These Easy Candied Cranberries are the perfect appetizer or sparkling dessert garnish for Thanksgiving and Christmas! You don’t even have to make your own simple syrup (and risk popping your cranberries). This recipe is totally foolproof. Originally published October 27, 2015.
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I was on TV last Friday!
And I didn’t die!
And no one ridiculed my eyebrows! At least not to my face. Which is all you can really hope for, right?
After I got home from the station and had watched the clip myself, I got this text from Eric:
Really, I don’t know how Eric could show his love for me more. When there is a choice between Karen and Star Wars, he will pick me every time. True love, guys.
These candied cranberries add a spark to your holiday table
Sugared cranberries! I topped the Cranberry Custard Pie that I posted last week (and the pie in the video) with these babies, and let me tell you, they are amazing. The first time I tried these was a few years ago when I made these cranberry brie bites, which are just sugared cranberries, brie, and cranberry sauce on a cracker. Soooo good.
These cranberries truly are a perfect pairing with just about any flavor. They’re great as an appetizer or as a festive garnish to basically any holiday dessert. Their combination of tart and sweet is a great addition to a cheese tray, with candied nuts, or as a garnish for holiday pies, cakes, cheesecakes, and cocktails. Or, honestly, just as a snack all by themselves. Leave them on the counter, and they’ll barely last a day!
Most cranberry recipes that I’ve seen call for making your own simple syrup. But be careful not to add the berries to too-hot syrup, which could pop them. Instead, I soak mine in maple syrup. SO much easier! Either way, you will have to soak them overnight. I tried it with the soak and without, just to make sure it was necessary. Unfortunately, it is.
The cranberries soak up the sugar from the syrup. Without the soak, they are edible but still too tart for me. After the soak, they turn out perfectly sweet, with an awesome crunch from the sugar.
Key ingredients
- Make sure to use fresh, firm cranberries. Frozen ones don’t get as plump and juicy. Also, as you’re prepping them, toss any that are soft or wrinkly.
- Pure maple syrup gives the cranberries sweetness and deep flavor. Don’t substitute with pancake syrup, it will not be the same.
- For extra-sparkly cranberries, briefly whirl the granulated sugar in a food processor to make it superfine. You can also use store-bought superfine or baking sugar instead.
How to make easy candied cranberries
Start by rinsing your cranberries and picking out any soft ones.
Toss them with some maple syrup and cover them and refrigerate for a few hours, preferably overnight, if you have the time. Don’t skip this soak, or the cranberries won’t absorb the sweetness from the syrup.
When you’re ready to sugar them, drain the cranberries over a bowl. You´ll want to save that maple-infused syrup for pancakes! Then spread the sugar onto a rimmed baking sheet and roll the cranberries in the sugar. Do this in small batches to keep the sugar from getting clumpy.
For extra sparkle (and who doesn’t want more sparkle in their life), add a few teaspoons of orange zest to the sugar before rolling the cranberries. Or tuck a slice or two of fresh ginger into the maple syrup while the cranberries soak overnight for a little extra holiday flavor.
Move the sugared cranberries to a clean baking sheet or cooking rack, making sure none of them are touching.
Let them dry for at least an hour (the longer they sit, the better the sugar coating gets). Getting nice and dry will help create that sweet crunch you’re looking for.
If you’re in a hurry, you can speed up the process by popping the pan in the fridge. But trust, your patience will be well rewarded.
How to store sugared cranberries
These cranberries are best the day you make them, but you can keep them at room temperature for 1–2 days. Store them uncovered in a shallow dish or on a baking sheet, with space between each berry. Don’t cover them or pile them together or they will get soggy.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, you can. The overnight soak makes these cranberries especially easy to prep ahead, only leaving draining, sugaring, and drying for the next day. For the prettiest, sparkliest results, I recommend sugaring them the day you plan to serve them.
Can I freeze candied cranberries?
I don’t recommend freezing sugared cranberries. The berries and sugar coating can become wet and lose that beautiful, sparkly texture when they thaw. If you need to get ahead, prep the maple syrup soak in advance and wait until closer to serving time to sugar the cranberries.
