Go Back

Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Crockpot cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries for a glossy, jammy texture. Slow-cooked until the berries burst, then lightly mashed for a balanced sweet-tart 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: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crockpot 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
  • 0.0625 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook in the crockpot
  1. Add fresh cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and salt to the crockpot.
  2. Stir well to combine so the sugar dissolves and the berries are evenly coated.
  3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours until the berries burst, stirring once halfway.
Finish and set the texture
  1. Uncover and mash lightly with the back of a spoon to thicken slightly while keeping some berry skins.
  2. If you want it thicker, cook 15-20 minutes more uncovered.
  3. Remove the cinnamon sticks, then cool and chill, or keep on WARM for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir only once halfway to avoid breaking too many berries early, then mash lightly at the end for the best glossy, jammy texture. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; reheat gently or serve chilled. Freezing is not recommended for the best texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute designed for baking and cook times stay the same.