Let this easy cranberry sauce recipe cook in the crockpot while you make the rest of your Thanksgiving sides. Tart, fresh, and tangy, you’ll love the lightly sweetened flavor!
Growing up, cranberry sauce was always my favorite dish at the Thanksgiving table. I’d give myself a massive serving, even bigger than my second favorite side dish, Sweet Potato Casserole.
Nowadays, I volunteer to make cranberry sauce for all Thanksgivings and Friendsgivings dinners we attend. Partly because I can make a lot and know that I won’t leave anyone hanging if I dole myself an extra serving or two. And partly because this crockpot cranberry sauce recipe is just so yummy!
I simply love cranberry sauce!
WHY MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE?
If you typically just pop open canned cranberry sauce, here’s why I think you should make classic cranberry sauce from scratch:
- Easy! Really, my slow cooker cranberry sauce recipe is SO EASY and hands-off, it requires practically zero work!
- Better ingredients. The canned stuff almost always has high fructose corn syrup, which we aim to keep out of our kitchen.
- Less sweetener. Not only are we using a better sweetener, but we’re using a whole lot less! Save the sugar for dessert!
- Fresh, tart flavor. You can’t beat the combination of tart cranberries with fresh orange juice and zest. That light tangy flavor complements some of the heavier dishes you usually see at the Thanksgiving table.
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Okay, let’s talk about this super easy 4 ingredient cranberry sauce recipe, shall we?
- Cranberries. The holidays are the best time to stock up on fresh cranberries, but you can use frozen cranberries if that’s what you have!
- Oranges. The natural sweetness of the oranges counteracts the tartness of the cranberries. You can use whatever oranges you’d like in this recipe.
- Optional flavors. Traditionalists will likely only use ground cinnamon and/or vanilla extract, but you can use ground or freshly grated ginger, spiced wine or bourbon, apples or pears, Candied Pecans or walnuts… really, the options are endless.
- Sweetener. Ever since we quit processed sugar, I have significantly reduced the amount of sweetener we use. Most homemade cranberry sauce recipes use close to 2 cups of white sugar. But this one only uses ¼ cup of pure maple syrup!
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE IN THE SLOW COOKER
The hands-off ease of slow cooker cranberry sauce really makes this the best Thanksgiving recipe ever. You can make cranberry sauce ahead of time and chill it in the fridge until needed, or get it started the morning of the big meal. The flavors meld and make the most delicious cranberry sauce of all time!
Step 1. Add the cranberries, orange zest (I use this zester), and orange juice to your slow cooker (I use this one). You want about ½ cup of orange juice.
Step 2. Stir in the maple syrup and any additional flavors. I like to use a couple of cinnamon sticks (and then reuse them for Stovetop Potpourri!) and a splash of Homemade Vanilla Extract.
Step 3. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
Step 4. Once finished, gently mash the cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and add additional sweetener if desired.
The natural pectin in cranberry sauce will make it thicken as it cools. Feel free to cool it completely and serve at room temperature or chill it before your big meal.
This is the best and easiest fresh cranberry sauce recipe, and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving! That’s why it’s included in my Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Plan.
MAKING CRANBERRY SAUCE IN THE INSTANT POT
I know I constantly share how much I love my Instant Pot (be sure to read this post before you buy!), but I’m going “old school” for this recipe by using my slow cooker.
Now, I’m sure you CAN use your Instant Pot for making cranberry sauce, but I haven’t done it myself.
For my experimental readers though, feel free to test this “slow cooker to Instant Pot conversion” and let me know how it goes!
Step 1. Place cranberries, orange juice and zest, maple syrup, and optional flavor ingredients in the Instant Pot.
Step 2. Set the “slow cook” function on the Instant Pot.
Step 3. Adjust the pressure to “normal.”
Step 4. Set the timer for 4 hours.
RECIPE OF CRANBERRY SAUCE ON THE STOVETOP
My stove-top is usually busy with other dishes at Thanksgiving, but if you don’t have a slow cooker or Instant Pot, you can make this recipe of cranberry sauce on the stove.
Step 1. Place cranberries, orange juice and zest, maple syrup, and optional flavor ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Step 2. Put the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
Step 3. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
Step 4. Remove from the heat and let it cool before serving.
