Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce

I know that turkey is supposed to be the star of the show at the Thanksgiving feast, but I’m all about the sides. Pile my plate high with lumpy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and cranberry sauce, and you’ll hear no complaints from me. Although I have a certain nostalgia for canned cranberry sauce plopped straight into the serving dish (with the decorative can ridges and all), several years ago I discovered how easy it is to make cranberry sauce from scratch—and I haven’t looked back since.

This (mostly) hands-off recipe for slow-cooker cranberry sauce frees up precious stovetop space yet results in the same flavorful sauce you’d expect from making it on the stove. This is especially important when stovetop space is at a premium as you’re preparing all the components of a Thanksgiving meal. You can serve this cranberry sauce warm or chill it in the fridge until ready to serve. You can even make it several days in advance and store it covered in an airtight container in the fridge until the day of the big feast.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce

• Whole cranberries: You can use either fresh or frozen whole cranberries for this recipe. If using frozen crans, allow them to thaw for at least an hour in the fridge before proceeding with the recipe.
• Orange juice and zest: The bright and sweet flavor of fresh orange juice and orange zest complements the tart flavor of the cranberries. Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor. Zest one medium-sized orange with a Microplane before juicing it.
• Water: Water helps prevent the sauce from thickening excessively and also aids in softening the cranberries as they cook.
• Maple syrup: The sweet and slightly smoky flavor of real maple syrup adds a delightful sweetness to the cranberry sauce. You could substitute white sugar, brown sugar or honey if you prefer. This recipe intentionally uses less sugar for a more tart flavor, so add more sweetener to taste if you prefer.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a slow cooker and stir to combine.

Step 2: Slow-cook the sauce

Cover and cook on high for three hours, stirring once an hour. Remove the lid, stir and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes or until thickened.

Step 3: Serve

Serve the Crockpot cranberry sauce warm or allow the sauce to cool, cover it and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Editor’s Tip: If you prefer a smoother cranberry sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. Or, run the sauce through a food mill.

Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce Variations

There are so many ways to jazz up cranberry sauce! Here are a few of our favorites:

• Spice it up: Add complexity to your Crockpot cranberry sauce by stirring in a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger or ground allspice. Alternatively, add one or two cinnamon sticks to infuse the warm spice flavor as the cranberry sauce cooks.
• Get nutty: After the cranberry sauce has cooked, stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for added crunch.
• Spike it: Add a tablespoon of spiced rum, bourbon or cognac at the beginning of cooking to add complexity to the cranberry sauce’s flavor. The alcohol will cook off as the sauce simmers, leaving behind plenty of delicious flavor.

How to Store Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce

After the cranberry sauce has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. If it thickens up more than you like, stir in a tablespoon of water or orange juice to thin out the sauce before serving leftovers.

How long does slow-cooker cranberry sauce last?

When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftover slow-cooker cranberry sauce lasts up to two weeks.

Can you freeze cranberry sauce?

Yes, you can definitely freeze slow-cooker cranberry sauce! To freeze it, simply spoon the cooled sauce into freezer-safe containers and seal them tightly to prevent freezer burn. Cranberry sauce can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce Tips

What else can you do with cranberry sauce?

Although cranberry sauce is commonly thought of as a holiday side dish, there is a multitude of ways to use this sweet and tart sauce. Use it in a classic recipe for leftover turkey: Thanksgiving turkey cranberry sandwiches!

Or, save it for breakfast and use the cranberry sauce as a warm topping for buttermilk pancakes, fluffy waffles or French toast. Stir the sauce into a bowl of warm oatmeal or overnight oats. If you love to bake, stir the leftover sauce into muffin, pound cake or coffee cake batter for a burst of tart cranberry flavor.