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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce made with a quick simmer until the berries burst, then chilled for a thick, spoonable texture. Orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and ginger create a bright, festive flavor with crunchy toasted pecans added at the end.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.125 tsp salt Pinch
  • 0.5 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high until boiling, then keep at a rolling boil for 1 minute and watch for the sugar to fully dissolve.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries to the boiling mixture. Return to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the orange zest and mix until glossy and evenly distributed.
  2. Cool the cranberry sauce to room temperature. The surface should look thicker and cohesive before chilling.
  3. Chill the cranberry sauce until serving, about 10 minutes. Keep it covered so the top doesn’t form a skin.
Add pecans
  1. Stir in the toasted pecans just before serving. Mix until evenly dotted so they stay crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: For extra-chunky texture, simmer until you can clearly see burst berries and a spoon drawn through the sauce leaves a brief trail. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze is not recommended because the cranberry texture can turn grainy after thawing. If you need a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 sugar substitute that measures like sugar for the same sweetness and thickness.