Come home to comfort with these slow cooker cranberry BBQ turkey sliders, just 10 minutes of prep and you’ll get a warm hands-off dinner by night.
This recipe actually started years ago, in a different kitchen, during one of those long weeks when everything was overlapping. Work deadlines, teething baby, and a grocery list that never got finished. I remember standing in front of the fridge with leftover turkey breast, a jar of cranberry sauce, and zero plan.
I needed something warm for dinner, something I could prep fast and forget about until it was time to eat. So I tossed everything into the slow cooker, crossed my fingers, and walked away.
It worked. It worked so well that I wrote it down on the back of a preschool newsletter and stuck it to the fridge. Since then, it’s become the thing I reach for when I have about 10 minutes and not much else. Like last Wednesday at 2:40PM, when we were back from school pickup, bags dumped on the floor, everyone already hungry, and no dinner in sight.
I looked at the clock, pulled out the slow cooker, and stirred together barbecue sauce, cranberry, mustard, and some spices. Covered the turkey in sauce, set it to low, and we were out the door by 2:50PM. Groceries, traffic, a spilled water bottle later, and we were home by 6:15PM to the smell of dinner already made.
While the kids set the table (with some bickering), I shredded the turkey, layered everything into rolls with cheese, and slid it into the oven. By 6:45PM, we were sitting down to warm sliders that honestly tasted like I’d spent way more time than I did.
It’s simple, and that’s what makes it stick. It comes together fast, fills everyone up, and for a few quiet minutes around the table, everyone’s content. No complaints, no leftovers, just a meal that works, again and again. It’s the kind of dinner that brings a little calm to the chaos, and that’s reason enough to keep coming back to it.
Since that fateful dinner, we've made these sliders for Thanksgiving day lunch, when no one can think about food and all you have are leftovers. We've also pulled them out for Game Day parties, BBQs and tailgating. They're just that good!
Ingredients
This starts with a boneless turkey breast, but rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or boneless thighs work too. Any BBQ sauce is fine (spicy, smoky, honey, or sugar-free), and either whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce works. You can even swap in cherry preserves.
For rolls, Hawaiian-style or whatever soft buns you like are fine. Cheddar works, but so does Swiss or anything melty. The topping is a quick mix of butter and dried spices, don’t skip it! It helps everything brown and brings it together. If you’re short on time, you can use pre-shredded cheese or skip the topping completely (still good).
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cranberry BBQ Turkey Sliders Recipe
If you’ve got 10 minutes and a slow cooker, this recipe comes together with minimal effort and delivers big comfort. Here's how to make this recipe:
Whisk the Sauce
In a mixing bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, cranberry sauce, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir until smooth. Scoop out ½ cup and set aside for later.
Set the Slow Cooker
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Place the turkey breast into the slow cooker. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, covering the meat completely. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, until the turkey shreds easily with a fork.
Shred and Preheat
Transfer the cooked turkey to a cutting board or bowl and shred it while still warm. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s ready when you assemble the sliders.
Assemble the Sliders
Slice your slider rolls in half horizontally and place the bottoms in a baking dish. Add a layer of cheese, then spoon on the shredded turkey. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and top with the remaining rolls.
Mix the Butter Topping
In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter with smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and dried parsley. Spoon or brush this mixture evenly over the tops of the rolls.
Bake Until Golden
Place the dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the cheese has melted into the turkey.
Serve While Warm
Serve the sliders fresh from the oven. You can add slaw or pickled red onions if you like some crunch or tang.
Storage
Let the sliders cool completely before storing. If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container or wrap them tightly in foil. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place the sliders on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil to prevent drying out, and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes until heated through. For a quicker option, you can also reheat individual portions in the air fryer at 325°F for about 5 minutes.
If you want to freeze them, assemble the sliders up to the baking step, wrap the entire dish tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Top Tips
Shred while warm: Shredding the turkey right after cooking helps it soak up the sauce better and saves time later.
Don’t skip the topping: The butter and spice mixture on top makes a big difference, adds flavor and helps the rolls brown without drying out.
Use foil or parchment: Lining your baking dish makes cleanup quicker, especially if any sauce bubbles over.
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Slow Cooker Cranberry BBQ Turkey Sliders
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
For the Turkey:
- 2-3 lb boneless turkey breast
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup cranberry sauce whole berry or jellied
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly:
- 12 slider rolls Hawaiian-style or any soft rolls
- 6 slices cheddar cheese or similar melty cheese
For the Topping:
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine BBQ sauce, cranberry sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and all the spices. Mix well. Reserve ½ cup for later.
- Place turkey breast in the slow cooker and pour the rest of the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, until the meat is easy to shred.
- Remove the turkey and shred it while still warm. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Slice the rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves in a baking dish, add cheese slices, pile on the shredded turkey, and drizzle with reserved sauce. Top with the other halves of the rolls.
- In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, paprika, brown sugar, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and parsley. Brush or spoon over the tops of the rolls.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the cheese has melted.
- Serve warm. Add slaw or pickled red onions if you want extra crunch.
Aimee says
Delicious and easy! I think I'll ALWAYS use this BBQ sauce recipe, it was SO good! I used Sweet Baby Ray's as my base.
Cecèlia A. Morford says
Looks so good and easy to make. I can't wait to try it.