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  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Desserts (No Bake) ยป How to Make Sugared Cranberries

    LAST UPDATED: December 1, 2022 โ€ข FIRST PUBLISHED: December 5, 2017 By Toni Dash 46 Comments

    How to Make Sugared Cranberries

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Sugared cranberries are a wonderful holiday treat and add an extra festive touch to baked goods and cocktails (or mocktails). They are easy to make and once you make a batch you’ll be hooked. Fun gift idea too!

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     fresh and sugared cranberries in a silver bowl and on a baking sheet

    I can’t think of anything more festive for the holiday season than cranberries. They segue from Thanksgiving cranberry sauce to all sorts of fun home decorations and edible treats. Has anyone strung them as a garland for your Christmas tree?

    How about floated them in a beautiful bowl of water with some floating candles for a centerpiece (they float just like the candles)? Just having a bowl of them sitting out feels like Christmas to me.

    Outside of being a key ingredient in so many sweet and savory recipes, there are fun, easy recipes to prepare them as a treat or a small gift. I shared a recipe for Brandied Cranberries some time ago that I found in a vintage recipe collection. Today I’m sharing another holiday favorite: How to make Sugared Cranberries.

    Jump to:
    • Expert Tip
    • How to Store
    • How to Make Sugared Cranberries:
    • Recipe
    sugared cranberries in a silver bowl

    I’m sure you’ve seen the white sparkly orbs with some red showing through in photos or on fancy desserts. They are  wonderful on cakes and cupcakes, in drinks (though they lose their sugar coating) or anywhere you are feeling it (like my Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel Cut Oats).

    The process of sugaring the cranberries is easy and transforms their texture as well as flavor. The cranberries soak in a homemade simple syrup recipe overnight and then are rolled in fine baking sugar (it coats the best).

    The simple syrup both infuses some sweetness but also creates a coating on the cranberries allowing the extra fine sugar to stick.

    After sitting to fully dry for about an hour, the outer coating becomes dry and crisp creating a wonderful ‘pop’ in your mouth when eating them.

    Fresh cranberries in simple syrup

    The infusion of the simple syrup coupled with the sugar coating diminishes the usual tartness for a sweeter cranberry bite. Not all cranberries are created equal, so there may be a tart one in the bunch! Once dried, their coating becomes hard so the sugar stays in place too.

    Expert Tip

    The easy trick about this recipe is that all you need to remember is to use the same amount of water, sugar and cranberries. Simple syrup is made with equal parts of water and sugar, and this tutorial for how to make sugared cranberries uses the same amount also of cranberries.

    This makes it simple to create batches of whatever size you need without having to remember measurements.

    sugared cranberries in a bowl and on a baking sheet and some in process

    Giving a little jar of them as an unexpected gift for a friend or neighbor, especially one who loves to bake, is always appreciated. Of course if you want to keep them all for yourself, I’ll never tell.

    How to Store

    Store the sugared cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. After this they will begin to weep (release liquid) after which use them for making cranberry sauce or another cooked dish.

    Do not refrigerate. The moisture will cause the cranberries to weep.

    How to Make Sugared Cranberries:

    Recipe

    fresh and sugared cranberries in a silver bowl and on a baking sheet

    Sugared Cranberries

    Sugared cranberries are easy to make and a wonderful holiday treat or holiday garnish.  The recipe may be made for any amount of cranberries.  Just adjust to the amount of water, sugar and cranberries are the same and proceed with the recipe. The volume of 1 cup has been used as an example in this recipe.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Garnish, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 8 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 126kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 cup fresh Cranberries
    • 1/2 cup Extra Fine Sugar (also known as Baker’s Sugar) sifted to remove any lumps if needed

    Instructions

    • Combine the granulated sugar and water in medium sauce pan and bring to a low simmer (aproximately 3 minutes), stirring often, just until the sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. 
      1 cup Granulated Sugar, 1 cup Water
    • Add the cranberries.  Add the liquid (now a simple syrup) and cranberries to a sealable container and refrigerate for 8 hours.
      1 cup fresh Cranberries
    • After chilling: Pour the extra fine sugar onto a plate. 
    • Remove the cranberries from the liquid with a slotted spoon to drain and deposit a few at a time into the fine sugar. NOTE: the simple syrup may be reserved for use in cocktails.
    • Using a light touch, roll cranberries one by one in the sugar to coat. Gently place on a rimmed baking sheet for 1-2 hours until fully dry.

    Notes

    How to store
    Store the sugared cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. After this they will begin to weep (release liquid) after which use them for making cranberry sauce or another cooked dish.
    Do not refrigerate. The moisture will cause the cranberries to weep.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 10mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Iron: 0mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa says

      December 01, 2022 at 7:47 am

      How long will they last? Do they need to be refrigerated or frozen?

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        December 01, 2022 at 6:39 pm

        Hi Lisa. They should be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They eventually will begin to weep and you can cook them at that point if you wish to use for cranberry sauce or another dish. Do not store them in the refrigerator. The moisture will cause the sugar to begin to dissolve. The recipe has been updated to answer your questions too!

        Reply
    2. Richa Gupta says

      December 10, 2017 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      I love anything that involves Cranberries and this looks amazing!

      Reply
    3. Leia says

      December 08, 2017 at 8:12 pm

      I love sugared cranberries! I think they are too tart without the sugar ??

      Reply
    4. Carolyn says

      December 08, 2017 at 4:32 pm

      These are so perfect for the holidays!

      Reply
    5. Megan @ MegUnprocessed says

      December 08, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Cranberries are the best!

      Reply
    6. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

      December 06, 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Sugared cranberries…what a novel idea!!!

      Reply
    7. Kiwi says

      December 06, 2017 at 3:32 pm

      Wow these are pretty elegant. I never had sugar cranberries super festive.

      Reply
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    Welcome! Iโ€™m Toni Dash. Iโ€™m a Certified Nutrition Coach and the professional writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavoreยฎ. Iโ€™m so glad you are here!

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