Sugared Cranberries
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Sugared cranberries add instant sparkle and a festive touch to everything from cakes to cocktails—and they’re as delicious as they are pretty.
Sugared cranberries are one of those simple little extras that instantly make holiday meals feel special. With their frosty sparkle, pop of tartness, and satisfying crunch, they work just as well as an edible garnish as they do for snacking straight off the tray. Best of all, this sugared cranberries recipe comes together with just three simple ingredients, and can be made a day or two ahead—always a win during the holidays.
Ways To Use Sugared Cranberries
Cakes and desserts: Scatter them around a Yule Log (Bûche de Noël), finish a cheesecake, or use as a garnish for chocolate tart.
Cookie trays: Add them alongside your favorites from 25 Best Christmas Cookies for a festive, sparkly contrast.
Cheese and charcuterie boards: Their sweet-tart crunch pairs beautifully with rich cheeses and cured meats. They are especially good with baked brie.
Cocktails and drinks: Thread a few onto cocktail picks to garnish a glass of mulled wine or homemade eggnog.
“I made these sugared cranberries to garnish a chocolate ganache tart. They came out beautifully and were so easy to make.”
What You’ll Need To Make Sugared Cranberries
- Fresh cranberries: Look for firm, brightly colored berries with no soft spots or wrinkling. Fresh is needed here, as the berries will hold their shape and give you that satisfying crunch. Frozen cranberries will soften and lose their firm texture once thawed, so they won’t hold up quite as well.
- Granulated sugar: Used two ways here—first dissolved into a simple syrup to help the sugar coating adhere, then again as the dry coating that gives the cranberries their signature frosted, sparkly finish. Granulated is the right choice over superfine or powdered sugar, since the coarser granules are what create that frosted look and cling properly to the tacky berries.
- Water: Combines with sugar to make the simple syrup that coats the cranberries before they’re rolled.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Make the syrup and coat the cranberries. In a small saucepan, combine half the sugar with the water and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Take the pan off the heat and let the syrup cool for a couple of minutes. It should be warm, not hot, since pouring hot syrup directly over the cranberries can cause them to split and burst instead of staying whole. Add the cranberries, stir gently to coat every berry, then let them sit in the syrup for 5 minutes so the sugar has a chance to cling to the skins.
Step 2. Dry until tacky. Lift the cranberries out with a slotted spoon (leaving the extra syrup behind) and spread them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them air-dry for about an hour. You’re looking for tacky, not wet; the surface should feel slightly sticky to the touch, which is what gives the dry sugar something to grip in the next step.
Step 3. Sugar-coat and finish drying. Spread the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Working in small batches—just a few berries at a time—roll the tacky cranberries in the sugar until fully coated, then return them to the parchment to dry.
Pro Tip: When rolling the cranberries in sugar, start by picking up just a few at a time. If you grab a handful, they’re more likely to clump together. You’ll get the hang of it quickly as you go and can work a little faster once you find your rhythm.
Step 4. Serve or garnish. Scatter the sugared cranberries around a Bûche de Noël or holiday cake for color and sparkle, or use them to garnish desserts, charcuterie boards, or cocktails. For an extra-special touch, thread a few onto cocktail picks or stirrers to serve with drinks like Prosecco, cranberry spritzes, or sparkling punch.
Video Tutorial
More Delicious Ways to Use Fresh Cranberries
Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup water
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries (about 6 oz)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup of the sugar with the water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 2 minutes (you want it warm, not hot, so the cranberries don’t burst).
- Add the cranberries to the syrup and stir gently until well coated. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread into a single layer and let dry for about 1 hour, until tacky but not wet.
- Place the remaining ½ cup sugar in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Working in batches, using your hands, roll the tacky cranberries in the sugar until evenly coated. Return them to the parchment and let dry until set, about 1 hour more.
- Once fully dry, store the sugared cranberries uncovered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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If I make ahead one day, how do I store them? Will they lose their “shine”? Thanks!
Hi Doreen, you can store them up to two days ahead, uncovered and at room temperature. They won’t lose their shine. 😊
How would I sugar kumquats, raspberries, strawberries, or other fruits? I would think using the exact same method here would work for kumquats, but maybe using fully cooled syrup to soak the berries before proceeding with the recipe? Thank you! I’m so excited to make these with your Bûche de Noël recipe for our Christmas party! Your Yule log looks spot on– I’ve made MANY other recipes before (Christmas birthday lol) and am extra excited to try yours.
Hi Julia, I’ve never made this with anything other than cranberries, so I can’t say how it would work with other fruits. Because kumquats are firm, I think that should work, but not sure it will translate well to berries. Hope whatever you choose comes out nicely and that you enjoy the Bûche de Noël too!
Hi Jenn, these look great. Would grapes work instead of, or more likely, in addition to the cranberries.
Sandra
Hi Sandra, unfortunately, grapes won’t work here – sorry!
I made these sugared cranberries to garnish a chocolate ganache tart. They came out beautifully and were so easy to make, and they provided the perfect tartness to offset the richness of the tart. Perfect. Thank you!
The sugared cranberries are so pretty! I’m wondering, and perhaps I didn’t read carefully enough. Are they edible, or just for looks? Thank you!
P.S. Love your website and have tried many of your recipes. Every one has been delicious!
Hi June, they’re definitely edible. 😊
And thanks for your nice words about the website – so glad you liked the recipes!
If made in advance, how should these be stored? Thank you!
Hi Christine, they should be stored uncovered at room temperature.
Hi Jen! It is possible to use frozen cranberries that I bought fresh and froze to save? Thanks!
Hi Karen, I don’t recommend it – sorry!
Hi Jen! Would frozen cranberries (purchased fresh, then frozen) not work? I was thinking of doing this last minute to make my chocolate tart Christmas-y, but I only have a bag of frozen at home. Thanks!
Hi Karen, I think they look really pretty embellishing your chocolate tart! Unfortunately, I don’t think frozen cranberries would work well here – I worry about the texture. Sorry!
My family and I have loved every recipe we have tried! Thank you for being a reliable go-to for exceptional dishes.
Wondering if there are any options for doing this with frozen cranberries? Fingers crossed for some potential tricks or adjustments.
Hi Wendy, thanks for your kind words – so glad you like the recipes! I haven’t made these with frozen cranberries, but I don’t think it would be ideal – sorry!