Sugared Cranberries

By Becky Hardin

Published Dec 3, 2023

Sugared cranberries in a bowl with the text sugared cranberries easy holiday recipe. - 2

Cranberries in a bowl with the text sugared cranberries. - 3

Sugared Cranberries are a simple and gorgeous treat! With only three ingredients, this beautiful candied cranberries recipe will be your go-to garnish or snack this holiday season. Sweet and tangy, they are a must have this Christmas!

Sugared cranberries in a white bowl on a table. - 5

Why I Love This Sugared Cranberries Recipe

I’ve been making sugared cranberries for a few Christmases now and they’re easily among my favorite things to make and eat around the holidays.

Pretty. The sparkling sugar takes these cranberries to the next level.
Easy. This recipe uses just 3 ingredients and takes only 5 minutes of prep!
Tasty. These cranberries are the perfect sweet and tangy addition to cocktails and desserts.

A Garland Made from Candied Cranberries

These sugared cranberries would make the most gorgeous Christmas tree garland! Try stringing some with your loved ones on a cozy evening in front of the fireplace. Sounds like a picture-perfect holiday activity to me!

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How to Store

Store leftover sugared cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Refresh with more sugar as needed before serving.

Serving Suggestions

These are so great to snack on by themselves, but also make a good topping or garnish for desserts ( mini pavlovas , or cranberry bliss bars ), cocktails, and more. They’d even be beautiful on a holiday-themed charcuterie board !

Sugared cranberries are simply dipped in a simple syrup and then coated in sugar. They’re sometimes called candied cranberries or frosted cranberries too.

Yes, cranberries are safe to eat raw. They have quite a bitter, tangy taste when uncooked, so some might not enjoy them. But when they’re candied like this, they taste nice and sweet.

Cranberries are chock-full of antioxidants and vitamin C– perfect for cold and flu season! The added sugar definitely reduces their nutritional value, but it sure makes them tasty!

If cranberries aren’t your thing, you can easily use this method to sugarcoat other berries. Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries all work well. You can also use this technique to sugar nuts.

Use fresh cranberries for the best results. If using frozen, fully defrost them first.

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More Candied Snack Recipes To Try

Sugared Almonds
Candied Pecans
Candied Walnuts
Crockpot Candied Nuts
Candied Whiskey Bacon
Candied Corn Puffs

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ ½ cup water
▢ 2 cups granulated sugar divided
▢ 12 ounces fresh cranberries

Video

Instructions

Heat ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. The water will be very shallow. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Make sure the sugar has fully dissolved. ½ cup water, 2 cups granulated sugar
Once simmering, remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Stir to coat the cranberries completely in the water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. 12 ounces fresh cranberries
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to the baking sheet and allow to dry for a minimum of 30 minutes. Lay the cranberries as flat (single layer) as possible.
After 30 minutes to an hour, pour the remaining sugar over the cranberries, using a wooded spoon, stir the cranberries to coat completely.
Let the cranberries dry on the counter for another hour. When the sugar is dried on the cranberries, they’re done!

Becky’s Tips

Let the cranberries set on wax paper so that they don’t stick.
Let the cranberries cool in a single layer so that they don’t stick together.
Make sure that the sugared cranberries are fully set before storing.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Sugared Cranberries Step by Step

Heat the Syrup: Heat ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. The water will be very shallow. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Make sure the sugar has fully dissolved.

A pot with sugared cranberries on top of it. - 8

Add the Cranberries: Once simmering, remove from the heat and stir in 12 ounces of fresh cranberries. Stir to coat the cranberries completely in the water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Dry the Cranberries: Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to the baking sheet and allow to dry for a minimum of 30 minutes. Lay the cranberries as flat (single layer) as possible.

Coat with Sugar: After 30 minutes to an hour, pour the remaining 1½ cups of sugar over the cranberries, using a wooded spoon, stir the cranberries to coat completely.

Dry Again: Let the cranberries dry on the counter for another hour. When the sugar is dried on the cranberries, they’re done!

Sugared cranberries elegantly displayed in a lovely bowl. - 12

Sugared cranberries in a white bowl on a table. - 13

Sugared Cranberries Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup water
2 cups granulated sugar divided
12 ounces fresh cranberries

Instructions

Heat ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. The water will be very shallow. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Make sure the sugar has fully dissolved. ½ cup water, 2 cups granulated sugar
Once simmering, remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Stir to coat the cranberries completely in the water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. 12 ounces fresh cranberries
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to the baking sheet and allow to dry for a minimum of 30 minutes. Lay the cranberries as flat (single layer) as possible.
After 30 minutes to an hour, pour the remaining sugar over the cranberries, using a wooded spoon, stir the cranberries to coat completely.
Let the cranberries dry on the counter for another hour. When the sugar is dried on the cranberries, they’re done!

Video

Notes

Let the cranberries set on wax paper so that they don’t stick.
Let the cranberries cool in a single layer so that they don’t stick together.
Make sure that the sugared cranberries are fully set before storing.

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!