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When stove-top and oven space are in high demand, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce is a no-brainer. This classic recipe uses fresh or frozen cranberries and orange juice for extra sweetness and flavor.
In my opinion, Cranberry Sauce has one purpose on your holiday table: To cut the richness of everything else. And it’s different from the rest of the menu, too. For one thing, it isn’t made with butter! And, it can be (but is not always) served cold.
I love orange juice in homemade cranberry sauce. The orange juice tastes sweet against the tartness of the cranberries, but the contrast is a welcome one.
Standard cranberry sauce only takes 10 minutes on the stove, but if you don’t have space on your stove, crockpot cranberry sauce is a great idea. This is especially helpful if you need to transport it somewhere and intend to serve the sauce warm.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cranberries: Use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. Add frozen cranberries straight to the crock pot (no thawing needed).
- Orange zest and juice: Zest the orange first, then juice it for the sauce. Using orange juice helps create a sweet-tart flavor that balances out the cranberries.
Step-by-step instructions
- In the bottom of a small slow cooker, add cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir the mixture once every hour.
- Remove the lid and mash the cranberries with a spoon or masher.
- Continue to cook on HIGH, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes longer.
- Cover and chill until serving time, up to 3 days in advance.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings, ¼ cup each (2 cups total).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Cranberry sauce is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Cool the sauce completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Cooled sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- More sweeteners: This recipe calls for white sugar, but you can substitute brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey (the flavor will change, but not in a bad way).
- Customize your flavors: Omit the orange juice (swap in extra water if needed) and try vanilla extract, a splash of red wine, a cinnamon stick, or warming spices such as ginger and cloves. For texture, stir in some toasted walnuts.
- Stove-top: If you have time and space for stove-top cranberry sauce, try my Classic Cranberry Sauce recipe.
- Cranberry sauce with apples: Add 1 cup of peeled and diced apples (about 4 ounces) and cinnamon for a delicious twist on cranberry sauce.
- Cranberry Relish: This no-cook version is 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep (plus 8 hours of chilling time so the flavors can blend).
- Small batch: My Cranberry Sauce for Two has been scaled down for a pair.
- Leftovers: Leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meal is delicious on Leftover Turkey Sandwiches or folded into my favorite Cranberry Cheesecake Galette. You can also drizzle it over ice cream for dessert (maybe add a handful of pecans?), pancakes, waffles, and crepes.
- Best Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Recipes: Discover the best slow cooker recipes for your Thanksgiving feast including turkey and all the classic sides. Free up oven and stove top space when you need it most by cooking one (or more!) Thanksgiving recipes in a crockpot.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll start seeing cranberries at grocery stores in November, and they should be stocked all through December. I usually stock up and vacuum-seal a few bags for the freezer because once they’re gone, they’re gone!
All of the cranberries in the United States are grown in just 5 states. More than half come from Wisconsin. Massachusetts grows the second largest amount, about 30%, and the rest come from New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.
More cranberry recipes
Cookie Recipes
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Cake Recipes
Cranberry Wreath Cake
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Cranberry Cheesecake Galette
Bar Recipes
Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen, rinsed and picked (see note 1)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest from 1 orange (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In the bottom of a small slow cooker, add cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, stirring once every hour.
- Remove the lid and mash the cranberries with a spoon or masher. Continue to cook on HIGH, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes longer. Cover and chill until serving time, up to 3 days in advance.
Notes
- Cranberries: Use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. Fresh cranberries freeze really well, so stock up when you see them. Add frozen cranberries straight to the crock pot (no thawing needed).
- Orange zest and juice: Zest the orange first, then juice it for the sauce. Using orange juice helps create a sweet-tart flavor that balances out the cranberries.
- Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings, ¼ cup each (2 cups total).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.