Apple Cranberry Stuffing with Sage and Fall Spices

This apple cranberry stuffing is the ultimate holiday side dish, combining toasty bread cubes, tart dried cranberries, sweet apples, and fragrant sage. It’s baked until golden and crisp on top, with a tender, moist interior that will have everyone reaching for seconds.

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or a festive gathering, this stuffing is easy to prepare and pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and all your favorite trimmings. The blend of fall spices and fresh herbs makes it truly special.

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Ingredients

3 unit Demi-BaguetteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 slice White BreadView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit CeleryView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce SageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit AppleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fall Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.32 ounce Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit EggsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut demi-baguettes and white bread into ½-inch cubes, keeping them separate. Place baguette cubes on one baking sheet and white bread cubes on another. Toast until crisp and golden: 8-10 minutes for white bread, 12-15 minutes for baguette. Set aside.
2. Grease a baking dish (about 8×11 inches) with 1 tablespoon butter. Halve, peel, and dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Finely dice the celery. Pick sage leaves from stems and chop finely; discard stems. Core the apple and cut into ½-inch cubes.
3. Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and celery. Cook, stirring, until translucent and very soft, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the fall spice blend and sage; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the dried cranberries, apple cubes, and toasted bread cubes to the pot. Pour in water, ¼ cup at a time, until the bread is moist but not soggy (you may need up to 2 cups). Stir in the chicken stock concentrates. Break up any large bread pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then stir into the pot until well combined.
5. Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish. Bake until golden and crisp on top and tender on the bottom, about 30 minutes.
6. Let the stuffing cool for a few minutes before serving alongside your favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

Useful Cookware

A few helpful kitchen tools for this recipe, with relevant Amazon picks for each item.

Baking sheet (2)

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Baking dish (8x11-inch)

AmazonShop popular Baking dish (8x11-inch) on AmazonView on Amazon

Large pot

IMUSA 16 Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid - Large Cooking Pot for Soups, Stews, Pasta, Seafood Boiling and Family Meals - Riveted Handles for Easy TransportView on AmazonCAROTE 8QT Full Clad Tri Ply Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid, Kitchen Soup Pot, All Stoves Compatible, Oven & Dishwasher Safe, Stay Cool Handle, White, Mothers Day GiftsView on AmazonKirecoo Stainless Steel Stock Pot - 8 Quart Heavy Duty Induction Cooking Pot with Visible Lid for Pasta, Soup, Spaghetti, Nonstick Thick Bottom Big Stockpot, Deep Cookware for Canning, Boiling, SimmerView on Amazon

Small bowl

Kaytee Stoneware Ceramic Pet Hamster Bowl, Brown, 3-InchView on AmazonDipping Bowls, Soy Sauce Dish Ceramic, 3 OZ Small Serving Bowls for Side Dishes Vintage Blue Stylish Design, Set of 6 Mini Appetizer Plates for Condiment Sushi Ketchup BBQ Party, 4 InchView on AmazonFarielyn-X 3.5in 4oz Small Glass Bowls, Mini Glass Containers, Ramekins, Prep, Pinch Bowl, Stackable Condiment Containers, for Prep, Dips, Nuts, Snacks, Candy Meal Prep Bowls, Dessert BowlsView on Amazon

Wooden spoon

AmazonShop popular Wooden spoon on AmazonView on Amazon

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?

Yes, you can substitute fresh cranberries. Use about 1 cup fresh cranberries and reduce the added water slightly, as fresh cranberries release moisture during baking.

Can I make this stuffing gluten-free?

Absolutely! Use gluten-free bread and baguettes. Ensure your stock concentrate and spice blend are gluten-free as well.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.