Crockpot cranberry sauce, small batch style! Make cranberry sauce right in your crockpot and save time and dishes! This one is loaded with cinnamon and orange juice--so good for Thanksgiving dinner for two, or also on a cheese board.
Welcome to the second-only recipe using a slow cooker on this site! You didn't miss my first one, Creme Brûlée in the Slow Cooker, did you? Because that would be sad.
So, I love this crockpot cranberry sauce for a few reasons. One: using the slow cooker is hands-off Turkey Day. Two: it's so dang easy, your drunk uncle could make it. Three: it has many uses!
I want to see this cranberry butter snuggling up next to your sliced turkey. I also want to see a pretty little pot of it on your Thanksgiving day appetizer cheese board. Make it once, use it twice!
I actually made a double batch of this crockpot cranberry sauce with two bags of cranberries because my neighbor dropped off some plum jelly and I wanted to give her a little mason jar full of love as a thank you.
Sometimes, the Dessert for Two world is lonely because my desserts don't make a ton of leftovers to share with everyone. Every now and then, I make a giant batch dessert recipe, and share with everyone. But most of the time, my mini desserts get eaten right out of the oven by me and mine.
All that to say: while sometimes I wish I had leftover dessert to share, I also don't want to be the reason anyone has to go to the gym.
I'm going to cut that short right there and catch myself before I start to ramble about how much I hate to exercise. We do not talk of such things like 'exercise' as Turkey Day approaches. We actually don't speak of things called 'calories' until well after the New Year. Well, well after.
Step-by-step:
Wash the cranberries and pour them in the slow cooker.
Next, get all fancy and peel all the zest off an orange, and add it to the slow cooker. Peel the orange and add it to the slow cooker, too. No need to chop it; it will break down while it cooks. Toss in a cinnamon stick, too.
Next, add 1 cup of water and 1 ½ cups of maple syrup. The flavor combo of maple, orange, cinnamon and cranberry is mind-blowing.
Stir, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
When it's done, it will look like this:
Now grab that immersion blender thingie you had in the bottom drawer. (If you don't have one, transfer the contents to a blender.
Wait! Be sure to remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick first. Phew! That was close.
Now we puree it!
Then, drizzle it over sliced turkey, and scoop it up for your cheese tray.
Cranberry butter is a bit tangy, so it goes great with super rich triple-cream cheeses, like Brie and Taleggio. I'm eating it here with Goat Brie, also known as my new love in life. (Find it at Trader Joe's. Wait, don't. Or at least leave some for me!)
We have just a few more savory recipes for our small Thanksgiving, and then it's onto dessert, baby. Sorry I called you baby.
This cranberry butter has so many uses!A small Thanksgiving: Cranberry Butter
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 93Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 19gProtein: 0g
Glenis says
This sounds great, an appetizer with goat cheese and crackers. Definitely going in my recipe box. Thank you.
Wendy says
Made a half batch of this using small crockpot, and a 1/2 batch and it ended up making 3 cups, so hard to believe full batch is 2 cups
Beth Gebhardt says
Made this for Thanksgiving appetizer with cheese. A BIG hit!!
Pureed it after 5 hours and had to cook a few more hours to thicken to where I wanted it. No big deal as this is so good; using it in sandwiches the rest of the week!
Suzanne Renae says
I never really liked cranberry relish, but this updated version seems like one you could appreciate. Thanks for this great idea.
dana says
can this be canned?
Christina Lane says
I haven't tried it, but I'm sure if you followed proper canning instructions to ensure food safety!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
This is one of my favorite ways to use cranberries --- I hoard them in the freezer so I can have this all winter :)
donnielle says
Can we add sure jel to it to make it thicker?
Christina Lane says
Sure! :)
Brooke says
What is grade b syrup?
Christina Lane says
It's just a type of maple syrup. Any grade is fine, as long as it's real maple syrup. :)
Nicole says
How long will this butter last if you put it in air tight mason jars? What's the best method to store this?
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats says
I'm loving this! Just shared on my blog's FB page too! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Christina Lane says
Thank you, Ally! :)