Loaded with health benefits and requiring only five ingredients, this slow cooker cranberry sauce is the perfect make-ahead side dish for your table.
We were never a big cranberry sauce family growing up and to be honest, after seeing images of the plum colored gel sliding out of a can and being sliced, I never felt deprived. As I became more interested in health and nutrition, I’ve learned that fresh cranberries are bursting in health benefits, so I wanted to create an easy, fresher, less-sweet version of the holiday staple. Enter my Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce.
Ingredients
- Cranberries: Slightly tart and slightly sweet, and packed with antioxidants and nutrients.
- Orange juice: Naturally sweet as well as packed with vitamin C, it helps to reduce the bitterness in cranberry sauce.
- Sugar: Just a touch of added sweetness to the sauce, I like it on the tarter side, so add a little more of you like it sweeter.
- Orange zest: Optional, but adds a lovely brightness to the sauce.
- Ginger: Slightly peppery and sweet, it rounds out the rest of the flavors in the sauce.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
To start this simple dish, put your rinsed cranberries into a slow cooker.
Next, zest your orange with a grater or microplane.
Then freshly grate your ginger into the slow cooker as well and sprinkle in your sugar.
Next pour in the water and orange juice, and stir it all together.
Cover with the lid, set heat to low, and walk away! It’ll be ready in 3 hours.
Once the 3 hours is up, use either a potato masher or large wooden spoon to mash the cranberry sauce to your desired consistency.
Serve chilled or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Why are Cranberries Good for You?
- Anti-Inflammatory: Love the gorgeous color? You can thank anthocyanins, a powerful phytonutrient found in cranberries which, along with others, help reduce the risk of unwanted inflammation.
- Phytonutrients: Whole cranberries are an excellent source of flavonoids and other phytonutrients which are more powerful in their whole form (vs juice). What is a phytonutrient?
- Digestive Track Benefits: Cranberries have been shown to help ward off everything from stomach ulcers to colon cancer to periodontal disease.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What do you eat cranberry sauce with?
Can you over cook cranberry sauce?
How do I store cranberry sauce?
More Holiday Recipes
- Easy Sugar Cookies
- Shabbat Challah Bread
- Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce with Potato Latkes
- Sparkling Pomegranate Mimosas
Like it, Eat It, Share It!
Did you try this cranberry sauce recipe? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials. Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire it!
I am completely blown away at how easy and flavorful cranberry sauce is when made from scratch. Skill level required? Zero. Simply add a few ingredients into a crock pot and walk away. Come back later and enjoy with all your holiday festivities. Looking for more cranberry recipes? Check out my 20 Fresh Cranberry Recipes if you haven’t already!
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce?
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz bag fresh cranberries (rinsed)
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on Low heat for 3 hours.
- Using a wooden spoon, gently mash the cranberries until desired consistency is reached.
Last Step:
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Liz’s Notes
Nutrition
Check out my Pinterest board for more healthy side dish recipes!
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