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Learn how to make sugared cranberries with this sugared cranberries recipe! Simmered in simple syrup and rolled in crunchy granulated sugar, these brightly colored berries make a festive garnish for pies, tarts, and other desserts.

What Are Sugared Cranberries?

Made by coating cranberries in simple syrup and rolling them in sugar for a wintery, “frosted” look, these homemade sugared cranberries are the easiest way to add a pop of color to any Thanksgiving or Christmas spread.

Granulated sugar adds a hint of sweetness, balancing out the natural tartness of the cranberries and creating a simple finishing touch which elevates holiday bakes and beverages with color, texture, and flavor (plus a hint of sparkle, too)

Enjoy homemade sugared cranberries as a snack. Use them to decorate cakes, pies, and tarts. Scatter a handful over a cheese board, cookie tray, or appetizer platter. Sugared cranberries also work nicely for garnishing Christmas cocktails, or plopped into a glass of fizzy water or sparkling wine.

Ingredients for Making This Sugared Cranberries Recipe

Cranberries – Fresh cranberries are best for this recipe, but it will also work with frozen berries. While developing this recipe, I came across several sugared cranberry recipes which suggested that frozen berries are an absolute no-go, but this wasn’t my experience. (In fact, I used frozen berries for the batch shown here!) However, if using frozen berries, do not thaw before tossing in the sugar syrup. Use the berries straight from the freezer for best results.
Granulated Sugar – I’m a big fan of caster sugar (superfine sugar) for baking, but to make sugared cranberries, you’ll need to use granulated sugar instead. The larger sugar crystals are better-suited for coating the berries, adding the signature “frosted” appearance plus a hint of crunch.
Water – You’ll begin by simmering the berries in simple syrup, made by dissolving sugar in water.

How to Make Sugared Cranberries

To make sugared cranberries, begin by lining a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment. (If doubling or tripling this recipe, use a quarter sheet tray—it’s important to allow plenty of room to spread the cranberries apart as they dry.)

Next, make a simple syrup by stirring together water and granulated sugar and bringing it to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add the cranberries, and steep in the syrup for 10 minutes.

After steeping, drain the soaked berries by passing them through a fine mesh strainer. (You won’t need the syrup for this recipe, but save it to garnish a cranberry gin fizz or cranberry martini; to sweeten tea or sparkling water; or to brush on cakes as a soaking syrup.) Be sure to remove all of the liquid, or your berries will be soggy and take forever to dry.

Arrange the cranberries on a tray and rest uncovered for one hour, toss in a bowl of sugar, then rest on a clean sheet of parchment for at least one hour more.

Sugared cranberries on a sheet of parchment

How to Use Sugared Cranberries

Here are some of my favorite ways to use homemade sugared cranberries:

Decorate Cakes, Pies, and Cupcakes – Top a cheesecake, yule log, cranberry curd tart, pumpkin pie, or a batch of brie and cranberry brownies for a sparkling finishing touch.
Charcuterie and Cheese Boards – Add a festive pop of color to a holiday cheese platter or charcuterie board.
Cocktails and Beverages – Garnish holiday cocktails, or drop a few berries into a glass of sparkling wine.
Snacking – Enjoy sugared cranberries as a sweet-tart treat at holiday gatherings, or simply for everyday snacking.
Breakfast – Stir into porridge or oatmeal, along with crushed walnuts and a handful of chocolate chips.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Make these sugared cranberries on the day you plan to use them. Although some recipes suggest that you can store sugared cranberries for a couple of days, I don’t recommend it. I tested both refrigerator and room-temperature storage, and found that the berries started to look sad, wet, and shriveled by day two.

This recipe takes about two hours from start to finish, but most of this is drying time. For best results, plan ahead so that you have enough time to make and dry the cranberries on the day of your event.

Other cranberry recipes you might enjoy:

Festive Cranberry Jelly Candy
Cranberry Curd Tart
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Cranberry Compote

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!

Sugared Cranberries

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Author: becky
Total Time: About 2 1/2 hours
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups sugared cranberries 1x

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Description

An easy sugared cranberries recipe for garnishing for pies, tarts, and other Christmas desserts.

Ingredients

Scale

180 milliliters water (3/4 cup)
125 grams fresh or frozen* cranberries (about 1 1/4 cups)
300 grams granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups), divided

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Instructions

Line a small rimmed baking tray with parchment. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir together water and granulated sugar.

A saucepan with sugar and water

Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Simple syrup in a saucepan

Add the cranberries and toss to combine. Cover and steep cranberries in the syrup for 10 minutes.

Cranberries and water in a saucepan

Pass through a fine mesh strainer. (If desired, you can save the syrup for cocktails; you won’t need it for this recipe.)

Cranberries in a mesh strainer

Arrange cranberries on prepared tray, making sure the berries do not touch. Set aside and rest uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. Cranberries will feel slighty tacky.

cranberries on a tray