Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Butter
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Butter is cooked on the stovetop or in the Crock-Pot Express Crock Multi Cooker in no time. Made using fresh cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, brown sugar and a jalapeño for the perfect balance of sweet, tangy and spicy.
I have been making this cranberry butter forever on the stovetop and now I have a quicker method to share!
It’s Crocktober and I am using my trusted Express Crock once again to make some delicious fruit butter using seasonal cranberries.
A fruit butter is not the consistency of apple sauce, no, a fruit butter is cooked down and reduced to a thick spreadable topping that has super concentrated flavors.
The most common is apple butter, but with cranberries and the holidays approaching I thought I’d share a favorite of mine, cranberry butter.
The Crock-Pot Express Crock Multi-Cooker combines the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, allows for sauté and browning, and has 8 built-in preset buttons that cook a variety of meals.
Crock-Pot recently launched two new Express Crock Multi-Cooker models, and they are now available in 4-Quart and 8-Quart sizes, in addition to the 6-Quart model I use for the below recipe. I love it, especially when crunched for time.
Whether you’re prepping your meal in the morning to let it cook all day, or you need an instant, healthy, home-cooked dish in under an hour—this one-pot pressure cooker does it all!
Typically, when making a fruit butter it takes a long time to slowly reduce and thicken into that spreadable consistency.
Not with this Express Crock! It was 10 minutes using the Dessert preset button and then I reduced it after blending on the Sauté preset for 30 minutes. Pretty good huh?!
Creamy in texture, this cranberry butter is fantastic served with crackers and cheese or spread on a turkey sandwich, scones or toast!
Another way I enjoy this cranberry butter is by putting a scoop into my cooked oatmeal for an added punch of holiday flavor. 🙂
Subscribe to my Newsletter, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube for all my latest recipes and videos.
Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Butter
Ingredients
- 12 oz cranberries rinsed
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 orange large
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Stove Top
- Carefully slice jalapeño lengthwise, set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer orange zest from the entire orange, set aside. Peel the orange and discard white peel.
- Add the orange zest, orange segments, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, jalapeño halves and water to stock pot or Dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil and lower to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Carefully remove cinnamon stick and jalapeño, discard.
- Using an immersion blender or regular blender, purée cranberry mixture until smooth.
- Pour back into the pan and cook with lid off for 20 minutes on simmer, or until reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally being careful that it does not burn.
CrockPot Express Crock Multi Cooker
- Carefully slice jalapeño lengthwise, set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer orange zest from the entire orange, set aside. Peel the orange and discard white peel.
- Add the orange zest, orange segments, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, jalapeño halves and water to the Crock Express.
- Close lid and steam valve. Select Dessert setting, time will be for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Carefully remove cinnamon stick and both slices of jalapeño, discard. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, purée cranberry mixture until smooth.
- Pour back into the Crock Express and press Sauté setting, change setting Temperature from High to Low and cook with lid off for 30 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally.
- Allow to cool and pour into clean jars and seal with lids. Refrigerate, keeps for 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Oh my gosh Kevin, I could not stop eating this! I shared some withy neighbor and she loved it, too!
I swapped out the jalapeño for a serrano and as I was tasting, I decided to leave a bit in and blend it up. Delicious!
One thing I was not clear on is whether to paxk the brown sugar or not. I didn’t and it is a tad tart. But, I still can’t stop eating it! I want to try it on a turkey sandwich but it may not last that long.
Thanks for the great holiday recipe!
So happy you (and your neighbor) enjoyed this one Eva. I updated the recipe to reflect “packed” so thanks!
This looks so delicious! Can you tell me how much the recipe makes? What size jar do you use to store it?
Hi Debbi, this makes about 1 1/2 cups depending on reduction (if you like it thinner or thicker.
Thank you, sir. I can’t wait to try it.
You bet, thanks for stopping by and giving this a try! 🙂
I am absolutely making this, Kevin!! Your taste in unique flavors is unparalleled and right up my alley. Beautiful pictures too. My mouth is seriously watering. 👍👍👍
Excellent, thanks so much Sally. My work is done. 🙂
Love how versatile this recipe is, Kevin! And particularly love the little bit of heat goin’ on! Definitely will come in handy over the next couple months 🙂
Oh yeah! I’ve been loving a scoop in my oatmeal with nuts this past week, too. So good!
Hello Kevin,
I love reading and making your recipes they are always flavorful and tasty as I like. Can you suggest how to make Cranberry butter if one doesn’t have Multi-cooker. Since I have pressure and slow cookers. I am avoiding buying a multi-cooker.
Thanks and keep doing great work.
BTW: I appreciate your disclaimer on your sponsorship out front in big letters. Many bloggers hid them and that’s deceiving.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let me know Gyan! I left some notes on how to make it on the stove top and updated the recipe, too. Cheers! 🙂
Thank you partner.
You bet!
Greetings Kevin. I’ve been following the blog and I’m enjoying some of the recipes and printing out most of them. Your sweet and spicy cranberry butter looks tempting. However I own an instant pot and was wondering what setting would you recommend. Thank you.
Hi Sean! I would go to Manual setting and do 10 on Low. When finished cooking, quick release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. Carefully remove cinnamon stick and both slices of jalapeño, discard. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, purée cranberry mixture until smooth. Pour back into the your brand and press Sauté setting, change setting Temperature from High to Low and cook with lid off for 30 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally. Have a great weekend!
I don’t have an express crock or pressure cooker, so would I just let this simmer on the stove until done, or in my regular crock pot on high for a few hours?
Hi Michelle. I would cook on stove top. Bring to a boil and lower to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Carefully remove cinnamon stick and both slices of jalapeño, discard. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, purée cranberry mixture until smooth. Pour back into the pan and cook with lid off for 20 minutes on simmer, or until reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally being careful that it does not burn. Hope that helps! Let me know. 🙂