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Easy Crockpot Cranberry Orange Sauce (Best Freezer-Friendly Recipe)

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This hands-off crockpot cranberry orange sauce is thick, jammy, and infused with bright citrus flavor. Perfect for holidays, it’s freezer-friendly and made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen cranberries (12 ounces / 340 grams)
  • Granulated sugar (¾ cup / 150 grams)
  • Fresh orange juice (½ cup / 120 ml)
  • Orange zest (1 tablespoon / about 6 grams)
  • Water (¼ cup / 60 ml)
  • Optional: Cinnamon stick (1 small) or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the cranberries in a colander under cold water, picking out any soft or shriveled ones.
  2. Zest the orange using a microplane, then juice it to get ½ cup of juice.
  3. Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, and orange zest in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Add cinnamon stick if using. Stir gently.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Avoid lifting the lid too often.
  5. Check consistency at 4 hours. If too liquid, cook 30-60 minutes with lid slightly ajar. If too thick, stir in a tablespoon of water or orange juice.
  6. Remove cinnamon stick if used.
  7. Optional: Blend with an immersion blender for a smoother sauce, or mash with a potato masher for rustic texture.
  8. Let sauce cool in the crockpot for about 10 minutes.
  9. Ladle into jars or freezer-safe containers, leaving ½ inch headspace if freezing.
  10. Cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.

Notes

For a spiced version, add a cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, and a star anise. For a maple bourbon version, replace sugar with ½ cup maple syrup and add 2 tablespoons bourbon. For a low-sugar version, use ¼ cup honey or monk fruit sweetener. The sauce thickens as it cools and flavors deepen after a day in the fridge.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, crockpot, slow cooker, orange, freezer-friendly, holiday, Thanksgiving

Find it online: https://noshbelle.com/easy-crockpot-cranberry-orange-sauce-best-freezer-friendly-recipe/