Name: Homemade Cranberry Relish
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh whole cranberries (about 2 cups); 1 orange; 1 apple, preferably Honeycrisp; ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus more to taste if desired; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional but recommended); ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional; walnuts may be substituted)

This homemade cranberry relish is a fresh, sweet-tart condiment for Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas dinner. Made with cranberries, orange, apple, and a hint of cinnamon, it comes together in minutes with no cooking required. Make it a day or two ahead to save time during the holidays.

A bowl of homemade cranberry relish garnished with whole cranberries, curled orange peel, and chopped pecans, served alongside fresh cranberries, an orange, and pecans for an easy Thanksgiving condiment.

If you’ve never tried cranberry relish, this is the year to add it to your Thanksgiving and Christmas menus!

Made with fresh cranberries, orange, apple, sugar, and a touch of cinnamon, it has a wonderful balance of sweet and tart. The hint of cinnamon reminds me of apple pie, and the fresh, chunky texture is a nice change from traditional cooked cranberry sauce.

For holiday dinners, big family gatherings, and potlucks, I often make both this cranberry relish and my homemade cranberry orange sauce. They’re both super simple to make ahead, and serving both gives everyone a choice between fresh, uncooked relish and a softer, cooked cranberry sauce.

Unlike cooked cranberry sauce, this relish doesn’t need any time on the stove. Just chop the fruit, stir in the sugar and cinnamon, and refrigerate.

Homemade cranberry relish with fresh cranberries, orange, apple, and pecans shown in a three-photo collage featuring a closeup of the finished relish, the fresh ingredients, and a serving bowl with a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Relish Recipe

The flavors meld together beautifully. The orange zest adds a bright citrus flavor that mellows as the relish chills, while the apple and sugar balance the tart cranberries. A hint of cinnamon brings everything together.
No cooking required. Just chop the fruit, stir everything together, and let it chill. No saucepan or stovetop time needed.
You can make it ahead. This cranberry relish can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. One less thing to make on Thanksgiving Day is always a good thing.
It’s good beyond Thanksgiving. Serve it with turkey, ham, pork roast, or pork chops. It’s also a nice addition to leftover turkey sandwiches.

A closeup of juicy homemade cranberry orange relish made with chopped fresh cranberries, apple, and orange for a colorful sweet-tart Thanksgiving side dish.

Ingredients Needed

Fresh cranberries
Orange
Apple
Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon
Chopped pecans

An overhead view of the labeled ingredients for homemade cranberry orange relish, including fresh cranberries, orange, apple, sugar, cinnamon, and pecans for this easy no-cook Thanksgiving recipe.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Cranberries
Use fresh, firm cranberries for this uncooked relish. Frozen cranberries can be softer once thawed, so fresh is the way to go here.

Apple
I recommend a Honeycrisp apple because it’s crisp and sweet, but any firm apple you’d use for an apple pie will work. Since the peel stays on, you may want to choose an organic apple.

If you have extra cranberries and apples, my apple cranberry crisp is another way to enjoy that combination.

Orange
You’ll use both the zest and the fruit from one orange. Use an orange that tastes sweet and juicy.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is optional, but I recommend it. It adds a little warmth that goes nicely with the cranberry, apple, and orange.

Pecans
Chopped pecans add a little crunch and nutty flavor. Walnuts work, too.

A spoon resting in a bowl of homemade cranberry relish made with fresh cranberries, apple, and orange, surrounded by fresh cranberries, orange slices, and pecans.

How to Make Homemade Cranberry Relish

I use a food processor with the “S” blade to chop the fruit for this cranberry relish. Processing each ingredient separately lets you control the texture, so you end up with a chunky relish instead of a mushy mixture.

Wash and chop the cranberries. Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse in one-second bursts about 20 times. Scrape down the sides if larger pieces get stuck above the blades. Transfer the chopped cranberries to a mixing bowl. They should still be in coarse pieces, not puréed.
Prepare and chop the apple. Wash the apple, cut it into quarters, and remove the core and seeds. Add to the food processor and pulse in one-second bursts about 20 times Transfer it to the bowl with the cranberries.
Prepare and chop the orange. Wash the orange and cut off both ends. Use a potato peeler to remove the orange peel, or zest it with a zester. With a sharp knife, cut away the white pith. Slice the orange into sections and remove any seeds and the tough white center. Add the orange fruit and peel to the food processor and pulse about 15 times. If a few pieces of peel don’t chop, remove them and chop by hand or discard them.
Add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir in ½ cup of sugar and taste the relish. If you’d like it sweeter, add more sugar a little at a time until the balance of sweet and tart is right for you. Stir in the cinnamon.
Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. I prefer making the relish the day before so the flavors have time to meld.
Add the pecans. If using pecans or walnuts, stir them in just before serving so they stay crunchy.

An orange on a cutting board with the peel removed and the bitter white pith trimmed away, showing how to prepare fresh orange for homemade cranberry relish.

A lot of cranberry relish recipes use the whole orange, including the peel and white pith. I like to remove the pith because it can make the relish bitter. It takes an extra minute, but I think it’s worth it.

A nine-photo step-by-step collage showing how to make homemade cranberry relish by chopping fresh cranberries, apple, and orange in a food processor, mixing in sugar and cinnamon, and preparing the relish for serving.

The relish should have visible little pieces of cranberry, apple, and orange.

Short pulses give you that coarse texture. Running the food processor continuously can turn the mixture into a purée.

A serving dish of homemade cranberry relish garnished with three fresh cranberries, chopped pecans, and orange zest, ready to serve alongside Thanksgiving dinner.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Adjust the sweetness to your taste. The tartness of cranberries and the sweetness of apples and oranges vary. Start with less sugar and add more if needed.
Make it ahead. You can prepare the relish up to three days in advance, which is especially helpful when you’re planning a big holiday meal.
Wait to add the nuts. Stir in the pecans or walnuts just before serving so they retain their crunch.

A spoon scooping chunky homemade cranberry relish from a serving bowl, showing the juicy mixture of fresh cranberries, apple, and orange.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make cranberry relish without a food processor?

Yes! You can finely chop the fruit by hand with a sharp knife. You can try a blender for the cranberries, using small batches, short pulses and checking frequently so they don’t turn into a purée. A mini food chopper is another option.

How far ahead can I make cranberry relish?

You can make this cranberry relish up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Why remove the white pith from the orange?

The white pith can make cranberry relish taste bitter. Removing it lets you use the orange zest and juicy fruit without that bitter flavor.

A bowl of homemade cranberry relish with a spoon scooping out a serving, surrounded by fresh cranberries, chopped pecans, and orange wedges for a colorful Thanksgiving side dish.

More Cranberry Recipes for the Holidays

Here are a few more cranberry recipes to add to your holiday menu.