Sugared Cranberries

Sugared cranberries are so simple to make! You can eat them on as a treat or use them to make any holiday treat look festive. They will take any dish to the next level!

Tis the season for delicious holiday treats! Try out this Yule Log Cake, this Christmas Star Bread, or this yummy Cranberry Salsa. They will all bring you some Christmas cheer!

Easy Sugared Cranberries

Did you know that sugared cranberries are not just meant to make your holiday treats look pretty? I mean, I know that they definitely do that! But when you coat the cranberries with this sugar mix it makes them taste delicious all on their own. My kids go crazy over them and they are SO EASY to make! In less than an hour, I can have a delicious and festive treat ready to go!

Cranberries are a tart fruit but when you add in some sugar, the taste of them is just right! Which makes them a little bit addicting! In fact, you may even want to double the batch just in case… It’s always better to have extra than not enough, right?? I not only love eating these plain but you can add them to this Cinnamon Roll Wreath, this Christmas Wreath Charcuterie, or decorate them on this Yule Log Cake. They are perfect for those!

Ingredients to Make Sugared Cranberries

Trust me when I say that a list of ingredients doesn’t get much more simple than this. There are only THREE things that you need! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Fresh Cranberries: These should be fresh cranberries (not frozen) for this recipes. Remember to wash them first!
Granulated Sugar: This is what will bring in a sweet flavor to balance out the tart cranberries!
Water: You will mix some sugar and water to create a syrup to put on them.

Let’s Make Some Sugared Cranberries!

These only take 10 minutes to make! After that, you just need to let them soak in all of that sugar before you eat them! This is one of the easiest recipes that you will make this whole holiday season!

Rinse: Rinse the fresh cranberries and check them over for any bad berries and discard them.
Boil sugar and water: Add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add cranberries and let dry: Remove from the heat and pour the cranberries in. Stir the cranberries in the syrup until they are all well coated. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove them to a cooling rack that has a piece of parchment underneath it. Let the cranberries dry for about 45-60 minutes.
Toss dried cranberries in sugar: In batches, toss the cranberries in the remaining cup of sugar, using more as needed, until all the cranberries are well coated. Leave the cranberries on a piece of parchment for about an hour before serving.

4 pictures showing how to make a sugar syrup and coat it on the cranberries.

Quick Tips

Here are a few quick and easy tips to help these sugared cranberries turn out just right for you!

Don’t stack them too deep: When you are storing them, its best to use a lasger container so that they aren’t jam packed inside one. The more that they contact each other, the more the sugar comes off!
Don’t skip the drying step! This part is so important! It helps the cranberries absorb all of that sugar syrup and makes them a bit sweeter. Plus, you don’t want them to be too sticky when adding in the sugar coating at the end. This helps them taste (and look) just right!
What do I use these with? Like I said before, these are delicious enough to eat on their own! Or, try adding them to this Yule Log Cake or this Simple Charcuterie Board. Or, you could even put them on a toothpick and garnish a holiday drink! Get creative and use them on everything! The whole family will love them!

A zoomed in shot of sugared cranberries.

How to Store Leftovers

Sugared cranberries keep well at room temperature for about 2-3 days. After that, they begin to weep and get sticky! Just place them in an airtight container to store them.