This is the easiest, most delicious crockpot cranberry sauce! Skip refined sugar and sweeten the pot with honey and fresh squeezed orange juice and zest.
Thanksgiving is coming! THANKSGIVING IS COMING!
Holy cow that snuck up on me!
Is it REALLY next week? Where on earth have I been this past month!? A veggie coma perhaps?
Your Thanksgiving recipe bombardment is surely reaching its peak right about now, but would you mind terribly if I add something super easy to the mix?
It won’t take up the prime real estate that is your oven space… It won’t even require the stove-top *or* the microwave.
Just grab your crockpot and the ingredients below and walk. a. way.
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
- fresh cranberries
- dried cranberries
- granny smith or honey crisp apple
- 1 medium orange (enough for 1/2 tsp of zest + 1/4 cup of juice)
- honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- fine sea salt
Easy Peasy Slow Cooker Instructions
- Grate the zest from the orange until you have about 1/2 teaspoon of zest, then slice and squeeze out 1/4 cup of juice.
- Add the zest and juice along with all the above ingredients into your slow cooker, cover, and cook for 2 hours on high or 3-4 hours on low.
That’s it! I told you this was easy!
For those of you that are team sketchy-yet-delicious can-o-cranberry sauce jelly, I was absolutely in your shoes for the last 27 years of my life. Sorry, 28! I keep knocking off that last year for some strange reason…
Anyways! I ditched the can and couldn’t be happier. Join me!
Cranberry Apple Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
This is seriously the best cranberry sauce of my life!
I kept the sweet stuff to a minimum because I adore a little bit of crisp, refreshing tartness to offset the sweetness. Feel free to heavy hand the honey if your sweet tooth runneth over or you can even opt for regular or brown sugar. Totally try it with less first then adjust to taste. You might surprise yourself!
Ohmygosh! And if you manage to squirrel away any leftover crockpot cranberry sauce, you totally have to make my Cranberry Cheesecake Streusel Bars and some Cranberry Cream Cheese Sandwich Spread too. They’re legendary!
You can even freeze this slow cooker cranberry sauce for later.
Though if you’re like me, you need to make a second batch of crockpot cran sauce so you have enough. Maybe evenIa third. I love it so!
Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 large honeycrisp apple (2.5 cups diced – skin optional)
- 1 medium orange (enough for 1/2 tsp of zest + 1/4 cup of juice)
- 3 TBSP honey, plus extra to taste
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- Grate the zest from your orange until you have about 1/2 teaspoon of zest, then slice and squeeze out 1/4 cup of juice.
- Add your zest and juice along with all the above ingredients into your slow cooker, cover, and cook for 2 hours on high or 3-4 hours on low.
- I made a point to stir it every so often, if only for the mere excuse of licking the the spoon and filling the house with the smell of amazing cinnamon apple cranberry deliciousness.
- For an ultra smooth cranberry sauce, blend using an immersion blender (or blender or food processor) until glossy and luscious.
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this tasty crockpot cranberry sauce, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
no crock-pot? no problem!
Clear some space and whip this crockpot cranberry sauce in a saucepan on the stove! Add the ingredients from above to a medium-small saucepan and cook on medium heat, covered.
Stir often to prevent sticking and use a fork, wooden spoon, or potato masher to help smoosh the berries as they start to heat up.
You can even crank up the temperature a teeny bit more to help the sauce along, just babysit it if you do, stirring at frequent intervals. It’s super simple.
For an ultra smooth cranberry sauce, blend using an immersion blender (or blender or food processor) until glossy and luscious. Delicious!
crazy for cranberries?
- Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta
- Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnuts
- Cranberry Goat Cheese Log with Walnuts (with leftover cranberry sauce!)
- Apple, Berry, and Brie Turkey Burgers (another great use of leftover cranberry sauce!)
- Fresh Cranberry Muffins via The View from Great Island
- Kale Apple Cranberry Salad with Quinoa
Need a festive dessert? Try my Cranberry Shortbread Tarts
Questions & Reviews
You’ve converted me into a cranberry sauce person. Will now have to make this every thanksgiving. Maybe also when it’s not thanksgiving. *Runs away to buy more cranberries to stash in my freezer*
Jess I literally LOLed bc I def make it even when it’s not thanksgiving haha! So glad you loved the recipe! If you want to keep the cranberry love going, the sauce is AMAZING in my Cranberry Cheesecake Bars — I’m making them this week! xoxo
Fantastic again this year!!
I’ve made this every year since I found it a few years ago; have you tried it in the instapot?
