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Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, orange juice, and cinnamon sticks for a glossy, spoonable texture. Cook until the berries burst, then mash lightly and chill for thick, jewel-toned results.
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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: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook in the crockpot
  1. Add fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot. Stir to fully coat the berries so they cook evenly.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours. Stir once halfway and look for berries bursting and the mixture turning glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Uncover and mash lightly to thicken while keeping some berries intact. If you want it thicker, cook 15-20 minutes more, stirring occasionally until it looks spoon-coating.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks and let the sauce cool. Serve warm or chill until set, and check that it holds a thick scoop.

Notes

Pro tip: stir once halfway so the bottom doesn’t darken and to help all berries reach burst stage. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. For a lower-sugar swap, reduce sugar to 1 cup and taste before chilling—cooking time stays the same.