The perfect combination of tart and sweet, Crockpot Express Cranberry Sauce is an easy side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas that's ready in minutes.
Add the cranberries, freshly squeezed orange juice, zest and spices to the inner pot. Stir to combine.
Pour the sugar over the top of the berries. DO NOT STIR.
Close and lock the lid, turning the steam release valve to closed. Press Steam and adjust time down to 3 minutes. (high pressure) Press Start/Stop.
When cooking cycle is ended, allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release. Do not do a quick release right away, as the berries get foamy while cooking. After 5 minutes, carefully release the pressure in intermittent bursts to avoid a mess.
Open the lid, stir and mash any large berries gently with a spatula. Taste to check for your preferred sweetness. If it's not sweet enough for you, stir in more sugar 1 tbsp at a time, tasting as you go. Remove to cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh orange zest.
Notes
Stir in real maple syrup instead of sugar at the end for added sweetness and another layer of flavor
Sauce will thicken and gel as it cools. Warm in a saucepan with a little apple juice to thin it out if desired.