This is the best gluten free apple cranberry stuffing ever! It’s tender, flavourful, tart and crispy on top.
I have to admit, hosting Thanksgiving when I’m far from America, during a lockdown, isn’t exactly how I imagined my holiday, ha. I’m used to a big, crazy American Thanksgiving with a massive table full of vegetables covered in cream + cheese surrounded by loud, loud, loud Johns’ family members. And I love every second…maybe even more than I love this gluten free cranberry apple stuffing.
This year looks very, very different, but we’re making it work! And one of the things that I just wasn’t okay with missing out on is a big ole pan of stuffing. And this gluten free apple cranberry version is SO GOOD. It’s chock full of delicious add ins + looks GOREGOUS on the table…even if I’m going to be the only one seeing it, ha.
Let’s make it!
Ingredients in this Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Stuffing
This gluten free apple cranberry stuffing is actually pretty easy to put together even though the ingredient list is a little bit longer. But guys, each element brings something to the table, so if you’ve got it, add it in!
Here’s what we need:
- bread – feel free to use your fav gluten free loaf. I find that one that I can slice myself into larger chunks works best, but any will work! If you aren’t gluten free, regular sourdough or a crusty loaf is perfect.
- garlic
- onion
- celery
- apple
- rosemary – fresh or dried is fine!
- eggs – these bind the stuffing together.
- chicken stock or broth – you can use any stock or broth you like!
- apple
- dried cranberries
- apple cider vinegar – which I know sounds odd, but it’s actually the perfect little dose of tang!
- pecans
Making the stuffing
This recipe is a pretty basic stuffing recipe in terms of how it’s thrown together. The only piece of the recipe that I’m super wedded to, so PLEASE do it, is to either toast the bread in the oven or to leave it to dry on the counter overnight the night before you want to cook it. Having the bread be a bit more crusty and dried out allows for it to absorb the liquids in a completely different way. It doesn’t take much more time, but it makes such a difference!
The other pieces of this recipe really only involve some chopping, light sautéing and mixing. If you’re really short on time, you could totally skip the step of sautéing the onions and garlic, but it does help to mellow their flavours in the finished product.
Once it’s all mixed together, toss this gluten free apple cranberry stuffing into a preheated oven to get golden brown and crusty on top with the most amazing tender, fluffy, moist inside!
Now, here’s the thing: I am not a “stuffing inside of the turkey” type of girl. I haven’t ever made my stuffing that way because I adore the crispy brown bits on top! But, if that’s you, feel free to try it. It should still work completely fine if you just bake it as you would your normal stuffing recipe inside of the turkey.
This stuffing is gorgeous to look at and even more gorgeous to eat. Your entire family will fall in love with this recipe.
If you do decide to add this gem to your Thanksgiving table, I’d be so honoured if you’d tag me in your holiday photos over on instagram! It really does bring me so much joy. And also, pop back + let me know in the comments what your family thought too.
P.S. If you need another gorgeous dish to bring to your Thanksgiving or holiday table, my Paleo Creamed Spinach, Harvest Hash + Paleo Pumpkin Pie Bars.
Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 loaf gluten free bread*** (if you can find unsliced, that's best, but any will work!)
- 1 tbsp avocado, olive or coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2-2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 large green apple
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350f or 175c and grab a medium sized baking dish.
- Take the loaf of gluten free bread and slice into large chunks. Throw it into the baking dish and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until it's golden and crispy. (Feel free to just chop and leave it on the counter the night before to dry out instead if you like!)
- While the bread is toasting, heat a small skillet with the oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onions just start to soften.
- Add the chicken broth, vinegar and eggs to a small bowl and whisk together until combined.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients including the dried bread, sauteed onions, wet mixture and all of the extras + mix until the bread is thoroughly moist. Start with less liquid and work your way up to 2 cups. It will largely depend on the density of your bread.
- Add the stuffing to your oven safe baking dish + press down slightly until it forms one layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the stuffing is golden brown on top and moist and delicious inside!
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