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cozy slow cooker cranberry sauce with orange zest - featured image

Cozy Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest

  • Author: Sarah Wasserman
  • Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Description

A hands-off, slow cooker cranberry sauce with bright orange zest and warm spices. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday gathering, this sauce is thick, jammy, and packed with flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 3 to 4 whole cloves
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse the cranberries under cold water and pick through to remove any stems or soft berries. If using frozen, just rinse and drain. Pat dry with a clean towel.
  2. Wash the oranges thoroughly. Using a microplane, zest the oranges to get 2 tablespoons of zest, avoiding the white pith. Then cut the oranges in half and juice them to get ¼ cup of fresh orange juice.
  3. Add the cranberries, granulated sugar, orange zest, fresh orange juice, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to a 2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the sugar starts to dissolve.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Start checking at the 3-hour mark. The sauce is ready when the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened to a jammy consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon but still be slightly loose.
  5. About halfway through cooking, give the sauce a gentle stir. If the sauce looks thin at the 3-hour mark, leave the lid slightly ajar for the last 30 minutes to allow moisture to evaporate.
  6. Once done, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and whole cloves.
  7. Let the sauce cool in the slow cooker for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. If too tart, stir in an additional tablespoon of sugar. If too sweet, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
  8. Spoon the warm sauce into clean mason jars or airtight containers, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Let cool completely at room temperature before sealing and refrigerating.
  9. Optional: For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or regular blender to pulse the sauce a few times once slightly cooled.
  10. Before serving, give the sauce a good stir. If refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh orange zest if desired.

Notes

The sauce will look thin when first done cooking but thickens significantly as it cools. Make ahead for better flavor—day-old sauce is noticeably better. For stovetop version, simmer all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ cup
  • Calories: 110
  • Sugar: 24
  • Sodium: 2
  • Carbohydrates: 28
  • Fiber: 2

Keywords: cranberry sauce, slow cooker, orange zest, Thanksgiving, holiday, easy, make-ahead

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Find it online: https://flavorfullrecipes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-cranberry-sauce-with-orange-zest/