Crock pot cranberry butter is an impossibly silky, tangy fruit butter that is made right in the slow cooker ~ you’ll want to slather this easy cranberry jam on toast, scones, biscuits, muffins, turkey sandwiches ~ and be sure to can some for holiday gifts!
crock pot cranberry butter has the most amazing crimson color and silky texture
While normally fruit butters are a time consuming project with a lot of stove side babysitting involved, in this recipe I’ve let the crock pot do all the work of cooking and reducing fresh cranberries down into a very potent thick spread. All you need to do is puree and strain. The result is truly unique.
This recipe makes 2 cups of cranberry butter
What it lacks in volume it more than makes up for in silky texture and powerful flavor. A little goes a long way, and a cup of this stuff would be a fine gift. Use it on biscuits, scones, or add it to a cheese plate. Use it as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork,or on sandwiches. You can make creative holiday cocktails with a dab of this, too.
ingredients for cranberry butter
- fresh cranberries
- brown sugar
- apple cider
- cinnamon sticks
As an added bonus you’ll get an all day holiday scent filling your kitchen. If you want to try other fruit butters, my Cranberry Apple Butter is a little less tart than this one. My Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter is a great choice too.
“I LOVE LOVE this cranberry butter. I have made it the last two holidays and gave it as gifts last year and am doing it again this year. It is gorgeous in jars and perfectly tart, sweet, and silky on toasted bread, in oatmeal, and on sandwiches!! THANK YOU for my favorite holiday tradition!!“
ViCkie
more cranberry recipes for cranberry season
- Cranberry Orange Cake
- Chocolate Cake with Cranberry Buttercream
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Maple Cranberry Butter in 15 minutes!
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Cranberry Cleanse Smoothie
- Cranberry Gingersnap Pie
Crockpot Cranberry Butter
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 cup apple cider
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine well. Turn on high. Let it cook for about 2 hours or until the cranberries are soft.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and puree the mixture in a food processor. Do this in two batches. Be careful as the mixture is hot, I cover the top opening of the machine with a dish cloth. Let the machine run for a full minute to puree the cranberries very finely.
- Force the cranberry puree through a mesh sieve or strainer. Push forcefully with the back of a spoon to get as much cranberry puree as you can. Discard the solids.
- Pour the puree back into the crockpot. Turn the crockpot to high, and leave the lid ajar. Cook until thickened, approximately another 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Put the cranberry butter into clean jars with tight fitting lids and let cool. Store in the refrigerator and consume within a month.
- Makes about 2 cups.
Notes
Nutrition
I love this recipe. I used what I had available which meant swapping the cider for orange juice and the cinnamon for a vanilla bean and followed the cooking directions. Thanks for this great inspiration. These jars look beautiful and this tastes amazing.
I loved this recipe! My family loves really sweet cranberry butter so I substituted the cider for orange juice and added about 1/3 cup more of sugar and it was perfect.
I love this recipe. So easy to do. Question do you put the cranberry and the juice in to purée?
Yes, everything goes into the crock pot first, then everything gets pureed.
What’s the shelf life
It will keep a couple of weeks in the fridge, or you can freeze or can for longer storage.
Made this today for thanksgiving. The original recipe was a bit more tart and bitter than I like so I added 1/4c more brown sugar and 1/4c regular sugar with a splash of lemon juice.
Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Does it need to be refrigerated? I was hoping to mail some canned jars as Christmas gifts. L.
You can this as long as you follow safe canning practices!
Hi. Can you substitute apple
Juice for apple cider? Any thoughts on the effects of such substitution? Thanks
Yes, that will be absolutely fine, not much difference.
Can you substitute orange juice for apple cider?
yes, absolutely!
Has anyone come up with a use for the solids, like fruit leather?
Use the leftover solids to make a liqueur. Make a simple syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, bring to a boil let cook on simmer for a few minutes). Pour over the solids, stir in and let cool. Add vodka or rum and stir. Store in a cool dark place for 6-8 weeks stirring at least once a week.
I just made this with my highbush cranberry solids and seeds, some orange pulp from another project and rum. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving!