Learn how to make quick and easy Sugared Cranberries for all your holiday entertaining! This sugared cranberries recipe makes a perfectly sweet-tart, sparkling garnish for desserts, cocktails, and holiday cheese boards. Not to mention, their sugary crunch makes them irresistible all on their own!
I love easy Christmas treats like sugared cranberries, caramel corn, and classics like peppermint bark and buckeyes. They’re great for snacking and gifting!
Sugared cranberries, or candied cranberries as some people like to call them, first caught my attention in Cooking Light magazine many years ago. I still have that torn-out page from their December 2003 edition tucked in my saved recipes pile! I’ve tweaked the recipe many times over the years, and I’ve since settled on this version, my favorite.
These sugared cranberries are a totally mouthwatering holiday treat and they’re SO EASY to make! I take tart, fresh cranberries and toss them in a lightly and crunchy, sugary coating. The sugar tames the tartness and adds a delicious candied texture to these juicy little berries. And they have an amazing pop when you bite into them! It’s seriously irresistible.
Why I Love This Sugared Cranberries Recipe
- It’s quick and easy. Cooking Light’s instructions have you refrigerating the cranberries overnight in simple syrup before coating them in sugar – and I’ve found the overnight step to be completely unnecessary. I say, “Simplify!”
- Extra crunch. I’ve found a lot of sugared cranberries recipes that use superfine sugar. After a little sugar-coating experiment in my own kitchen, I much prefer coarser white sanding sugar. It gives the cranberries a little more “crunch” factor, plus this sugar has a bit more sparkle to it. The holidays deserve ALL the sparkle!
- Great for gifting. I love giving these sugared cranberries as hostess gifts during the festive season. They look great nestled into festive holiday tins.
What You’ll Need
This ingredient list is a short one. You’ll only need three items, plus water. Super simple! I include some notes here, and be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list and recipe details.
- Granulated Sugar – To dissolve in water for the simple syrup. You can use brown sugar if needed.
- Fresh Cranberries – Fresh or frozen. If you’re using frozen cranberries, be sure to thaw them first.
- Sanding Sugar – While just about any grain of sugar works here, I prefer white sanding sugar for the best texture and appearance. You can always substitute it with the same granulated sugar you use to make the simple syrup.
How to Make Sugared Cranberries
With a short ingredients list and easy instructions, there’s no reason you shouldn’t make at least a couple of batches of sugared cranberries during the holidays. Here’s how I make this recipe. You’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card.
- Make the simple syrup. First, heat granulated sugar and water in a saucepan until sugar dissolves, and remove it from the heat.
- Soak the cranberries. Add the cranberries to the syrup, stirring to coat. Afterward, transfer the cranberries to a wire rack to dry for 30 minutes (a slotted spoon works well for this).
- Coat with sugar. Add cranberries, a few at a time, to a small bowl of sanding sugar. Use a spoon to roll the cranberries around so that they’re evenly coated with sugar.
- Dry. Spread the sugared cranberries in a single layer over a wire rack, and leave them to set for an hour. That’s it!
Recipe Tips
- Scale the recipe. This is one of those recipes that is very easily halved, doubled, or even tripled. Make as many sugared cranberries as you need!
- Why is the sugar not sticking to the cranberries? Humidity can affect the drying time. The simple syrup won’t dry as quickly in humid conditions, so in this case, let the cranberries dry for up to an hour before rolling them in the sanding sugar. On the other hand, the syrup will set faster in drier conditions, so the cranberries may only need to dry for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Can I save the cranberry simple syrup? Yes! Reserve the pretty pink-tinged simple syrup that’s now lightly flavored with cranberry. Use it to sweeten cocktails and teas.
How to Serve
Sugared cranberries go well with both sweet and savory. And they’re pretty darn awesome all on their own, I can’t resist enjoying them by the handful whenever they’re in the house. They also make a pretty addition to a Christmas charcuterie board or grazing table, and a sweet-tart contrast to the savory cheeses, meats, nuts, and crackers.
I’ll make a batch of these to add a little sparkle to holiday desserts, such as cranberry Christmas cake (a recipe from my aunt Donna and one of my very favorite Christmas desserts), gingerbread brownies, and cream cheese pound cake (a family favorite from my sister Jessica).
Skewer a few berries and then add them to a glass of champagne or prosecco mixed with cranberry juice for a fun holiday cocktail. They’re also a great way to add festivity to Christmas sangria, or I’ll use them to garnish a cranberry margarita or a cranberry gin and tonic, one of my favorite holiday tipples. Cheers!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s perfectly fine and safe to eat cranberries raw. Their bitter-tart taste isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s why I soak the cranberries in simple syrup for this recipe. The sweetness takes the edge off, for a delicious sweet-tart contrast.
Fun question! In the US, cranberries symbolize the harvest, which comes right before the holiday season. It only makes sense to enjoy the berries while they’re fresh, plus their bright red color fits right in on a holiday table.
How to Store
- Make-ahead. I recommend making your sugared cranberries on the same day you’ll be serving them. They will definitely last for a few days (see below), but they’re at their very best on the day you make them. If they show signs of weeping, roll them around in a bit more sugar.
- To store. Sugared cranberries are fine to store uncovered at room temperature for a day or two (granted it isn’t especially warm or humid where you are). To extend their shelf life, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
More Holiday Treats
Sugared Cranberries
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- ½ c. water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ¼ c. white sanding sugar for best texture and appearance or substitute granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine granulated sugar and water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
- Remove saucepan from heat and add cranberries, stirring gently several times to coat all cranberries completely.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack that is set on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Separate the cranberries so they aren’t touching each other. Let cranberries dry for 15 to 60 minutes (see note on air humidity below). Reserve leftover syrup if desired – it’s great for sweetening teas and cocktails.
- Place sanding sugar in a small bowl. Then add cranberries (they will be sticky), a few at a time, to the sanding sugar. Use a small spoon to roll the cranberries around in the sugar until completely coated. Remove sugared cranberries to a clean wire rack to dry for 1 hour.
Notes
- If creating these for a special gathering, I recommend making them earlier on the day you will be using them. They will definitely last for a few days, but they’re at their very best on the day you make them. If they show signs of weeping, roll them around in a bit more sugar.
- Humidity can effect the drying time. When humidity is up, the simple syrup will not dry as fast – and then you’ll want to let the cranberries dry for nearly an hour before rolling them in the sanding sugar. When the air is dry, the simple syrup will dry faster – so only let the cranberries dry for 15 to 30 minutes prior to rolling them in sanding sugar.
- Store at cool room temperature, uncovered, if using within 2 days. Otherwise in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Reserve the simple syrup and use to sweeten teas and cocktails.
- Adapted from Cooking Light magazine, December 2003 edition.
Nutrition Information:
Photos by Molly from Yes to Yolks.
I made these to garnish the cranberry cake with butter sauce and they really added a special, sparkly touch. Beautiful and delicious. It was a big hit. Thanks for sharing.
I bought some fresh cranberries and found an idea to deal with them. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. It is easy to make, and the berries are really delicious!! I will be serving them as a snack on Christmas Holiday!
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