GOT LEFTOVER CRANBERRY SAUCE?
I’m a big fan of cranberry sauce, so I’m happy to have an extra scoop on my Thanksgiving plate, but if you have lots left over, here are some ways to enjoy it!
- Make leftover turkey sandwiches. Spread leftover cranberry sauce on your bread and add leftover turkey and a slice of provolone cheese.
- Stir cranberry sauce into Vanilla Ice Cream for a sweet treat!
- Swirl it into a bowl of yogurt for breakfast or a snack.
- Make Healthy Jam Oatmeal Bars and use leftover cranberry sauce instead of jam.
- Spread on top of biscuits or pancakes
- Mix into Cranberry Orange Scones
CRANBERRIES SAUCE FAQS
Is homemade cranberry sauce good for you?
Homemade cranberry sauce is a great choice over the canned stuff, and this cranberry sauce recipe has simple ingredients with no artificial flavors or corn syrup. Growing up, I didn’t even know you COULD make cranberry sauce from scratch, but since then, I’ve learned how bad high-fructose corn syrup is for you, so the canned stuff is officially banned from our house. And no, I don’t make exceptions on holidays.
I’m hoping that once you see how EASY and HANDS OFF this slow cooker cranberry sauce recipe is, you’ll never go back to the can either!
How do you thicken homemade cranberries sauce?
Cranberry sauce starts to thicken as it cooks because of the pectin in the cranberries and the orange juice, and the heat cooking off some of the liquid. It continues to thicken as it cools.
How long does homemade cranberry sauce last?
Store this homemade cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 10-14 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES
- Slow Cooker Blueberry Cobbler
- Homemade Bread in a Slow Cooker
- 16 Slow Cooker Soups and Chilis
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- All-Purpose Slow Cooker Chicken
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Let this easy cranberry sauce recipe cook in the crockpot while you make the rest of your Thanksgiving sides. Tart, fresh, and tangy, you’ll love the lightly sweetened flavor!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 oz cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 3–4 medium to large oranges (I used clementines)
- 2–4 Tbsp maple syrup
- tiniest pinch of salt
- Optional Flavors: a splash of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon OR whole cinnamon sticks, a pinch of ground or freshly grated ginger, spiced wine or bourbon, apples or pears, pecans or walnuts (as tempting as it may be to pick all of them, it’s really best to pick just one or two)
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Place cranberries in the slow cooker.
- Zest and juice all 3 oranges. You need about ½ cup of fresh orange juice, so zest and juice the additional orange if necessary.
- Add 2 Tbsp of maple syrup plus any additional flavors, if desired (remember to pick just one or two!).
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.
- The cranberries will be very soft by this point, so you can mash them with the back of a wooden spoon until they reach your desired consistency.
Instant Pot
- Place cranberries, orange juice and zest, maple syrup, and optional flavor ingredients in the Instant Pot.
- Set the “slow cook” function on the Instant Pot.
- Adjust the pressure to “normal.”
- Set the timer for 4 hours.
Stovetop
- Place cranberries, orange juice and zest, maple syrup, and optional flavor ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Put the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool before serving.
Notes
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Taste, and add additional sweeter and/or optional flavors as desired.
- Store this homemade cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 10-14 days. You can store this in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Calories: 275
Could one freeze it? Or should I freeze the cranberries and then use when I want to make the sauce? I really want to stock up!
Love this recipe, how long will it last for once it is made?
It will definitely last for 3 days (the time you eat leftovers before you get tired of them, LOL). I’d say it would be good for up to 5 days.
I will be making this tomorrow! Thank you.
You’re very welcome Lynn!
I like to cook with the slow cooker because it’s easy to prepare and easy to cook. Thank you for another great sauce recipe!
I always make homemade! I usually use orange juice concentrate, but this year I used apple juice concentrate and some honey. I also add a wee bit of cinnamon and cloves. The canned stuff is so sweet…I love the tartness of the cranberries. I think the stovetop is super easy…just let it cook until the cranberries all pop and it’s done. It only takes a few minutes, so not sure why it would need hours of cooking…
I like the slow cooker Lyss because it really concentrates the flavor of the cranberries and gets it super thick!