Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing Recipe (2024)

Published September 4, 2019. Last updated October 15, 2020 by Lauren Vavala Harris

Take your stuffing up a notch this season! This Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing recipe is surprisingly easy to make and extremely tasty. It’s a great way to add a touch of sweetness to an otherwise classic savory side dish.

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Stuffing tends to only make an appearance around my home on the major food holidays. The same goes for Broccoli Casserole and Candied Sweet Potatoes. It seems a bit silly saying that because these are the 3 dishes that I look forward to the most on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I was actually pretty content with stuffing out of a box, but figured it was time to break the cycle and make my own. I love sweet and savory together so adding apples and cranberries was the first thing that I wanted to incorporate into my own stuffing recipe. A little crunch is always fun too, so I threw some walnuts into the mix.

I have to say, this Cranberry Apple Walnut recipe has me hooked. Bye-bye boxed stuffing. It’s been real.

Why This Recipe Works

• Granny Smith apples and dried cranberries gives traditionally savory stuffing a burst of tart sweetness in every bite.
• It’s the perfect compliment to simple meat dishes like roasted turkey, ham, or pork.
• Walnuts are a crunchy, delicious stand in, as this recipe does not use giblets or sausage.

How to Make Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing Recipe

Prep!

Doing a little prep work for this recipe goes a long way. It’s helpful to have your shallot, celery, and apples diced before you begin to cook.

Tip: while I haven’t had any problems with this recipe sticking, you may want to butter your casserole dish before you put the stuffing in it to bake.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Create!

In a large bowl, combine the seasoned stuffing cubes, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and dried sage. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet, over med heat. Add the shallots, celery, and apples. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3-5 minutes, or until just soft.

Add the apple mixture to the bowl with the stuffing cubes. Stir to combine. Gradually mix in the stock until everything is moist and just sticks together.

Tip: you may need slightly more or slightly less stock than 1 cup.

Pour the stuffing mixture into a large casserole dish.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until just browned on top and hot throughout.

Present!

Serve this stuffing as a side dish to all of your favorite turkey, chicken, ham, or pork dishes. It’s perfect during holidays, as well!

Tips and Techniques for the Best Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing

• You can butter your casserole dish before pouring the stuffing mixture into it for baking. It may help keep the stuffing from sticking.
• Be sure to add the stock slowly. You want the stuffing mixture to be moist, but not so wet that it gets mushy. You may need slightly more or slightly less than the 1 cup the recipe calls for.
• Store leftover stuffing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.

FAQ’s

• Can you freeze stuffing? Yes, you can freeze stuffing, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month.
• Can you make stuffing vegetarian? Yes, stuffing can be made vegetarian. Simply swap out the chicken or turkey stock to vegetable stock.
• Why is my stuffing dry? Getting the right degree of moistness to stuffing can be tricky. Add the stock slowly so that the stuffing cubes are just moist and starting to stick together. If you don’t add enough the stuffing will be dry. If you add too much, it will get mushy. You can also cover the stuffing with a lid or aluminum foil to help prevent it from drying out while baking.

Other Recipes to Try

• Apple Cranberry Crisp (gluten-free friendly)
• Cranberry Apple Chutney
• Bacon Cranberry Brussels Sprouts with Apples

Love this Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!

This recipe was originally published November 8, 2017. It was updates with new images, more thorough instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in September 2019.