These Candied Cranberries are a festive, sparkling treat that add a pop of color and tart-sweet flavor to any holiday spread. They're simple, elegant, and perfect for snacking or garnishing desserts.
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I love cranberries! I love them in orange cranberry muffins, as a cranberry relish, Cranberry Julep, cranberry sauce with orange juice, and as a sweet snack!
I've used these sugared cranberries on so many desserts and drinks! Check out my Christmas Fruit Salad and Gingerbread Trifle for examples of how to use them to decorate!
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple: Only three ingredients are needed for a gorgeous result.
- Festive: Their sparkling sugar coating makes them a beautiful holiday garnish.
- Balanced: The tart cranberries pair perfectly with the sweet sugar.
- Versatile: They can be enjoyed on their own or used to decorate cakes, pies, and cocktails.
What This Recipe Needs
Water: Essential for making the simple syrup, which helps the sugar stick to the berries.
Fresh Cranberries: Provide tartness, vibrant color, and the signature holiday flavor.
Granulated Sugar: Used twice-first to create a simple syrup and again to coat the cranberries for their frosted look.
Candied Cranberries Substitutions
- Sugar: Use superfine sugar for an even lighter sparkle, or swap in coconut sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Cranberries: Try blueberries or grapes if cranberries aren't available.
- Water: Swap part of the water for orange juice to add citrusy brightness.
How to Make Candied Cranberries
- Step 1: Dissolve water and sugar over medium heat.
- Step 2: Add cranberries and stir to coat thoroughly
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- Step 3: Place cranberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet or cooling rack over a baking sheet and allow to dry for an hour. They will still be dry but sticky.
- Step 4: Roll in sugar and enjoy!
Candied Cranberries Variations
- Spiced Cranberries: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cloves to the syrup for warmth.
- Cocktail Garnish: Skewer a few sugared cranberries for a festive holiday drink topper (like I did for this delicious Christmas Drink).
- Dessert Upgrade: Use them to decorate white chocolate cheesecakes, cupcakes, or a pumpkin pie (like this pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
They're best within 2-3 days, but can be refrigerated for up to 5 days (the sugar may lose some sparkle).
Yep! It doesn't matter if you use fresh or frozen cranberries. I did notice that when I used frozen cranberries, they didn't stay as firm for as long as the batch made with fresh cranberries- but both were delicious!
Store them in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for a few days. You can always reroll them in sugar if needed.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all my Easy Christmas Recipes like Holiday Cake, Easy Chocolate Christmas Truffles, Christmas Tree Cupcakes, Candied Orange Peels Recipe, Holiday Trifle, and Peppermint Bark.
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Video
Sugared Cranberries Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz cranberries fresh or frozen, 1 bag
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1.5 cups sugar
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries and remove any soft or bad cranberries.12 oz cranberries
- In a medium-sized saucepot, combine ½ cup sugar and the water. Over medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves completely.½ cup sugar, ½ cup water
- Stir in the cranberries until well coated.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to a wire rack or a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to dry for an hour.
- After an hour, roll the cranberries in the remaining sugar. Best to do this in batches so you can get the cranberries well coated.1.5 cups sugar
- Serve in a bowl or stick on toothpicks for a tasty cocktail stirrer!
Notes
- Storage: Store uncovered a room temperature. They're best within 2-3 days, but can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Fresh or Frozen? I've made this with fresh and frozen cranberries, and it turns out delicious with both. The batch made with frozen cranberries didn't last quite as long- they didn't stay as firm as the batch with the fresh cranberries.
- Nutrition Info is an estimate since it can't accurately account for how much sugar sticks to the cranberries.
Mallorie says
Looks so easy and yummy. Nice Holiday Sweet Treat.
Lisa says
Thank you! It's my favorite!