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Easy Candied Cranberries
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries, cranberries
- 1 & 1/2 cups maple syrup
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the cranberries, discarding any that have become soft.
- In a tupperware with a lid, stir together the cranberries and maple syrup.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight, or 6-8 hours.
- Place the cranberries in a colander set over a bowl so that the syrup drains off (save it for pancakes!)
- Spread the sugar onto a rimmed baking sheet. Working in 2-3 batches, roll the drained cranberries in the sugar. Kids love this part! I love this part! Lick your fingers!
- Let the cranberries dry out on the pan, or you can put them on a cooking rack so they get really crisp. Make sure none of them are touching each other.
- Let them dry out for at least an hour, the more the better. Putting the pan in the fridge speeds this up.
- Store the cranberries uncovered on a pan or shallow dish. If you cover them or let them touch each other, they will get soggy.
- If you want to give these away as a hostess or neighbor gift, I recommend layering them in a tin lined with parchment paper. Put another layer of parchment on top before adding a second layer. Tell the recipient to uncover the tin as soon as possible.
Notes
Nutrition
More cranberry recipes
Christmas Recipes
Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe (Orange Cranberry Sauce)
Appetizers, Dips & Snacks
Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
Pies & Tarts
I whirled these in the processor 3 or 4 times and used the orange peel. But my cranberries aren’t sparkly. They look like they have powdered sugar on them. I did soak them in pure maple syrup overnight and then rolled them a few at a time Which took forever. Just wondering what I did wrong?
Hey Heather! I’m sorry they aren’t sparkly! That’s so strange that they look like they have powdered sugar? I’m not sure what went wrong!
So hey, if you’re still tracking this thread, I have a question: Do you use pure maple syrup? 1.5 cups is a lot of syrup, and the pure stuff is pretty expensivo, so I just wondered if a person could substitute the cheap stuff. Thanks!
Hey Alice! I did use pure maple syrup but the cheap stuff will tooootally work for this recipe. You’re just getting some sugar infused in those berries and any kind of syrup will work. Enjoy!
I made these to top our cranberry-orange jello shots for Thanksgiving…and then ate all of the leftover sugared cranberries. These are amazing and easy. Everyone raved about them. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome Caryn!! What a fun idea to put them on shots!
You totally rocked your TV debut and gosh, more than Star Wars?? I doubt Chris would be able to say the same should the situation be reversed :) These cranberries are essential to every holiday celebration. You can also do this with honey and corn syrup – just gorgeous!
AWWWW!! You are TOTALLY a natural Karen!! I’m so glad you got your chance to be on TV! One day when you’re big and famous, I’m going to say,”I knew her when…” And hope that you’ll feed me the leftovers after you film your segments. ;) The anchor is definitely right — you are such an amazing storyteller! You always have me in stitches! You’re hilarious! And so is Eric… That’s the sweetest thing ever for him to say he watched YOU more than the Star Wars trailor! True, unconditional love right there.
Well that is about the sweetest text I have ever read! Oh men, I love how they show you they care. As if cranberries weren’t pretty enough, now you’ve gone and sugared them and made them even prettier! And tastier too : )
Karen, that is SO awesome that you got on TV! ! You are such a natural! Definitely keeping this recipe handy for the holidays!!
Thank you Lisa! It was super fun, I’m sure someday you will get the chance! And you will rock it.
Aww, you’re too sweet, Karen!
You were great – the camera loves you! Also, anything coated in sugar is a home run.
You did great on TV, total natural!! I was hoping you would show how to make these cranberries, because they are so pretty!! I would never guessed that they needed to be soaked. Thanks!!
there really isn’t a prettier little holiday appetizer than sugared cranberries and cheese
I totally agree Heather! Bring on the cheese!
This looks so sweet and yummy! And congratulations on the TV spot, how fun!
Thank you Mary! I really did have so much fun! :)
These are gorgeous, and they look so delicious!
Thank you Marye!! <3