Crock Pot Cranberry Butter: A Sweet-Tart Holiday Spread Made Effortless

Crock Pot Cranberry Butter is a smooth, richly flavored fruit spread that captures everything we love about cranberries—bright acidity, deep color, and bold flavor—balanced with natural sweetness and warm spices. Slow-cooked to perfection, this cranberry butter transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious spread perfect for the holidays and beyond.

Unlike traditional cranberry sauce, cranberry butter is thick, silky, and spoonable, making it ideal for spreading on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or swirling into yogurt and oatmeal. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, gently breaking down the fruit and allowing flavors to deepen without scorching or constant stirring.

This recipe combines fresh cranberries with apples and oranges to balance the tartness, while cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla add warmth and depth. The result is a jewel-toned spread that feels festive, comforting, and incredibly versatile.

Crock pot cranberry butter is also a fantastic homemade gift. Spoon it into small jars, tie with twine, and you have a thoughtful, edible present that feels both nostalgic and special.

Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

• Hands-off slow cooker recipe
• Naturally vibrant flavor and color
• Perfect balance of sweet and tart
• Ideal for holidays and gifting
• Versatile spread for sweet and savory uses

It’s the kind of recipe that fills your home with cozy aromas while quietly simmering away.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 large orange
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add cranberries, chopped apples, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until fruit is completely soft and broken down.
3. Remove lid and let mixture cool slightly.
4. Blend mixture using an immersion blender (or transfer carefully to a blender) until completely smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla extract.
6. Return mixture to the crock pot uncovered and cook on LOW for an additional 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick and spreadable.
7. Let cool completely before transferring to jars.

Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

A smooth, sweet-tart cranberry fruit butter slow-cooked with apples, orange, and warm spices.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 16 tablespoons

Course: Condiment, Spread

Cuisine: American, Holiday

Calories: 70

Ingredients

  

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 2 apples peeled and chopped
• 1 orange zest and juice
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp ground cloves
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Immersion blender or blender
• Wooden spoon
• Glass jars

Method

 

1. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in the slow cooker.
2. Cook until fruit is completely soft.
3. Blend mixture until smooth.
4. Stir in vanilla and cook uncovered to thicken.

Notes

Cool completely before storing for best texture.

Tips for Perfect Cranberry Butter

• Use fresh cranberries: Frozen can work, but fresh give the brightest flavor
• Blend thoroughly: A smooth texture is key to fruit butter
• Adjust sweetness: Add more sugar if you prefer less tartness
• Cook uncovered at the end: This helps excess moisture evaporate

Variations and Flavor Twists

• Maple cranberry butter: Replace sugar with maple syrup
• Spiced holiday version: Add nutmeg or allspice
• Vanilla-orange: Increase vanilla and orange zest
• Less sweet: Reduce sugar and add an extra apple

Ways to Use Cranberry Butter

• Spread on toast, biscuits, or English muffins
• Swirl into yogurt or oatmeal
• Serve alongside roasted turkey or pork
• Use as a filling for thumbprint cookies
• Spoon over pancakes or waffles

Storage and Gifting

Store cranberry butter in airtight jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For gifting, use sterilized jars and keep refrigerated until given. This recipe also freezes well for up to 3 months.

A Tradition Rooted in Fruit Preservation

Fruit butters date back centuries as a way to preserve seasonal fruit by slow-cooking it into a concentrated spread. Cranberry butter is a modern adaptation of this tradition, combining old-world technique with contemporary flavor.