How to Make Sugared Cranberries (with a Modern Twist!)

Deliciously sugared, spectacularly sparkling cranberries. Make this simple recipe for candy coated popping cranberries!

This recipe differs from traditional sugared cranberries with the modern twist of an inclusion of powdered sugar; this provides a crunchable candy coating to sugar simple syrup soaked cranberry fruit, encasing each cranberry in a festive sweet coating. Cranberries usually have their moment at Thanksgiving, sparkling as cranberry sauce, cranberry relish and a fun addition to stuffing. This recipe is perfect for extending this antioxidant filled fruit into the Christmas season.

This recipe is simple but the technique is an update from the classic rolling of cranberries in super-fine sugar. This sugar coated cranberry recipe has the addition of 2 types of sugar. Forget about cranberries as a one trick ingredient for traditional cranberry sauce recipes; this is a fun way to incorporate cranberries into your Christmas season, extending this ingredient past the Thanksgiving season it’s known for.

Soak the Cranberries in Simple Syrup

Soaking the cranberries in a sugar syrup overnight covers the berries in sugary coating, this step is essential, before rolling the cranberries in your sugar mixture. If you don’t let the cranberries soak for at least 8 hours, the coating will not stick. So don’t try to do this recipe last minute!

Trust me, the long wait times: soaking the cranberries in sugar syrup, rolling in sparkling sugar and letting dry for an least another 3 hours, make this simple, holiday dessert totally worth it.

Follow these simple steps for a fun, festive snack. Sugared cranberries have many different uses, just follow along to make your own festive, holiday treats!

Gather your recipe ingredients, the list for this recipe is short:

• Fresh Cranberries
• White Granulated Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Water

If you have left over powdered sugar, try my recipe for Double Vanilla Powdered Sugar Cookies.

Soak the cranberries in sugar syrup for at least 8 hours. This is an essential recipe step and the soaking period should not be shortened. If the cranberries are not fully soaked, the suage coating will not stick to the berries.

Using a food processor blend the white granulated sugar and powdered sugar together until it is super fine consistency.

Using a fork or slotted spoon remove cranberries a few at a time draining sugar syrup.

Roll in sugar mixture and let dry until sugar coating is completely dry.

Store at room temp in an air tight, napkin lined container for up to one week.

These candied cranberries are a festive red hue and perfect for garnishing festive cocktails, baked holiday desserts, and giving a sweet parting favor for holiday open houses.

• Use candied cranberries as a sparkling garnish on festive holiday cocktails. Add a sugared cranberry and lemon twist cocktail pick to my recipe for Cranberry Apple Cider Holiday Cocktail with Ginger.
• Top off cupcakes, pies and cakes with sugar coated cranberries to add a festive, glittering touch of whimsy to holiday baked goods. my recipe for Spiced Cranberry Orange Cookie Bars is already full of cranberries, baked into an almond filling, add a fresh, popping garnish and sprinkle a few of these candied cranberries on right before serving.
• Hand out candied cranberries with self serve packages as a sweet parting gift from a holiday open house.

The addition of powdered sugar to this recipe creates a thicker, candy coating over the traditional sugar coating recipes used for candied cranberries.

This recipes uses 2 different techniques to ensure perfect candied cranberries. Blend the sugar to create a “super fine” texture. Adding powdered sugar to the mix (it is a small amount) creates a much a thicker coating, and the sugar sticks to the cranberries incredibly well. Try this updated version of the classic and see for yourself!