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:
- 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.
- Transfer cranberries to a wire rack and allow to dry, at least 1 hour. They will be very sticky.
- 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:
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.
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
- Fresh cranberries: Stock up at the freeze around the holidays when they're delivered straight from the cranberry bog into the produce department.
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ounceCalories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 1gSodium: 1mgSugar: 33gIron: 1mg
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These cranberries are perfect.