Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Gaines holiday cranberry sauce is a quick stovetop cranberry compote with orange zest and warm spices. Simmer until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, then chill for a chunky, spoonable texture.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Chill time (min) 10

Total Time 30

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 265

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Cranberry sauce

12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh cranberries for best texture.
0.5 cup sugar
0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest Stir in after simmering.
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
0.25 tsp ground ginger
0.06 salt Pinch.
0.5 cup pecans, toasted and chopped Stir in just before serving to keep crunch.

Equipment

1 cast iron skillet

Method

Cook the cranberry base

In a saucepan, combine sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat until bubbling around the edges (visual cue: rolling boil).
Add the cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens (visual cue: thicker, glossy sauce with burst skins).

Finish and chill

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest (visual cue: zest disperses as bright flecks throughout).
Cool the sauce for 10 minutes, then cover and chill until serving (visual cue: set and thicker when spooned).

Add toppings

Just before serving, stir in the toasted chopped pecans so they stay crunchy (visual cue: pecans distributed throughout with visible pieces).

Notes

Pro tip: simmer just until the berries burst and the sauce turns glossy and thick—overcooking can make it too firm after chilling. Refrigerate covered up to 5 days; it also freezes up to 2 months, but stir in toasted pecans after thawing for the best crunch. For a lower-sugar swap, use a 1:1 substitute brown sugar and sugar in equal measure.