Learn how to make Sugared Cranberries in minutes. They are easy to make and add the perfect sweetness and sparkle to cakes, pies, and drinks during the holidays.
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I always grab a few bags of fresh cranberries as soon as they arrive at grocery stores. My first mission is to make whole berry cranberry sauce, which almost makes me forget about the canned stuff. But honestly, I buy the tart berries to roll them in sugar!
Sugared cranberries are a festive treat. They have a sweet and tart flavor and look so pretty with their sparkly coating. You can toss them on everything from cakes to holiday drinks to make them stand out.
The best part about making candied cranberries is that it is incredibly easy! You only need three ingredients and 20 minutes. I enjoy adding them to our apple cranberry cake and white chocolate cranberry cheesecake for that extra touch.
Why Make This Sugared Cranberries Recipe
- Sweet and Tart Flavor: The mix of tart berries and sweet sugar is just too good to pass up.
- So Pretty: That sparkly white sugar coating adds a beautiful and festive touch to any dish.
- Easy to Make: They look extra fancy, but they're actually so simple to make with just a few ingredients.
- Versatile Party Snack: You can use them on cakes, garnish drinks, sprinkle them on salads, decorate cheese boards, or snack on them. They work for everything!
Main Ingredients
You only need three simple ingredients to make a batch of sparkly berries.
- Water: Use any type or brand of water that you like.
- Fresh Cranberries: Grab a bag of fresh berries during the holidays. I don't recommend using frozen berries as they get wet and mushy when thawed. They lose their shape and don't hold onto the sugar.
- Granulated Sugar: I usually choose regular sugar to coat the berries. Cane sugar or raw sugar will create a larger crystal coating.
How To Make Sugared Cranberries
Making sugar-coated cranberries is quite simple. Here are the easy steps I follow to coat them in sugar. It takes about 20 minutes to make, but allow it to dry completely for an hour.
- Make Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and then let the hot syrup cool.
- Coat the Cranberries: Rinse and dry them, then toss them in a bowl. Once the syrup has cooled, pour it over the cranberries and stir to evenly coat them. Let them sit for an hour.
- Roll in Sugar: Pour the extra sugar into a shallow bowl. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup. Let the extra liquid drip off. Then roll them in sugar until fully covered.
- Let Them Dry: Spread the cranberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the sugar coating dry for an hour or so. They will begin to sparkle as they dry!
Storage Recommendations
Frosted cranberries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If they begin to look damp, coat them again with more sugar.
If you live in a high-humidity area like Florida, the berries may weep. Roll them in another layer of sugar before topping holiday desserts.
BruCrew Tips
- Sort through the bag of berries and remove any shriveled or open fruit.
- Use a vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, or orange peel to add more flavor to the syrup.
- Allow the simple syrup mixture to cool before pouring it over the fruit to prevent the berries from bursting.
- Let the sugar water drip off the berries before rolling them in the extra sugar.
- Be gentle when moving the dried fruit. The sparkling sugar on the little jewels is fragile and prone to breaking off.
- Save the leftover sugar syrup to brush on cakes or to use in cocktails and coffees.
Ways to Use Candied Cranberries
- Skewer 2-3 with a toothpick, then set it on top of a glass of cranberry punch.
- Decorate the glaze on top of an eggnog cake.
- Serve bowls of berries and glazed cranberry orange scones on a brunch charcuterie board.
- Use pie crust cookies and sparkling cranberries to dress up a traditional pumpkin pie.
- A hidden chocolate center and fresh berry frosting add a delicious finish to these white chocolate cranberry cupcakes.
- Add sugared cranberries and cranberry poppyseed dressing to a holiday salad for a pop of color and sweetness.
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Recipe
Sugared Cranberries
Learn how to make Sugared Cranberries in minutes. They are easy to make and add the perfect sweetness and sparkle to cakes, pies, and drinks during the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup sugar, divided
Instructions
Notes
- Sort through the bag of berries and remove any shriveled or open fruit.
- Use a vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, or orange peel to add more flavor to the syrup.
- Allow the simple syrup mixture to cool before pouring it over the fruit to avoid bursting the berries.
- Let the sugar water drip off the berries before rolling them in the extra sugar.
- Be gentle when moving the dried fruit. The sparkling sugar on the little jewels is fragile and breaks off easily.
- Save the leftover sugar syrup to brush on cakes or to use in cocktails and coffees.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
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