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Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce with a chunky, spoonable texture—simmered until the berries burst, then chilled for easy serving. Bright orange juice and zest plus warm cinnamon and ginger make it taste like a classic holiday side.
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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: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry sauce base
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Fresh is best for firm, bursting texture.
  • 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.
  • 0.5 cup pecans, toasted and chopped Stir in just before serving for crunch.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, then bring to a boil (high heat) with visible bubbling throughout, about 3–5 minutes.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries and reduce to a gentle simmer (medium-low) for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens and clings to the spoon.
  3. Turn off the heat and stir in the orange zest, letting it distribute evenly for a bright orange aroma.
Chill and serve
  1. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then chill until serving so it thickens further and slices cleanly when spooned.
  2. Stir in the toasted chopped pecans just before serving so they stay crunchy and keep their toasted color.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until berries burst and the sauce looks slightly thickened—cooling and chilling will tighten it more. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days (no freezing recommended). For a lighter option, swap half the sugar for an equal amount of a no-sugar-added cranberry-friendly sweetener, and add a touch more orange juice to keep the texture glossy.