto Whipped Ricotta Crostini

Cranberry Sauce with Pineapple Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need:

Fresh cranberries: Rinsed and picked through to remove any smooshy ones.

Canned Pineapple chunks: For sweetness. (Reserving ½ cup of the juice.)

Sugars: We’ll be using both brown and white sugar.

Cinnamon stick: For warmth.

Kosher salt: To bring it all together.

Water

How to Make Cranberry Sauce with Pineapples

Step 1: Prep your ingredients

First measure out your sugar so you have everything set up. You can also rinse the cranberries and pick out any super soft and mushy ones.

You can always drain the pineapple chunks on this time, making sure to reserve ½ cup of the juice. (If the drained pineapple chunks don’t have ½ cup of juice in the can, just use what it has, no worries.)

*If in a measuring cup, add enough water to the pineapple juice to reach 1 cup of liquid.

Step 2: Add the liquid and sugars

To a saucepan set over medium heat, add the brown sugar, white sugar, water, and pineapple juice. Stir to combine.

Step 3: Add the cranberries, salt, and cinnamon

Now add the cranberries, cinnamon stick, and salt to the pot. Bring it to a dancing boil, then lower just slightly so that it’s just gently boiling. Stir often for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce is thick.

Step 5: Add the pineapple

Once the sauce is just about done, add the cubed pineapples. Let that cook for an additional 2 minutes and then taste for seasoning. If it’s too tart for you, add a touch more sugar (but taste it before adding!).

MAKE AHEAD: You can make this cranberry sauce 3 days ahead of the big day and store in an airtight container in the fridge.