Sugared Cranberries – Kitchen Treaty Recipes

What’s frosty, festive, and screams “IT’S THE HOLIDAYS!”? Sugared cranberries, that’s what!

Luckily, sugared cranberries don’t literally scream, because that would be terrifying. Though now I admit I’m imagining a sugared cranberries x The Cranberries x Zombie situation and that’s … more than I should probably admit.

But I digress.

Sugared Cranberries are a high-impact, low-effort garnish that livens up everything from cocktails to galettes to Bûche De Noël (yule log cake), which I’m determined to master this Christmas.

So how do you make them? It’s SO EASY.

How to Make Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients

• Fresh cranberries – throw out the shriveled ones; only the freshest, plumpest cranberries need apply!
• Simple syrup – this acts as the “glue” for the sugar.
• Granulated sugar – For the ultimate in sparkly, frosty goodness!

To make Sugared Cranberries, rinse and dry your cranberries. Then make your simple syrup, let it cool, and give the cranberries a roll in the simple syrup. After they’ve dripped and dried for awhile, you roll them in the granulated sugar. Frosty! Let them sit for awhile longer to dry, and you’ve got your sugared cranberries.

Sugared Cranberries holiday-up everything! A few years ago, I dotted this apple galette with a few. Instant festivity!

Scroll down for the full, printable recipe. I hope you give Sugared Cranberries a try this holiday season, that you love them as much as we do, and that you don’t imagine them screaming as I did, because 😬.

Sugared Cranberries

Add a bit of sparkly magic to the season with sugared cranberries. They’re super easy to make and make everything look about 1000% more festive!

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Sugared Cranberries

• 2 cups fresh cranberries (washed)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Make Simple Syrup

• Set a medium saucepan on the stove. 

• Add water and 1/2 cup sugar. Turn heat to medium. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

Make Sugared Cranberries

• Set a cookie rack in a baking sheet to catch the drips. Add cranberries to simple syrup mixture and stir to coat all of the berries. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the cookie rack. Let sit on your kitchen counter for 45 minutes so the excess drips off and the simple syrup thickens a bit. 

• Spread 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a platter. Working with about 1/3 cup at a time, roll and toss cranberries in sugar to coat. Set coated cranberries on a clean cookie sheet to let the sugar harden; about another 45 minutes. 

• Use cranberries as a garnish on cakes, platters, in cocktails … you name it. Sugared cranberries keep for about 3 days. Store uncovered at room temperature.