Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Cook the cranberry base
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then watch for a rapid bubbling syrup.
- Add fresh cranberries to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens to a spoonable consistency.
Finish and chill
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in orange zest until the sauce looks evenly flecked with orange.
- Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then chill until serving. Refrigerate for about 4 hours so it sets and thickens further.
Serve with crunch
- Right before serving, stir in toasted and chopped pecans. Mix just until evenly distributed so the pecans stay crunchy rather than softening in the cold sauce.
Notes
Pro tip: simmer until you see multiple cranberries bursting and the mixture coats the back of a spoon—this is what gives the chunky texture. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; it can be frozen up to 2 months (for best texture, stir in the pecans after thawing). For a lighter option, use half the sugar replaced with an equal amount of a no-sugar-added sweetener made for cooking, then simmer until thickened.