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Made with gelatin, granulated sugar, and real cranberry juice, these festive cranberry jelly candies are easy to make, ship well, and feature a vibrant (natural) shade of Christmas red. The best cranberry jelly candy recipe for holiday gifting!
Why Make These Cranberry Jelly Candies?
When it comes to sweets, I’m generally not the biggest fan of “sugary” candies. If given the choice, I’ll always pick chocolate, toffee, or caramel, over gummy bears or Skittles or Starburst. Strange, then, that one of my favorite confections is the sugary, fruit-based pâte de fruits.
I first learned to make these classic French candies while studying for my chocolatier’s certificate, and I’ve loved making (and eating) them ever since. During my pastry training at Le Cordon Bleu London we made a mango-coconut version which quickly became a staple in my candymaking repertoire.
Featuring a tart-meets-sweet jelly candy in the middle (think gummy bears, or fruit slice candy) and a sugary, crunchy coating, these cranberry jellies will please even the most reluctant gummy candy fan. The vibrant red color comes from cranberry juice rather than dye or food coloring, offering a solid option for those who prefer a natural approach to candymaking. And because these sweets keep well at room temperature for a month (or sometimes longer), they’re ideal gifting and serve throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
Jelly Candy vs. Pâte de Fruits
Pâte de fruits is a traditional French confection made from fruit purée, pectin, and sugar, cooked down to a jelly-like consistency, poured into molds (or sliced into squares) and finished with a sugary coating. You’ll find this gummy candy-like sweet at pâtisseries and confectioneries throughout France, as well as other places in Europe (I often spot pâte de fruits for sale here in London!) Pâte de fruits is sometimes served at the end of a meal, or gifted during the festive season.
These festive cranberry jelly candies aren’t strictly traditional (pâte de fruits recipes generally call for pectin as the thickening agent and are made with a fresh fruit purée; these use powdered gelatine and cranberry juice instead) but they’re easier to make, and they taste just as good.
Ingredients for Making This Cranberry Jelly Candy Recipe
These cranberry gummies require just four ingredients—and one of them is water! To make gummy sweets, start by gathering the following:
Cranberry Juice – You’ll need to divide the juice into two portions: Cold cranberry juice for blooming the gelatin, and boiling juice for activating its setting properties. Choose pure cranberry juice for this recipe. Do not use cranberry juice cocktail, which contains added sugar and will make the candies too sweet.
Gelatin – Although I generally prefer to work with leaf gelatin, I used powdered gelatin in this recipe. Here is a post I wrote about the differences between the two, and how to convert gelatin sheets to powder. Also, most gelatins contain beef, pork, or fish—keep this in mind if preparing cranberry candies for friends with allergies or dietary preferences.
Granulated Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar to form the base of this sweet and chewy candy recipe, plus more for coating the sticky slab. Rolling the pieces in sugar and air-drying for 1-2 days gives these candies their signature crunchy coating.
Oil – You’ll need canola, vegetable, or another neutral oil or nonstick spray to grease the tin, the knife, and (if using one) the cutter. Don’t skip the greasing step—it will make your life so, so much easier!
Cranberry Candy Tips and Tricks
You will need a digital thermometer for this recipe. I use a handheld thermometer, but if you’re new to candymaking (or just want to make the process easier), consider a thermometer which clamps to your pot (or hangs over the side). This style frees up your hands, with no need for constant manual temperature checks with a probe.
Keep a heat resistant spoon nearby for stirring the hot candy mixture. Do not use cheap novelty spoons or spatulas; the plastic can melt into your candy and quickly ruin an entire batch!
You can make this jelly candy recipe with other kinds of fruit juices, such as apple or pear. For a similar recipe, check out my carrot-ginger gummy candy, too.
Gifting Cranberry Candies
Thanks to the addition of cranberry juice, the finished cranberry jelly candies develop a beautiful (and natural) shade of Christmas red, adding a ‘pop’ of color to candy trays or holiday gift baskets. You could also package your homemade gummies in a pretty, holiday-themed cello bag, accompanied by a big red bow!
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Don’t forget to plan ahead. The jelly candy must sit at room temperature for 1-2 days, in order to develop its signature crunchy coating.
Layer squares of cranberry jelly candy between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.
Other candy recipes you might enjoy:
Carrot-Ginger Jelly Candies
Sea Salt Apple Cider Caramels
Dark Chocolate Candied Grapefruit
Strawberry Marshmallows
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!
Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies
- Total Time: 5 hours (plus 1-2 days to crystallise)
- Yield: 50-60 candies 1x
Description
Cranberry jelly candies made with gelatin, granulated sugar, and real cranberry juice.
Ingredients
240 milliliters cold cranberry juice** (1 cup)
35 grams powdered gelatin (about 3 1/2 tablespoons)
650 grams granulated sugar (about 3 1/4 cups, plus more for coating candies)
180 milliliters boiling cranberry juice (3/4 cup)
Canola or vegetable oil (for greasing tin and knife)
Instructions
Line an 8×8-inch square tin with parchment and grease generously with canola oil or nonstick spray. Set aside.
Add cold cranberry juice to a large saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over top to dissolve.
Add boiling cranberry juice and sugar to the saucepan and whisk to combine.
Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 107° C / 225° F on a digital thermometer. This will take 20-25 minutes or longer, so be patient!
Remove from heat. With a heat resistant spoon, stir gently to remove bubbles.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Line a large tray with baking parchment and set aside.
Once set, peel away parchment and turn cranberry jelly slab out onto a well-sugared sugared surface. I like to use a chopping board covered in parchment, with 2-3 scoops of granulated sugar on top.
Coat the sticky slab in sugar. Use your hands to spread and distribute the sugar until the slab is completely covered on both sides.
Cut slab into squares with a sharp, well-oiled knife. (I like to lightly mark the squares with the back of my knife prior to cutting, to make sure all of my candies are roughly the same size.) You can cut 7 x 7 rows (for 49 square candies) or 8 x 8 rows (for 64 square candies). If preferred, you can also use a greased metal cutter to cut fun shapes instead of squares.
Roll each square in sugar so all sides are covered. Place coated candies on prepared tray, making sure they do not touch. Air-dry at room temperature, uncovered, for 1-2 days, or until candy crystallizes and develops a crunchy coating.
Store cranberry jelly candy in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment. These will keep well at room temperature for 3-4 weeks.
Notes
**For best results, you’ll want to use 100% cranberry juice for this recipe, rather than “cranberry juice cocktail.” The added sugar in a cocktail or juice blend will make your finished candies too sweet.
You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. You might also consider a thermometer that clamps to your pot (or hangs over the side) to free up your hands and avoid having to check the temperature constantly.
Although I generally prefer to work with leaf gelatin, I used powdered gelatin in this recipe. Here is a helpful post outlining the difference between gelatin leaves and powder, and how to convert between the two.
Don’t forget to plan ahead! These candies need to sit at room temperature for 1-2 days, in order to develop their crunchy coating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sweets
I made this for the first time and it was a super easy recipe to follow with a really really yummy outcome. I thought I bought 100% Cranberry Juice, but it was a juice blend so the flavor wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I then tried it with a high quality cherry juice and a squirt of lemon juice (rolled in sugar and citric acid) and its like a store bought candy (think sour gummy worms / sourpatch kids). I plan to continue to experiment with some different juices. Thank you so much. One question, how do you get the foam layer off? Carefully stirring it isnt helping all that much (should I try removing it, or is there a way to distill it back into the candy mixture while its hot)?