Slow Cooker Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Nov 21, 2016, Updated Nov 15, 2023
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This slow cooker cranberry sauce is deliciously sweet and tangy, and so easy to prepare in the crockpot! I love this easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe with tart fresh cranberries, bright citrus flavors, and warm fall spices. I know you will, too!
This is one of the easiest cranberry sauce recipes I’ve ever made, and it’s the best! Just a few ingredients, zero prep work, and a few hours in a crock pot deliver a flavorful and tangy cranberry sauce that can be spooned over this year’s Thanksgiving roast turkey. Your house will smell incredible, and using a slow cooker means your stovetop is free for any other dishes on your list.
Why You Should Make Cranberry Sauce in the Slow Cooker
- It leaves the oven free. I love that I can have this cranberry sauce burbling away in the slow cooker while I roast the turkey and bake my stuffing. With so many delicious dishes to cook, I’ll take all the oven space I can get.
- The flavors are unmatched. Slow-simmering for hours brings out the sweetness in the otherwise tart fresh cranberries. Meanwhile, brown sugar, cozy fall spices, and a splash of orange juice round out the flavors.
- Great make-ahead option. Preparing cranberry sauce in the crockpot is an excellent way to get a head start on your holiday menu. Speaking from experience!
Recipe Ingredients
I keep my crock pot cranberry sauce extra simple, but the flavors are anything but! Below are notes on what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe with amounts.
- Fresh Cranberries – I use a whole bag of fresh cranberries. Most grocery stores will stock the fresh kind around Thanksgiving. Otherwise, you can use frozen.
- Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar will cook into the sauce and cut the bitterness of the cranberries.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – I use unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar. White or red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar also work well.
- Orange Juice – With or without pulp, since the sauce comes out a little on the chunky side anyway.
- Spices – I love the combination of flavors that ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bring to this cranberry sauce. Pumpkin pie spice is a great option, too.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Sauce
- Make it sweeter. If you find that your sauce is a bit bitter after cooking, add a spoonful of maple syrup and another of the orange juice as needed to counteract the bitterness of the cranberries.
- Avoid overcooking. Overcooking the sauce causes the sugars to caramelize and burn, so it’s a good idea to check in on the pot once it’s closer to the end of the cooking time. The cranberries should be almost all popped, and the rest should burst once you stir them before serving.
- Make it ahead. You can easily make this recipe a day or two in advance. If anything, the extra sitting time in the fridge helps the flavors to combine and develop even more. It’s also great to prepare ahead on the day, and leave it in the slow cooker on the “keep warm” setting.
Try These Variations
- Add in a dash of vanilla extract or a single split vanilla bean.
- Stir in a cup of dark cherries or cherry preserves.
- Mix in a half cup of port or sherry.
- Substitute the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup.
Serving Suggestions
Is a Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas prime rib dinner complete without homemade cranberry sauce?! I think not. This citrusy, spiced slow cooker cranberry sauce pairs wonderfully with any holiday roast and all the fixings. In our house, that’s this savory apple stuffing and homemade gravy, fluffy buttermilk mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and my family’s favorite Macedonian dinner rolls to sop up the leftovers!
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Combine. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or until the cranberries have popped and the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
- Serve. Taste and adjust accordingly. If needed, stir in more sugar. Serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Here are the steps to prepare the world’s best cranberry sauce! Well, in my eyes, it is. 😉 If you’d prefer to make this on the stovetop, the steps are more or less the same, only you’ll need to simmer the ingredients in a saucepan instead until they thicken. (It’s quicker that way, but you may not get the same level of flavor.)
- Combine the ingredients. Start by combining all of the ingredients in the bowl of your slow cooker. Stir, then close the lid.
- Cook. Cook the cranberry sauce on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Keep an eye on the cooking time. You’ll know it’s ready when the cranberries have popped and the sauce is thickened and bubbling. Give it a taste and add in some extra sweetness if needed.
- Serve! Transfer the sauce to a bowl for serving.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerate. Leftover cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. I love using leftovers to make my delicious baked brie, or I’ll smear a layer over a turkey salad sandwich!
- Freeze. You can freeze this cranberry sauce for 2 to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
I realize the original date of this post was some time ago, but I’m hoping for a response. I did this in my crock pot on high for more than 4 hours……many of the cranberries have not popped, but are soft. There is no thickening of the liquids, it is just plain runny and liquid. I am going to try and transfer to stove-top and continue cooking and hoping for some thickening. Any comments or suggestions?
Hi!!
I would just let them cook a little longer in the slow cooker. It could be that your slow cooker cooks at a lower temperature than mine, which is why it may need a bit more time. Just continue to cook until they start popping – it shouldn’t be long since they’re already soft. By cooking it longer, you’re also going to reduce the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If you want it even thicker, you can always add a slurry of cornstarch – mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir it into the sauce and continue to cook for several minutes.