It's Saturday, October 25th, and even though I'm enjoying a beautiful fall in Casablanca, Morocco, my mind is 100% back home in Austin, Texas, planning my Thanksgiving menu. For years, I dreaded the "main event"-wrangling a giant, intimidating whole turkey. This Crockpot Cranberry Turkey Roast is the recipe that saved my holiday. It's a "dump-and-go" lifesaver that delivers an incredibly juicy, tender turkey roast in a festive, sweet-and-tangy cranberry-orange sauce. It's the perfect, stress-free main course that frees up my oven for all the important side dishes.
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My most important tip: Do not cook this on high for a shorter time, even if you're in a rush. Lean turkey breast (which most 'boneless roasts' are) must be cooked low and slow. The 4-hour low-heat simmer is the secret to a tender, juicy roast, not a tough, dry one.
A Perfect, Stress-Free Holiday Main Course
This is the ultimate "set it and forget it" holiday recipe. The magic is in the sauce, which you make right in a mixing bowl-no pre-cooking needed. It's a simple but perfect blend of canned cranberry sauce, orange juice, onion soup mix, and warm fall spices. As the turkey simmers in the slow cooker, this sauce infuses the meat with flavour and keeps it unbelievably moist. It creates its own delicious, savory-sweet gravy, all in one pot.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Frees Up Your Oven: This is the #1 reason I love it. It cooks entirely in the slow cooker, leaving your oven free for pies, stuffing, and roasted vegetables.
- Incredibly Easy (Dump-and-Go): This is a 10-minute prep meal. You just mix the sauce, pour it over the turkey, and turn it on. No browning, no basting.
- Guaranteed Juicy Turkey: Lean turkey breast is notorious for drying out. The low-and-slow, moist heat of the crockpot with the acidic cranberry-orange sauce makes it tender and juicy every time.
- Festive Holiday Flavour: It's the perfect combination of turkey, cranberry, orange, and warm spices-all the classic tastes of Thanksgiving in one pot.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for this "dump-and-go" holiday roast. For the full list with precise measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post!
- Turkey: 1 3-pound boneless turkey roast. These are often sold as a "turkey breast roast" and may come in netting (which you can leave on).
- Seasoning Packet: 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix. This is the secret savory base!
- Spices: Paprika (I like smoked paprika), poultry seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Sugar: Just a bit of packed light brown sugar to balance the tartness.
- Sauce Base: 1 (14-oz) can of whole-berry cranberry sauce and ½ cup of orange juice.
- Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped.
How to Make Crockpot Cranberry Turkey Roast
This is a simple, straightforward slow-cooker recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the Turkey and Sauce
First, I place the turkey roast into the basin of my 6-quart slow cooker.
In a medium mixing bowl, I stir together all the other ingredients: the onion soup mix, paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, brown sugar, whole-berry cranberry sauce, and orange juice.
Step 2: Cook Low and Slow
I pour this cranberry-orange mixture all over the top of the turkey roast, making sure it's well-coated.
I cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours. The internal temperature of the turkey must reach 165°F (74°C).
Step 3: Rest, Slice, and Serve
Once the turkey is fully cooked, I carefully remove it from the slow cooker and let it rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes. This is a crucial step that allows the juices to redistribute, guaranteeing a tender, juicy slice.
I slice the turkey against the grain and serve it hot, with the delicious, rich sauce from the slow cooker spooned generously over the top.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Cooking on HIGH: I'll say it again: don't do it! A boneless, lean turkey breast is not like a tough beef roast. It needs gentle, low heat. Cooking it on HIGH will make it tough, dry, and stringy.
- Using Jellied Cranberry Sauce: You must use whole-berry cranberry sauce. The jellied kind will not melt into the sauce in the same way and will result in a lumpy, unappealing texture.
- Using Apple Juice: Don't substitute apple juice for the orange juice. You need the bright, citrusy acidity of the orange juice to cut through the rich, sweet cranberry sauce and the savory onion soup mix.
- Skipping the Thermometer: The 4-hour time is a guide, but every slow cooker and turkey roast is different. The only way to know it's done and safe (but not overcooked) is to check that the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Sear First (Optional Pro-Tip): This is a dump-and-go recipe, but if you have an extra 10 minutes, you can take it to the next level. Pat the turkey dry, season it with salt and pepper, and sear it in a hot, oiled skillet on all sides before placing it in the crockpot. This browning (Maillard reaction) adds a massive depth of flavour.
- Use a Liner: For truly zero-stress holiday cleanup, use a slow-cooker liner.
- Thicken the Sauce (Optional): The sauce in the pot will be thin but very flavourful. If you prefer a thick, gravy-like sauce, remove the turkey to rest. Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir this into the sauce in the crockpot, turn the heat to HIGH, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until thickened.
Variations
This recipe is a wonderful base for customization!
- Add a Kick: Add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo (chopped) to the sauce mixture for a smoky, spicy-sweet flavour.
- Use Fresh Cranberries: If you have them, you can use 1 (12-oz) bag of fresh cranberries instead of the canned sauce. If you do, I recommend increasing the brown sugar to ½ cup to balance their tartness.
- Different Meat: This recipe is also fantastic with a 3-pound boneless pork loin roast. The cooking time (low for 4-6 hours) will be similar.
How to Serve
This is the perfect centerpiece for a holiday meal, especially for a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner where a whole 20-lb turkey is just too much.
- Slice the turkey and serve it on a platter, with the hot cranberry-orange sauce spooned all over it.
- It is essential to serve this with a creamy, neutral side to catch the delicious gravy, like Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Polenta, or Cauliflower Mash.
- It also pairs beautifully with classic fall sides like Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Green Bean Casserole.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a fantastic make-ahead dish for a stress-free holiday!
- Make Ahead: You can make this entire dish 1-2 days in advance. Let it cool, then store the sliced turkey in its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: This freezes beautifully! Store the sliced turkey with its sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, or in a baking dish covered with foil in a 325°F (160°C) oven until warmed through.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
This recipe is my secret weapon for a "Friendsgiving" or a smaller holiday gathering. It delivers that impressive, festive turkey-and-cranberry main course without the 2-day-brine-and-baste-a-giant-bird stress. The onion soup mix is the key-it adds a savory, salty, umami depth that perfectly cuts the sweetness of the cranberry and orange, creating a balanced sauce with zero effort.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (⅙th of roast): ~380 calories · 52g protein · 32g carbs · 5g fat (This is an approximation and can vary based on the leanness of your turkey roast and the sugar content of your cranberry/orange juice.)
Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Roast
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Bowl
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Group: Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey roast
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 14 ounces cranberry sauce
- ½ cup orange juice
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Into your slow cooker add the turkey roast.
- In a bowl stir together the onion soup mix, paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, brown sugar, cranberry sauce and orange juice.
- Pour the cranberry mix all over the turkey.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
- Slice and serve with the sauce from the slow cooker.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I use a bone-in turkey breast?
Yes, absolutely! A 3-4 pound bone-in turkey breast will work perfectly. You will need to increase the cooking time on LOW to 5-6 hours.
Can I make this with boneless chicken breasts?
You can, but you must reduce the time. 3 lbs of boneless chicken breasts will only need about 2.5-3 hours on LOW. Any longer and they will be very dry.
My turkey roast is in netting. Do I leave it on?
Yes! Leave the netting on. It's there to help the boneless roast hold its shape while it cooks. You can easily snip it off with kitchen shears after the turkey has rested, right before slicing.
