Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce (Printer-Friendly Version)
A cozy slow cooked cranberry blend with orange, cinnamon, and vanilla for vibrant holiday flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit
01 -
12 oz fresh cranberries
02 -
1 navel orange, zested
→ Liquids
03 -
½ cup fresh orange juice
04 -
¼ cup water
05 -
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Sweeteners
06 -
¾ cup granulated sugar
07 -
½ cup packed brown sugar
→ Spices and Seasonings
08 -
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
09 -
1/8 tsp salt
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Rinse and drain cranberries, removing any stems or damaged fruit. Zest and juice the orange until measuring ½ cup of juice.
02 -
Place cranberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt into the slow cooker. Stir to combine thoroughly.
03 -
Set slow cooker to LOW and cook uncovered for 4 hours, stirring once or twice to promote even breakdown of cranberries. Check for desired consistency occasionally.
04 -
After cooking, taste and adjust sweetness or acidity by adding sugar or orange juice if needed. Mash some cranberries for smoother texture or leave as is for chunkiness.
05 -
Allow sauce to cool to room temperature. Use immediately, refrigerate in airtight containers for up to one week, or chill for later use. Sauce will thicken further as it cools.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
For a smoother sauce, mash cranberries after cooking or pulse briefly with an immersion blender.
02 -
Check sauce at 3 hours if your slow cooker runs hot to avoid overcooking and browning.
03 -
Make ahead up to 5 days; flavor develops and intensifies after resting in refrigerator.