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Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce is a simple slow-cooker method that turns fresh cranberries into a glossy, jammy texture. Cook on HIGH until the berries burst, then mash lightly for the perfect spoonable 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: 240
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
  • 0.1 salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook in the crockpot
  1. Add cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot. Stir once to evenly coat the berries, creating a wet, sparkling mixture.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring once halfway. Keep the lid on until halfway, then lift it briefly to stir so the sauce cooks evenly and thickens.
  3. Check for doneness when the berries burst and the sauce turns glossy. If most berries split and release juice, you’re ready for the next step.
Thicken and finish
  1. Uncover, mash lightly, and cook for 15-20 minutes more if you want it thicker. Watch for bubbling that coats the spoon, with a thicker, spoonable texture.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks, then cool and chill before serving, or keep on WARM. The final sauce should be thick enough to hold shape on a spoon when chilled.

Notes

Pro tip: stir gently halfway through and again right before thickening so the cranberries break evenly. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 7 days; freeze up to 3 months for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar substitute that measures like sugar (check package conversion) to maintain the same jammy set.