Cranberry Syrup Recipe

Made with fresh cranberries and granulated sugar, this cranberry syrup recipe is ideal for flavoring cocktails, mocktails, and Christmas punch. This cranberry syrup recipe only requires three ingredients (and one of them is water!) and a little bit of time: You’ll need 30 minutes or so for the cranberries to simmer on the stovetop, and another hour to steep the mixture before straining. Plus it keeps well in the fridge for weeks, so you can repurpose those cranberries left over from seasonal baking, and continue to enjoy them well into the new year.

Key Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar forms the base for the simple syrup. Don’t reduce the quantity; you need the full amount to make the thick, sweet syrup, and to balance the tartness of the cranberries. You can substitute other white sugars, but if using a finer grain, use a kitchen scale to measure the sugar by weight rather than volume.
• Cranberries – Fresh or frozen cranberries both work nicely. I originally developed this recipe as a way to repurpose cranberries left over after holiday baking, but if you’re making this syrup to serve during the festive period, you can use the rest of the berries to make other recipes like cranberry bread, cranberry compote, or a cranberry curd tart, or float them in a cranberry simmer pot or a bowl of festive cranberry punch.

Tips and Tricks

• Scrape the strainer. After passing the simmered cranberries through a fine mesh strainer, take time to scrape the bottom side of the strainer (you can use a bench scraper, or the dull side of a butter knife). I find that a good amount of the syrup collects there.
• Cool completely before storing. Allow the hot syrup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container (I like to use a lidded, clear glass jar so I can see the pretty red syrup every time I open my fridge!) for storage. If the syrup is still hot, condensation can form underneath the lid.

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Cranberry Syrup Recipe

Recipe by becky

• Total TimeAbout 2 hours
• Yield400 milliliters (about 1 2/3 cups) 1x

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Homemade cranberry syrup made with fresh cranberries and granulated sugar.

Ingredients

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300 grams granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
240 milliliters water (1 cup)
125 grams fresh or frozen cranberries (1 1/4 cups)

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Instructions

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Stir in the cranberries. Simmer over low heat until berries break down, about 20-25 minutes. Do not boil.

Remove from heat. Set aside and allow to cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove the cranberries. Discard the berries.

Use as desired. Store leftover cranberry syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

 

Equipment

fine mesh strainer

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medium saucepan

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bench scraper

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Notes

If berries don’t completely break down on their own, use a spoon to gently mash.

Use a bench scraper to push berries and syrup through the strainer; scrape underside of mesh to remove any syrup that collects there.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Category: Simple Syrups
• Method: Stovetop

Ways to Use Homemade Cranberry Syrup

One of my all-time favorite beverages is a classic vodka cranberry (or a cranberry and ginger ale at home) sweetened with a splash of this cranberry simple syrup.  This syrup also works perfectly for sweetening seasonal beverages like a cranberry margarita, cranberry gin & tonic, or cranberry champagne cocktail. (All garnished with a few sprigs of sugared rosemary or skewer of dried orange slices and homemade sugared cranberries, of course!) Or, stir it into non-alcoholic beverages like ginger ale, club soda, or sparkling water.

You can also brush or pour cranberry simple syrup over cakes, cupcakes, or cranberry muffins to add moisture and sweetness; make salad dressings; or create flavored ice cubes (or an ice ring) for floating in a bowl of cranberry punch.

Other Cranberry Recipes You Might Enjoy

Sugared Cranberries
Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies
Cranberry Curd Tart with Gingersnap Crust
Cranberry Compote
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Mini Cranberry Hand Pies

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!