diff --git a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_send_receive_time b/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_send_receive_time
deleted file mode 100644
index b84d837a8b..0000000000
--- a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_send_receive_time
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-* * * * * zulip /usr/lib/nagios/plugins/zulip_app_frontend/check_send_receive_time --site=https://$(/home/zulip/deployments/current/scripts/get-django-setting NAGIOS_BOT_HOST) >/dev/null
diff --git a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness b/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness
deleted file mode 100644
index 1aa512a822..0000000000
--- a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-* * * * * zulip /usr/lib/nagios/plugins/zulip_zephyr_mirror/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness >/dev/null
diff --git a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/fetch-contributor-data b/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/fetch-contributor-data
deleted file mode 100644
index 4fc73952d8..0000000000
--- a/puppet/kandra/files/cron.d/fetch-contributor-data
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-0 8 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/tools/fetch-contributor-data
diff --git a/puppet/kandra/manifests/app_frontend.pp b/puppet/kandra/manifests/app_frontend.pp
index ad8e2ff4b8..cf092b8715 100644
--- a/puppet/kandra/manifests/app_frontend.pp
+++ b/puppet/kandra/manifests/app_frontend.pp
@@ -62,11 +62,9 @@ class kandra::app_frontend {
 
   # Each server does its own fetching of contributor data, since
   # we don't have a way to synchronize that among several servers.
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/fetch-contributor-data':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/kandra/cron.d/fetch-contributor-data',
+  zulip::cron { 'fetch-contributor-data':
+    hour    => '8',
+    minute  => '0',
+    command => '/home/zulip/deployments/current/tools/fetch-contributor-data',
   }
 }
diff --git a/puppet/kandra/manifests/prod_app_frontend_once.pp b/puppet/kandra/manifests/prod_app_frontend_once.pp
index 9001b62944..25b4e21ddd 100644
--- a/puppet/kandra/manifests/prod_app_frontend_once.pp
+++ b/puppet/kandra/manifests/prod_app_frontend_once.pp
@@ -3,43 +3,29 @@ class kandra::prod_app_frontend_once {
   include zulip::hooks::push_git_ref
   include zulip::hooks::zulip_notify
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/update-first-visible-message-id':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/calculate-first-visible-message-id',
+  zulip::cron { 'update-first-visible-message-id':
+    hour   => '7',
+    minute => '*',
+    manage => 'calculate_first_visible_message_id --lookback-hours 30',
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/invoice-plans':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/invoice-plans',
+  zulip::cron { 'invoice-plans':
+    hour   => '22',
+    minute => '0',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments':
+    hour   => '17',
+    minute => '0',
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments',
+  zulip::cron { 'check_send_receive_time':
+    hour    => '*',
+    minute  => '*',
+    command => '/usr/lib/nagios/plugins/zulip_app_frontend/check_send_receive_time --site=https://$(/home/zulip/deployments/current/scripts/get-django-setting NAGIOS_BOT_HOST) >/dev/null',
   }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/check_send_receive_time':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/kandra/cron.d/check_send_receive_time',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/kandra/cron.d/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness',
+  zulip::cron { 'check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness':
+    hour    => '*',
+    minute  => '*',
+    command => '/usr/lib/nagios/plugins/zulip_zephyr_mirror/check_user_zephyr_mirror_liveness >/dev/null',
   }
 }
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/archive-messages b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/archive-messages
deleted file mode 100644
index 50c77d42c7..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/archive-messages
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Daily cron job for retention policy - archives existing messages based on the policy
-# and cleans expired entries from the archive.
-0 6 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py archive_messages >/dev/null
-# Daily cron job for cleaning up old, unclaimed attachments and their corresponding files.
-# Ideally should not run at the same time as the previous job, to avoid races.
-0 5 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py delete_old_unclaimed_attachments -f >/dev/null
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/calculate-first-visible-message-id b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/calculate-first-visible-message-id
deleted file mode 100644
index 9d179afd24..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/calculate-first-visible-message-id
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-0 7 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py calculate_first_visible_message_id --lookback-hours 30
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/check-analytics-state b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/check-analytics-state
deleted file mode 100644
index abf002a996..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/check-analytics-state
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-30 * * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py check_analytics_state
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/clearsessions b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/clearsessions
deleted file mode 100644
index 3aebe991bc..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/clearsessions
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-MAILTO=root
-
-# Clear all expired Django sessions at 10:22 PM every day.
