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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce with chunky, bursty cranberries and a glossy orange-cinnamon finish. Simmered until thick, then chilled for a sliceable spoonable texture with crunchy toasted pecans.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh berries for the best burst and texture.
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar Packed brown sugar for deeper flavor.
  • 1 cup orange juice Fresh or store-bought orange juice works.
  • 1 tsp orange zest Stir in after cooking.
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 0.5 cup pecans Toasted and chopped; fold in right before serving to stay crunchy.

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a saucepan, then place over high heat until it comes to a boil (visible rolling bubbles).
  2. Add the cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon).
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest until evenly distributed (the sauce will look brighter and glossy).
Chill and finish
  1. Cool the cranberry sauce to room temperature, then cover and chill until serving (at least 2 hours, until set and spoonable).
  2. Stir in the toasted chopped pecans just before serving so they stay crunchy (scatter evenly through the surface).

Notes

Pro tip: For the right thickness, keep simmering until the sauce visibly coats a spoon—cranberries continue to thicken as they cool. Store covered in the fridge up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving. For a lower-sugar option, replace both sugars with a 1:1 baking-style sugar substitute and simmer until thickened.