SO STOKED you’ve been loving the recipe, Lauren! Thanks! I was thinking of trying it in the IP this year but from all the technique research I’ve done, it’s so similar to doing it stove-top that I’m like ehhhh should I just do the stuffing in the IP instead? I make it a few days in advance usually so I’m thinking I may just warm it up pot-in-pot style in the IP on Thanksgiving day! Let me know if you get a chance to experiment with cooking methods and have an amaaaaaazing Thanksgiving! xoxo
Can I make this a few weeks ahead of time and freeze? If not, how long do u think would keep nicely ?
It freezes amazingly! When I’m ready to thaw I simply pop it in the fridge a day or two before I need it and then heat before serving. xo
So-so-so wonderful!!! Thank you, very easy and delicious addition any time of year.
Also, I did quadruple the recipe. I pulsed half the cranberries and dried cranberries with 4peeled oranges. No orange juice.
Left overnight in the crock on “keep warm” without cooking at all.
Then warmed them up when I was ready. Oh my, such a blessing!!!
Thank you Andrew! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the cranberry sauce and I love your overnight trick!
So easy to make that my little one can do it. The house smells amazing (and festive!) while it’s cooking and it tastes wonderful.
Great recipe! Yum!
I love that there’s no sugar in this! I am such a cranberry sauce fan! 🙂
Cranberry sauce is my favorite Thanksgiving dish.
Cranberries were BOGO at Publix today. I more recipes for them! 🙂
I’ve never been a huge cranberry sauce fan…and now I know why. It’s because I’ve never made this! I have to try this.
As for me, I’m most looking forward to my husband’s mashed potatoes and my own roasted brussels sprouts. My mom makes the best turkey, but it’s all about the sides for me.
My grandmaw’s twice baked potatoes. She actually makes me my own plate of it because I hate to share. Hehe.
the crans are my FAVE piece of thanksgiving, too.
sweet and sour, Baby.
The cranberry sauce sounds incredible and I’m always looking for an excuse to use one of my many crock pots!!
I’ve not traditionally liked cranberry sauce because I thought it was round. Like the can it came in. Now this is a cranberry sauce I can love!
I’ve seen that pumpkin cheesecake basil spread like 15x today, and I am dying to try it! Like seriously, it’s coming with me to Thanksgiving this year if I can actually make it (I’m pretty sure I have mono).
Oh man! My mom already had to have an intervention with me where she said that I can’t make EVERYTHING for Thanksgiving (since she’s hosting, after all), but I really want to add this to my list of things I’m bringing!
Haha it’s so non-invasive she might not notice you snuck in another goodie! =) Thanks Katie!
I don’t usually make a pasta dish for Thanksgiving, because really is that necessary? But this year I received a special request for good old Southern style mac and cheese, and I’ve promised. But I am definitely going to make your cauliflower/brussels sprouts for my decadent cheesey Christmas dish. I don’t know if I can actually wait a month, so I may have to do a practice-run. Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Jen, was just directed here by a friend. Your site is wonderful! Gave you a mention over at mine….. we were in search of egg substitutes. Gonna try your flax suggestion next time I bake, thanks!
Welcome Julie!!! =) Nice to meet you! You’ll love the flax eggs — they’re phenom!
Mmm, that cranberry sauce looks amazing! I also am loving the sound of those Carrot Coconut Muffins!
I am probably most excited to face-plant into some decadent desserts… I’m really hoping for some carrot cake, it’s my fav!! 🙂
Cranberry sauce – YES PLEASE! 🙂
hubs requested the jiggly one in the can…but that one looks so much better and why is it all the Thanksgiving food really reflects the colors we associate with the holiday- or is it the otherway around? Funny, huh. Happy weekend!
Thanks dahhhling you too!
Hey Jenn- What a great recipe! 🙂 You should add it to our cranberry love blog hop. To link it up, check out this post: http://learntocookbadgergirl.com/cranberry-love-cranberry-pancakes/
I love cranberry sauce. This looks yummy.
I wish I had this cranberry sauce for my Canadian Thanksgiving! There’s always Christmas… or an honorary American Thanksgiving?
No. Just eat it forever. For. Ev. Er.
You…. are brilliant!
nu uh. you are!
I’m not a cranberry sauce fan (from the can stuff because I wasn’t raised on it) but I might make this anyway just to see if I’m a closet fan and didn’t know it! Plus I suspect this would be an awesome condiment on leftover sandwiches!
I’m hoping you’re a closet fan – keep me posted Anele!!!! <3
This looks awesome!! Did you cook this in the little dipper, or did you transfer it to the smaller crock after the fact?
Thanks Mary!!!! I used a standard crockpot then the little dipper as a warmer/serving bowl! <3 I’ll try to test out an overnight simmer in the warming crockpot to see if it has enough juice to cook sauce in! =)