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Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries for a glossy, jammy texture. Slow-cooked on HIGH until the berries burst, then lightly mashed for the perfect spreadable consistency.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 315
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry base
  • 24 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.1 salt

Equipment

  • 1 crockpot

Method
 

Combine in the crockpot
  1. Add fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot. Stir well to combine so the sugar looks evenly distributed.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours. Stir once halfway, and cook until the berries burst and the sauce turns glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Uncover and mash lightly, then cook for 15-20 minutes more if you want it thicker. The sauce should thicken slightly as it simmers in the uncovered crockpot.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Cool, then chill for serving, or keep on WARM until ready to serve.

Notes

Pro tip: For the jammiest texture, mash only partway—leave some berries intact for juicy bursts. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a less-sweet option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute designed for baking in place of sugar.