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Easy Crockpot Cranberry Orange Sauce (Freezer-Friendly)

crockpot cranberry orange sauce - featured image
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This easy crockpot cranberry orange sauce is a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that delivers jammy, citrusy, perfectly spiced sauce with minimal effort. It’s freezer-friendly, forgiving, and perfect for holiday prep or everyday meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients (5 minutes): Rinse the cranberries and pick out any stems or soft ones. Zest and juice your oranges. Measure your sugar and vanilla.
  2. Combine everything in the crockpot (2 minutes): Add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Give it a quick stir to combine.
  3. Cook on low (3 to 4 hours): Put the lid on and cook on low. After about 2 hours, give it a gentle stir. You’ll notice the cranberries starting to pop and release their juices.
  4. Check the consistency (at 3 hours): The sauce should be thick and jammy. Most of the cranberries will have burst. If you prefer a smoother sauce, let it cook another 30 minutes and mash it gently with a potato masher.
  5. Remove the cinnamon stick: Don’t forget this step! It’s easy to leave it in, but it will keep infusing and become overpowering.
  6. Cool completely (1 to 2 hours): Let the sauce cool in the crockpot with the lid off. It will thicken more as it cools.
  7. Transfer to containers: Spoon into mason jars or airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

The sauce thickens as it cools. For a smoother sauce, mash gently with a potato masher after cooking. The flavors improve after a day or two. To freeze, spoon into freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving headroom for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or run under warm water for quick defrost.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry sauce, cranberry orange sauce, crockpot cranberry sauce, slow cooker cranberry sauce, freezer-friendly cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving side dish, easy cranberry sauce

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