Introduction
Welcome to my recipe for Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce! This easy and delicious recipe is the perfect accompaniment to your holiday meal. It’s made with fresh cranberries, orange juice, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The slow cooker does all the work, so you can spend more time with your family and friends. The result is a sweet and tart cranberry sauce that will be a hit at your holiday table. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
This slow cooker cranberry sauce is a delicious and easy way to make a classic holiday side dish. The tart cranberries are cooked with orange juice, sugar, and spices to create a flavorful and festive accompaniment to your favorite holiday meal. Jessica Gavin, a Certified Culinary Scientist, shares her tips for making the perfect slow cooker cranberry sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to a slow cooker.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- The cranberries will burst and the sauce will thicken as it cooks.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness or spices as desired.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool before serving.
Tips
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the cranberries after cooking.
- For a chunkier sauce, mash the cranberries with a potato masher after cooking.
- For a sweeter sauce, add more sugar to taste.
- For a spicier sauce, add more cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to taste.
This slow cooker cranberry sauce is a great way to add a festive touch to your holiday meal. With Jessica Gavin’s tips, you can make the perfect cranberry sauce every time!
This slow-cooker cranberry sauce is an easy, hands-off method. Fresh cranberries gently simmer with orange juice and cinnamon for citrus and spice-infused flavor. A delicious addition to your holiday feast!
This sauce is perfect for serving with other Thanksgiving staples like roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.
Table of Contents
Have you ever tried to make a fresh cranberry sauce in a Crock-Pot? It’s a stress-free, minimal-effort way to prepare the sweet and tart condiment. Add the cranberries, juice, and seasonings in just one pot to enhance the flavor. Then, just set it and forget it! Serve it warm, or make it several days in advance. It’s a great option to save you space on the stovetop for other delicious holiday dishes.
I’ve adapted my orange cranberry sauce recipe to the slow cooker. You can easily customize the flavors to your liking! As the sauce cooks and reduces, the berries pop, thickening the consistency. The citrus and cinnamon make the house smell incredible throughout the day!
Cranberry selection
Fresh or frozen healthy cranberries can be used. If frozen, it will take more time to defrost and cook in the Crock-pot. Around mid-October, you can find 12 ounces bags at the grocery store. This size yields about 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Rinse the whole cranberries well to remove any dirt and debris from harvesting. If you see any bruised or mashed fruit, discard them.
Flavor the sauce
You can use water as the liquid component of the sauce. However, I like to add orange juice for sweet and tangy notes. Adding some fresh lemon zest punches up the aroma and infuses the orange oil into the sauce.
To sweeten the mouth-puckering berries, I use pure maple syrup. It adds a hint of caramel, providing more depth. Honey or brown sugar are great substitutes. Add granulated sugar for a more pure sugar taste—Cook the sauce with cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract to add warm baked flavors.
How to make cranberry sauce in a slow cooker
I use a 6-quart Crockpot to make the sauce. It’s relatively large, making it easy to scale up the recipe. You can use a smaller size, down to a 3-quart slow cooker. Add the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon stick to the slow cooker. Cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours or low setting for 7 to 8 hours.
The sauce will look thinner than cooking on the stovetop but thickens as it cools. The long cook time creates a more concentrated cooked berry flavor, similar to dried cranberries, with hints of caramel. The color will also be more Burgandy in tone.
Make ahead
If you want to make a batch of crockpot cranberry sauce in advance, you can make it up to 1 week ahead of time. Let it cool down, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Alternatively, freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to 3 months, and defrost the day before serving.
Serve this with
Frequently asked questions
Add more sweeteners like white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. The cranberry sauce needs to be warm to dissolve the sugar crystals if granulated. Start with 1 teaspoon at a time until the bitterness is not as strong.
No, the pectin released from the whole cranberries will combine with the sugar and acids, thickening the consistency of the sauce. As the sauce cools, the pectin will create a thicker gel, making it thicker. If the sauce appears watery, cook longer to evaporate some of the moisture.
For the liquid, use orange juice, apple juice, or cider for fruitier notes. Add minced ginger and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ground, or whole spices. Vanilla bean or vanilla extract for depth. Liquor like rum, brandy, bourbon, or Grand Marnier. Make it spicy with jalapeno peppers.
How do you make slow cooker cranberry sauce thicker?
The sauce will look juicier than stovetop recipes because the steam is trapped inside the cooking vessel. This prevents as much moisture from quickly evaporating. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 30 to 60 minutes more. This will help further concentrate the sauce. It will firm up and thicken as it cools down or is refrigerated.
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Add Ingredients – In a 6-quart slow cooker add the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, and zest. Stir to combine.
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Add the Cinnamon – Submerge the cinnamon stick in the cranberry mixture
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Slow Cook – Cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours or low setting for 7 to 8 hours. The sauce is ready when the cranberries have popped, and the sauce thickens to a loose jam consistency. Stir and cook longer if needed.
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Season – Remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla. Taste the sauce and add more sweetener if desired. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
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To Serve – Serve the sauce warm, or transfer it to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
- Recipe Yield: About 1 1/2 cups
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; defrost before use.
- Sweetener: Granulated sugar or brown sugar can be used.
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 28
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.03g0%
Saturated Fat 0.003g0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.005g
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 38mg1%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 0.1g0%
Vitamin A 20IU0%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.