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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce is a chunky, simmered cranberry side with a glossy orange-zest finish. Cook until the berries burst and thicken, then chill for a clean sliceable spoon texture.
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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: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
sugars and spices
  • 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
nuts
  • 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 and heat over medium-high until boiling, about 2-4 minutes (start to boil cue: rapid bubbling across the surface).
  2. Add the fresh cranberries, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, 10-12 minutes (visual cue: skins split and the mixture looks glossy and spoon-coating).
Finish and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest until evenly distributed (cue: bright orange flecks throughout).
  2. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then chill until serving (cue: thicker texture after chilling).
  3. Stir in the toasted pecans just before serving to keep them crunchy (cue: nuts suspended on top and throughout the sauce).

Notes

Pro tip: Simmer just until the berries burst and the sauce turns spoon-coating—overcooking can make it too thick. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; freeze is not recommended because the texture of cranberries can soften after thawing. For a lighter option, replace half the sugar with an equal amount of a 1:1 low-calorie sweetener.