The Best Crock Pot Cranberry Butter Recipe

The holiday season is all about cozy flavors and festive traditions, and nothing says Christmas morning quite like a sweet, tangy spread to enjoy with your breakfast or brunch.

Crock pot cranberry butter is the perfect addition to your holiday table — rich, creamy, and bursting with the bright flavors of fresh cranberries and warm spices.

Tap to jump right to recipe.

It’s an easy recipe that lets your slow cooker do the work while filling your kitchen with the comforting aroma of the season.

Whether you’re serving it on warm toast, muffins, or even as a dollop on pancakes, this cranberry butter adds a festive twist to your holiday meals.

Plus, making it in a crock pot means you can prepare it ahead of time, freeing you up to focus on other Christmas preparations.

This simple yet delicious cranberry butter recipe is sure to become a beloved holiday tradition in your home.

Watch How to Make Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

If you’re planning a holiday meal, be sure to browse all of my Christmas crock pot recipes for easy slow cooker dishes perfect for Christmas dinner and holiday gatherings.

Why You’ll Love this Crock Pot Cranberry Butter Recipe

This crock pot cranberry butter is one of those easy holiday recipes that feels special but takes very little effort.

The slow cooker gently softens the cranberries while the cinnamon adds warm seasonal flavor, creating a smooth, sweet-tart spread that tastes like the holidays in every bite.

It’s perfect for holiday breakfasts, brunch tables, or homemade food gifts, and because the slow cooker does most of the work, you can prepare it while focusing on the rest of your holiday cooking.

Ingredients for Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

24 oz. (2 12-oz. bags) fresh cranberries
2 c. sugar
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 c. water or apple juice

 

To make this recipe, you’ll want a 6-quart slow cooker and I also recommend using slow cooker liners for easy cleanup.

Now let’s break it down step by step…

How to Make Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

Wash and sort through cranberries to make sure they are all good.

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high until cranberries are soft, about 2-3 hours.

Remove cinnamon sticks from cranberry mixture.

Puree cranberry mixture with an immersion blender or food processor. If you don’t already have an immersion blender, I really recommend getting one.

They are indispensable in the kitchen, you can order one from Amazon for a little less than $30. I use mine all the time.

It is a hand held blender that you can use right in your pan when you are cooking. That is very handy, especially when you are dealing with hot foods.

It is difficult to remove hot foods from your pan to puree them in a food processor or blender. You blend them right in the pan!

However, if you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also use a blender or food processor. Just be careful when you are pouring the hot cranberries so that they don’t splatter on you.

If the cranberry mixture is too runny at this point, keep cooking it in the crock pot until it cooks down some more.

At this point you can either serve it as-is, or if you want to remove the little bits of cranberry skin still remaining in the puree, then you need to press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a food mill.

This will give you a perfectly smooth cranberry butter, although I don’t mind a few bits and pieces of cranberries in mine.

Pour cranberry butter into mason jars or other serving containers and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This recipe makes a little more than 2 cups of cranberry butter, depending on how long you cook down the cranberries.

Note that this recipe has not been tested for long term storage, so please do not can it in a boiling water canner, it must be stored in the refrigerator.

This cranberry butter makes a great holiday gift for friends or family or it would make a colorful addition to your holiday table.

The taste is heavenly. It is great on toast, and would also taste wonderful on holiday french toast. My son even loves it on peanut butter sandwiches.

The taste is heavenly. It is great on toast and would also taste wonderful on holiday French toast, pancakes, or warm biscuits.

It also pairs beautifully with holiday meals like slow cooker turkey breast, slow cooker mashed potatoes, slow cooker chicken stuffing, or slow cooker cranberry meatballs.

This is a fun holiday treat that I think I just may make a new holiday tradition.

Storage and Serving Suggestions

Store cranberry butter in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

You can also freeze cranberry butter for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving if any separation occurs.

If you enjoy easy slow cooker recipes like this one, be sure to browse all of my crock pot recipes for more hands-off meals.

Best Dishes to Pair With

Crock pot cranberry butter pairs beautifully with warm breads and breakfast favorites. Spread it over toasted English muffins, biscuits, or homemade dinner rolls for a sweet and tangy treat.

It’s also delicious on pancakes, waffles, or French toast during holiday brunch.

For a simple appetizer, serve cranberry butter alongside a cheese board with soft cheeses like brie or cream cheese and slices of crusty bread or crackers.

The bright cranberry flavor adds a festive touch to both sweet breakfasts and savory holiday spreads.

Creative Leftover Ideas

If you have extra cranberry butter, there are plenty of delicious ways to use it. Stir a spoonful into plain yogurt or oatmeal for a quick breakfast with bright cranberry flavor.

It also makes a wonderful spread for turkey sandwiches, especially with leftover holiday turkey and soft rolls.

You can swirl cranberry butter into muffin or quick bread batter before baking, or warm a spoonful and drizzle it over vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert.

A small jar of cranberry butter also makes a thoughtful homemade holiday gift for friends and family.

Follow my Favorite Recipes board on Pinterest.