One of the benefits of living in Oregon is our availability to fresh, tart cranberries. Oregon’s coastal region’s moist bogs provide ideal conditions for the spindly, low growing bushes to thrive.

Their juicy tanginess makes an ideal foil in sauces, chutneys and other condiments, in salads, and for baking. I like to stock up on cranberries when they are abundant, from October to December.
I recently came across a forgotten bag of berries stuffed in the recesses of the fridge that needed to be either frozen or used up. Here’s my ten minute solution: a sweet and sour cranberry-apple jam that falls somewhere between jam and chutney.
The jam’s spicy-tart bite is a delicious wake-up on morning toast, as an edge with peanut butter in a sandwich, and even as a mild condiment with curries.
Nice to know it is laced with B, C and E vitamins, too.
Spiced Cranberry Apple Jam
Ingredients
- 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
- 1 large Gala, Fuji, or Honey Crisp apple, peel, seed, chop
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ tsp five-spice powder, or cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla pod, seeded, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium pot, combine cranberries, apple, cider and vinegar, sugar, salt and five-spice and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. If using vanilla extract hold off until finish to add.
- Simmer over medium heat until cranberries begin to burst and jam thickens, 8-10 minutes. Just before removing from heat, stir in vanilla and simmer briefly. If desired, mash berries with a bean or potato masher, for more jam-like consistency
- Let cool, remove the vanilla pod. Transfer jam to a pint jar with the cinnamon stick if using. Will hold in refrigerator 2 weeks or longer. Yield: 2 cups