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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce with chunky, bursty berries and a glossy orange-cinnamon finish. Simmered until thick, then chilled for scoopable texture—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
  • 1 salt pinch
Topping
  • 0.5 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the cranberry mixture
  1. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring until the sugars dissolve. Keep it at a steady boil and watch for bubbling at the edges.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. The mixture should look glossy and slightly jammy as you stir.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Visually, the sauce will turn brighter and fragrant as the zest disperses.
  2. Cool the sauce, then chill until serving. The surface should thicken and hold its shape when spooned.
  3. Just before serving, stir in the toasted and chopped pecans. Look for the pecans staying distinct and crunchy rather than softened.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer until you can mash a berry easily with your spoon—this is what creates that classic chunky texture. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, reduce sugar slightly or use a 1:1 sugar substitute designed for cooking and thickening, then simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.