-22 22 * * *   zulip cd /home/zulip/deployments/current && ./manage.py clearsessions
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments
deleted file mode 100644
index e0b3d126f3..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/downgrade-small-realms-behind-on-payments
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-0 17 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py downgrade_small_realms_behind_on_payments
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/fetch-tor-exit-nodes b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/fetch-tor-exit-nodes
deleted file mode 100644
index 50a38950bd..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/fetch-tor-exit-nodes
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-17 * * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py fetch_tor_exit_nodes
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/invoice-plans b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/invoice-plans
deleted file mode 100644
index bbf53ec3bf..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/invoice-plans
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-0 22 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py invoice_plans
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/pg-backup-and-purge b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/pg-backup-and-purge
deleted file mode 100644
index dcf077962e..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/pg-backup-and-purge
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
-
-0 2 * * * postgres /usr/local/bin/pg_backup_and_purge >/var/log/pg_backup_and_purge.log 2>&1
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/promote-new-full-members b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/promote-new-full-members
deleted file mode 100644
index 9af9c7ac38..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/promote-new-full-members
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Cron job to promote users to full members system group.
-35 * * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py promote_new_full_members
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/restart-zulip b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/restart-zulip
deleted file mode 100644
index 08c01d5ff8..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/restart-zulip
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Cron job to restart the Zulip server weekly, with the goal of
-# minimizing the impact of any memory leaks that we might grow.
-0 6 * * 7 zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/scripts/restart-server --fill-cache
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send-digest-emails b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send-digest-emails
deleted file mode 100644
index a3cfe373d1..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send-digest-emails
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-MAILTO=root
-
-# Send digest emails once a day. Time is in UTC.
-0 18 * * *   zulip cd /home/zulip/deployments/current && ./manage.py enqueue_digest_emails
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send_zulip_update_announcements b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send_zulip_update_announcements
deleted file mode 100644
index 902f0df2e0..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/send_zulip_update_announcements
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Cron job to send zulip update announcements hourly, if there are any.
-47 * * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py send_zulip_update_announcements
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/soft-deactivate-users b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/soft-deactivate-users
deleted file mode 100644
index 7352e99bda..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/soft-deactivate-users
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Cron job to soft deactivate long term idle users daily.
-0 5 * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py soft_deactivate_users -d >/dev/null
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/update-analytics-counts b/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/update-analytics-counts
deleted file mode 100644
index 5175c6bd0b..0000000000
--- a/puppet/zulip/files/cron.d/update-analytics-counts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-SHELL=/bin/bash
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-USER=zulip
-
-# Run update analytics tables every 5 minutes past the hour
-5 * * * * zulip /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py update_analytics_counts
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_base.pp b/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_base.pp
index 605c49ad30..edfc45c2b9 100644
--- a/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_base.pp
+++ b/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_base.pp
@@ -245,12 +245,8 @@ class zulip::app_frontend_base {
   }
 
   # This cron job does nothing unless RATE_LIMIT_TOR_TOGETHER is enabled.
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/fetch-tor-exit-nodes':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/fetch-tor-exit-nodes',
+  zulip::cron { 'fetch-tor-exit-nodes':
