Go Back

Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce that turns fresh berries into a glossy, spoonable jam with simple slow-cooker simmering. Cook on HIGH until the cranberries burst, then mash lightly for a textured finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 234
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce
  • 24 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 2 count cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.25 tsp salt Pinch

Equipment

  • 1 crockpot

Method
 

Cook in the crockpot
  1. Add fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot. Stir briefly so the berries are evenly coated.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring once halfway. Look for berries to burst and the sauce to turn glossy and thick.
Finish and serve
  1. Uncover, mash lightly, and cook 15-20 minutes more if you want it thicker. Reduce bubbling slightly and watch for a spoon-coating consistency.
  2. Remove cinnamon sticks and cool the sauce. Chill for serving later or keep warm for immediate serving.

Notes

Pro tip: stir only once halfway to keep the sauce from cooling too much, and mash lightly at the end to control how chunky it is. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, replace sugar with an equal amount of a 1:1 sugar substitute designed for jam, then simmer until thickened.