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Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce with glossy, jammy texture—slow-cooked until the berries burst and then lightly mashed for a thick spoonable finish. Bright orange juice and zest plus cinnamon sticks give it a warm, spiced flavor.
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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: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook in the slow cooker
  1. Add fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot. Stir well to fully combine and coat the berries.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours. Stir once halfway through so the berries cook evenly and become glossy.
  3. Uncover and mash lightly with a spoon until the mixture thickens slightly. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes if you want it thicker, until the berries are burst and the sauce looks jammy.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the cinnamon sticks after cooking. Let the cranberry sauce cool, then chill it until set, or keep it on WARM for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: For a smoother sauce, mash more aggressively after the initial cook; for a chunkier spoonable consistency, mash just a little. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 1 month for best texture. If you want a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute suited for cooking (results may vary).