This Candied Cranberries Recipe is an effortless way to bring a festive sparkle to holiday desserts, cheese boards, cocktails, and more. Sweet, tart, and glittering with sugar, these cranberries are simple to make and delicious on their own.
Easy Candied Cranberries Recipe
I use these sparkling, sugared cranberries throughout the holiday season. They make a perfect garnish for cakes, pies, cheesecakes, roasted poultry, and appetizer plates. The contrast of tart cranberry and sweet sugar makes them irresistible—many people pop them straight into their mouths like candy.
These sugar-coated cranberries need only four ingredients (water counts!) and about five minutes of active prep. The remaining time is passive drying, so you can prep other dishes while the berries set.
How to Use Sugared Cranberries
They’re versatile—try them for:
- Garnishing cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cocktails, or even a whole roasted bird.
- Scattering across a cheese or charcuterie board for color and brightness.
- Topping Cranberry Orange Sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, or sweet potato casserole for a festive finish.
- Pairing with ice cream or other desserts.
- Placing small bowls of them as seasonal table decor.
- Snacking on them straight from the bowl.
- Saving the leftover cranberry syrup to flavor cocktails, mocktails, or to soak cakes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cranberries – use fresh cranberries for best texture and flavor.
- Water – plain water works fine; substitute orange juice if you want an orange note.
- Corn syrup – helps keep the syrup smooth and prevents crystallization.
- Sugar – granulated sugar is used for the syrup and for rolling. Cane or turbinado sugar also work if you prefer a coarser sparkle.
How to Make Candied Cranberries
- Make the simple syrup. In a medium pot combine water, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for 1 minute.
- Add the cranberries. Remove the pot from heat, stir in the cranberries, and toss to coat. Use a slotted spoon or fine strainer to lift the berries out, letting excess syrup drip back into the pot.
- Dry the cranberries. Arrange the cranberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them so they don’t touch. Let them dry at room temperature for about one hour.
- Roll in sugar. Place the remaining 1 cup of sugar into a small bowl. Roll a few cranberries at a time in the sugar until well coated, returning them to the parchment. Let them dry at least another hour, then store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Recipe Variations
- Add vanilla bean paste or fresh orange zest to the rolling sugar for extra fragrance.
- Use orange juice in place of water for a stronger citrus flavor.
- Infuse the syrup with a few sprigs of rosemary: add the rosemary and cranberries to the syrup, steep for about 10 minutes, then remove and dry as directed.
- Roll the cranberries in a different sugar—cane, turbinado, or even sanding sugar. If crystals are too large, pulse briefly in a grinder for a finer texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use fresh cranberries. They stay plump and retain their juice, whereas frozen berries can lose moisture when thawed, which reduces flavor and texture—less ideal for sugaring.
Sugared cranberries don’t freeze well. The sugar coating can absorb moisture and become sticky, so it’s best to make them fresh and store briefly in the fridge.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store candied cranberries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. If they begin to weep, toss them gently in a little extra sugar just before serving.
Candied Cranberries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1½ cups sugar, (divided)
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
Instructions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a medium pot combine water, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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Boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in the cranberries until coated. Lift the cranberries out with a slotted spoon, allowing excess syrup to drain back into the pot.
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Arrange cranberries on the prepared baking sheet so they don’t touch. Let dry for 1 hour.
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Put 1 cup sugar into a small bowl. Roll a few cranberries at a time in the sugar until coated, then return to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining berries.
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Let the cranberries dry at least another hour. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated with a third-party tool.
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More simple holiday dessert recipes we love
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
- Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Peanut Butter Bars
- Buckeye Dip
- More candy recipes and dessert ideas for the holidays.
These sugared cranberries brighten up everything from side dishes to desserts and appetizer plates. They’re tart, sweet, sparkly, and remarkably easy to make—perfect for holiday entertaining or a festive snack.