Are you ready to elevate your holiday spread with a homemade cranberry sauce that’s both healthier and more delicious than store-bought varieties? Look no further than this simple slow cooker recipe. With just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a tangy, sweet, and utterly irresistible sauce for your guests to rave.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the use of wholesome ingredients. Fresh cranberries, apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar combine in the slow cooker, allowing the flavors to meld together over time.
The result is a sauce bursting with natural sweetness and a delightful texture that puts canned versions to shame.
A Healthier Alternative without Sacrificing Flavor
One of the advantages of making cranberry sauce is controlling the ingredients. Many store-bought sauces contain high fructose corn syrup and other questionable additives. By opting for a homemade version, you can significantly reduce the amount of added sugar and eliminate unwanted preservatives.
This slow cooker recipe relies on the natural sweetness of apples and a modest amount of brown sugar to balance the tartness of the cranberries. The combination creates a perfectly sweet sauce without being cloying. You can easily adjust the sugar content to suit your taste preferences or dietary needs.
Effortless Preparation for Stress-Free Hosting
Let’s face it: holiday hosting can be stressful. Between juggling multiple dishes, entertaining guests, and ensuring everything is perfectly cooked, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. That’s where this slow cooker cranberry sauce comes to the rescue. With just five minutes of prep time, you can toss the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it work its magic while you focus on other tasks.
Your home will be filled with cinnamon’s warm, inviting aroma and simmering fruit as the sauce simmers. Your guests will eagerly anticipate when they can dig into this delightful creation. And the best part? You didn’t have to spend hours over a hot stove to make it happen.
A Versatile Condiment for All Your Holiday Needs
Cranberry sauce is a quintessential part of any holiday feast, but this slow cooker version is so delicious you’ll want to find excuses to enjoy it year-round. Its versatility accompanies many dishes, from traditional roast turkey to leftover sandwiches and breakfast pastries.
Feel free to get creative with your leftovers, too. Swirl some cranberry sauce into your morning yogurt, use it as a topping for vanilla ice cream, or mix it into your favorite cocktail for a festive twist. The possibilities are endless, and you’ll look forward to finding new ways to savor this delightful sauce.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 12- ounce bag cranberries
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 apple peeled cored and diced
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar, water, and cinnamon in your slow cooker, stirring until well mixed.
- Give the cranberries a quick rinse, then add them to the slow cooker along with the peeled, cored, and diced apple. Give everything a good stir to combine.
- Set the slow cooker to high and let the mixture cook for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove the lid and use a masher or the back of a spoon to mash the berries, breaking them down to your desired consistency.
- Replace the lid and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until the sauce reaches your preferred thickness. It will thicken further as it cools.
- Once the cranberry sauce is done, remove it from the slow cooker and let it cool to room temperature before serving or storing it in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.