+    minute => '17',
   }
   # This was originally added with a typo in the name.
   file { '/etc/cron.d/fetch-for-exit-nodes':
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_once.pp b/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_once.pp
index b75b9f6b5c..65d40e6244 100644
--- a/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_once.pp
+++ b/puppet/zulip/manifests/app_frontend_once.pp
@@ -21,67 +21,43 @@ class zulip::app_frontend_once {
     notify  => Service[$zulip::common::supervisor_service],
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/send-digest-emails':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/send-digest-emails',
+  # Every-hour
+  zulip::cron { 'update-analytics-counts':
+    minute => '5',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'check-analytics-state':
+    minute => '30',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'promote-new-full-members':
+    minute => '35',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'send_zulip_update_announcements':
+    minute => '47',
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/update-analytics-counts':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/update-analytics-counts',
+  # Daily
+  zulip::cron { 'soft-deactivate-users':
+    hour   => '5',
+    minute => '0',
+    manage => 'soft_deactivate_users -d',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'delete-old-unclaimed-attachments':
+    hour   => '5',
+    minute => '0',
+    manage => 'delete_old_unclaimed_attachments -f',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'archive-messages':
+    hour   => '6',
+    minute => '0',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'send-digest-emails':
+    hour   => '18',
+    minute => '0',
+    manage => 'enqueue_digest_emails',
+  }
+  zulip::cron { 'clearsessions':
+    hour   => '22',
+    minute => '22',
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/check-analytics-state':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/check-analytics-state',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/soft-deactivate-users':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/soft-deactivate-users',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/promote-new-full-members':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/promote-new-full-members',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/archive-messages':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/archive-messages',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/clearsessions':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/clearsessions',
-  }
-
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/send_zulip_update_announcements':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/send_zulip_update_announcements',
-  }
 }
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/manifests/cron.pp b/puppet/zulip/manifests/cron.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f8fdd2bd42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/puppet/zulip/manifests/cron.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+define zulip::cron(
+  String $minute,
+  String $hour = '*',
+  String $dow = '*',
+  String $user = 'zulip',
+  Optional[String] $command = undef,
+  Optional[String] $manage = undef,
+) {
+  if $command != undef {
+    $run = $command
+  } elsif $manage != undef {
+    $run = "cd /home/zulip/deployments/current/ && ./manage.py ${manage} >/dev/null"
+  } else {
+    $underscores = regsubst($title, '-', '_', 'G')
+    $run = "cd /home/zulip/deployments/current/ && ./manage.py ${underscores} >/dev/null"
+  }
+  file { "/etc/cron.d/${title}":
+    ensure  => file,
+    owner   => 'root',
+    group   => 'root',
+    mode    => '0644',
+    content => template('zulip/cron.template.erb'),
+  }
+}
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/manifests/postgresql_backups.pp b/puppet/zulip/manifests/postgresql_backups.pp
index 90032e78bb..86b407cd5a 100644
--- a/puppet/zulip/manifests/postgresql_backups.pp
+++ b/puppet/zulip/manifests/postgresql_backups.pp
@@ -25,12 +25,11 @@ class zulip::postgresql_backups {
     ],
   }
 
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/pg_backup_and_purge':
-    ensure  => present,
-    owner   => 'root',
-    group   => 'root',
-    mode    => '0644',
-    source  => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/pg-backup-and-purge',
+  zulip::cron { 'pg_backup_and_purge':
+    hour    => '2',
+    minute  => '0',
+    command => '/usr/local/bin/pg_backup_and_purge >/var/log/pg_backup_and_purge.log 2>&1',
+    user    => 'postgres',
     require => [
       File['/var/log/pg_backup_and_purge.log'],
       File['/usr/local/bin/pg_backup_and_purge'],
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/manifests/profile/app_frontend.pp b/puppet/zulip/manifests/profile/app_frontend.pp
index 7321180886..365b83aaff 100644
--- a/puppet/zulip/manifests/profile/app_frontend.pp
+++ b/puppet/zulip/manifests/profile/app_frontend.pp
@@ -66,11 +66,10 @@ class zulip::profile::app_frontend {
   }
 
   # Restart the server regularly to avoid potential memory leak problems.
-  file { '/etc/cron.d/restart-zulip':
-    ensure => file,
-    owner  => 'root',
-    group  => 'root',
-    mode   => '0644',
-    source => 'puppet:///modules/zulip/cron.d/restart-zulip',
+  zulip::cron { 'restart-zulip':
+    hour    => '6',
+    minute  => '0',
+    dow     => '7',
+    command => '/home/zulip/deployments/current/scripts/restart-server --fill-cache',
   }
 }
diff --git a/puppet/zulip/templates/cron.template.erb b/puppet/zulip/templates/cron.template.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..180bd26c10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/puppet/zulip/templates/cron.template.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+MAILTO=zulip
+PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
+SHELL=/bin/bash
+USER=<%= @user %>
+
+<%= @minute %> <%= @hour %> * * <%= @dow %>    <%= @user %>    <%= @run %>
+