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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce with a chunky, jammy texture made by simmering fresh cranberries until they burst. Bright orange juice and orange zest give a crisp, festive flavor, finished with crunchy toasted pecans.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
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
  • 0.25 tsp salt pinch
crunch topping
  • 0.5 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Combine sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is actively bubbling.
  2. Add fresh cranberries to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens.
  3. Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in orange zest to brighten the sauce.
Chill and finish
  1. Cool the cranberry sauce to room temperature before serving. Chill until ready to serve for the best set.
  2. Stir in pecans, toasted and chopped just before serving. This keeps the topping crunchy instead of soft.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the berries burst and the sauce turns glossy-thick—if you cook too long, it can become overly set. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended because the cranberry texture can get grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, replace half the sugar with an equal amount of a no-sugar-added granulated sweetener and cook until thickened as directed.