Sugared Cranberries

Sugared cranberries add a little shimmer and sparkle to a cake, holiday cheese board, or wintery table centerpiece. And they’re only 2 ingredients: just sugar and fresh cranberries.

Candied, sugar-coated cranberries make everything a lot more festive. Not only are they a delicious snack all by themselves, but they’re a gorgeous garnish on almost anything, from the rim of a crafted cocktail, to my deeply chocolatey Cranberry Wreath Cake.

Recipe ingredients:

Ingredient notes:

• Fresh cranberries: Stock up at the freeze around the holidays when they’re delivered straight from the cranberry bog into the produce department.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Make a simple syrup by heating 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and stir the fresh cranberries into the syrup. No need to cook the berries; all you need to do is soak them in the syrup.
   
2. Transfer cranberries to a wire rack and allow to dry, at least 1 hour. They will be very sticky.
   
3. Place remaining sugar in a medium bowl, and working in small batches, roll cranberries until well coated. Allow to dry, about 1 hour.
   

Recipe tips and variations:

• Yield: This recipe makes 24 ounces of sugared cranberries.
• Make ahead: Make the cranberries up to a couple days ahead of time, and store them in the refrigerator. They may get a little damp when they warm up; if so just roll them in sugar again and let dry. (Also, some cooks soak the cranberries in the sugar syrup overnight in the refrigerator before rolling in sugar the next day.)
• Storage: You can store the cranberries in a lidded container with a bowl of rice tucked inside to catch extra moisture. Depending on the humidity of your kitchen, they may become sticky over time; simply roll in sugar again and let dry.
• Flavoring the syrup: Adding a little vanilla extract, or steeping the simple syrup in orange zest of rosemary sprigs will add a little extra flavor to the cranberries.
• Garnish cocktails: Skewer a few berries and add to a signature cocktail to instantly make it even more festive. Try it with Gimlet or a Brandy Slush.
• Save the syrup: Use it in your home bar for sweetening drinks.

More delicious desserts:

• Cranberry wreath cake (shown above)
• Danish layer cake
• Flourless chocolate cake
• Spice cake

Sugared Cranberries

Sugared cranberries add a little shimmer and sparkle to a cake, holiday cheese board, or wintery table centerpiece. And they're only 2 ingredients: just sugar and fresh cranberries.

5 from 1 vote

ReviewPin0Print

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Drying Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins

Servings 24 servings

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 129

Ingredients 

For the sugared cranberries:

• ▢ 4 cups granulated sugar divided
• ▢ 2 (12-ounce) bags fresh cranberries (see note 1)

Instructions 

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries until well coated.
• Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer cranberries to a wire rack and allow to dry, at least 1 hour.
• Place remaining sugar in a medium bowl, and working in small batches, roll cranberries until well coated. Allow to dry, about 1 hour.

Notes

1. Fresh cranberries: Stock up at the freeze around the holidays when they're delivered straight from the cranberry bog into the produce department.
2. Yield: This recipe makes 24 ounces of sugared cranberries.
3. Make ahead: Make the cranberries up to a couple days ahead of time, and store them in the refrigerator. They may get a little damp when they warm up; if so just roll them in sugar again and let dry. (Also, some cooks soak the cranberries in the sugar syrup overnight in the refrigerator before rolling in sugar the next day.)
4. Storage: You can store the cranberries in a lidded container with a bowl of rice tucked inside to catch extra moisture. Depending on the humidity of your kitchen, they may become sticky over time; simply roll in sugar again and let dry.
5. Flavoring the syrup: Adding a little vanilla extract, or steeping the simple syrup in orange zest of rosemary sprigs will add a little extra flavor to the cranberries.
6. Garnish cocktails: Skewer a few berries and add to a signature cocktail to instantly make it even more festive. Try it with Gimlet or a Brandy Slush.
7. Save the syrup: Use it in your home bar for sweetening drinks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounceCalories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 1gSodium: 1mgSugar: 33gIron: 1mg

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