These Sugared Cranberries are the perfect sweet and tart treat. And while they’re a festive addition to any holiday spread, drink, or meal, they’re also delicious all year long!
Ingredients
With only three ingredients, these tasty cranberries couldn’t be easier to make!
- Sugar – You’ll need to use some of the sugar to make the simple syrup and then the remaining sugar will be used to coat the berries. Granulated sugar is the best to use for the perfect sweet and crunchy coating.
- Water – Combining water with sugar creates a simple syrup that will help the sugar adhere to the cranberries..
- Fresh Or Frozen Cranberries (Thawed) – When you’re choosing fresh cranberries, look for ones that are firm, bright red, and free of wrinkles. Fun fact: if cranberries are fresh, you should be able to bounce them on a hard surface!
Variations
This sugared cranberry recipe is a simple base that you can jazz up in lots of ways.
- Citrus – Replace some or all of the water with orange juice or lemon juice.
- Spices – Mix some cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice into the sugar coating.
- Vanilla – Add a little vanilla extract to the simple syrup.
- Colored Sugar – Use colored sugar for an even more festive look.
- Alcohol – Soak the cranberries in the liquor or liqueur of your choice. Just don’t soak for too long to avoid having them become too soft.
- Stovetop Potpourri – If you have any fresh cranberries leftover, make some stovetop potpourri, it will make your whole house smell like Christmas!
How to Make Sugared Cranberries
Making this festive treat is as easy as one, two, three! A quick way to add a special touch to your holiday dishes.
- Make simple syrup. Add water and a quarter of the sugar to a heavy-bottom saucepan. Heat and stir until the mixture thickens and the sugar completely dissolves, avoiding boiling.
- Coat. Pour both the syrup and cranberries into a large bowl and mix together until the cranberries are coated.
- Allow them to set. Place the cranberries on the prepared wire rack over a baking sheet and allow them to rest until cooled.
- Sugar-coat the berries. Pour the rest of the sugar onto a plate. While the outsides of the cranberries are still tacky, roll them through the sugar before placing them on a fresh plate.
- Set, serve, and store. Allow the cranberries time to set before serving or storing in an airtight container.
What to Serve With Sugared Cranberries
Sugared cranberries are the perfect sweet-tart treat all by themselves! But you can also use them to garnish ice cream and other desserts. Plus, they’re perfect for dressing up drinks like cranberry whiskey sour, cranberry punch, or other festive cocktails and mocktails. Of course on top of eggnog cheesecake, cranberry pie or a pavlova too.
They’re also great with savory snacks and meals, too. Toss them into salads, serve them on a cheese board, or stir them into yogurt or overnight oats.
Storage and Freezing
You can store these cranberries for up to 3 days at room temperature or pop them in the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
How to Store
Store the cranberries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can I Freeze sugared Cranberries?
To freeze the cranberries, first flash-freeze them on a baking sheet. Then, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container and store them for up to 3 months.
Common Questions about Sugared Cranberries
What can be categorized as healthy depends on your personal diet. In moderation, these cranberries can fit into a healthy diet, especially with the amount of vitamins and minerals cranberries have.
It depends on how you store them. Kept at room temperature in a cool, dry space they will last for a couple of days. When refrigerated, they’ll last for up to a week.
You can eat fresh cranberries without sugar, but they tend to be fairly tart all on their own.
More Easy Sweets
On the lookout for more sweets that are a cinch to make? Check out these other desserts that are perfect for the holidays and come together quickly!
Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar , divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed)
Instructions
- Place a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. This is optional, but you can Put aluminum foil, parchment or wax paper under for easy clean up. Set aside.
- In a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup of the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes like syrup, approximately 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Place the cranberries in a large mixing bowl and cover with the sugar syrup, tossing to coat. Pour the coated berries onto the wire cooling rack, allow the excess to drop down.
- Let the berries set for 45 minutes to 1 hour. They will still be tacky, but not hot.
- Place the remaining 1 cup of sugar into a shallow dish or pie plate. Working in batches, roll the tacky cranberries in the granulated sugar until well coated. Use a slotted spoon to sift them and transfer them to another plate or dish to set.
- Transfer to an airtight container and use within 3 days.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how they were in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
