Easy Sugared Cranberries Recipe with Secret Ingredient

Y’all—these Sugared Cranberries are the perfect thing to make this holiday season! The natural tang of tart cranberries pairs perfectly with the sweet sugar coating, creating a tart treat that’s both beautiful and delicious. They look so lovely added as a garnish for any dessert, cheeseplate, or charcuterie board. Ad they’re SO easy to make!

Sugared Cranberries

Sugared cranberries are one of my favorite things to make during the holiday season.

They’re an easy way to add a festive touch to your celebrations, whether you’re dressing up a charcuterie board, topping holiday desserts, or just snacking on these sweet-tart treats.

My kids love to eat them like candy, and I have to admit, I sneak a few while making them too!

These sparkling cranberries are as pretty as they are tasty.

They make a gorgeous garnish for holiday drinks or a lovely addition to cheese boards.

You can also scatter them over my Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake or a gingerbread pie to make them extra pretty.

Using simple ingredients like fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water, you can create these little jewels in no time.

They’re truly a perfect garnish that feels fancy but is so simple to make!

Why You’ll Love My Sugared Cranberries Recipe

• Perfect for the holiday season: These sugar-coated cranberries are the perfect to add to holiday cocktails, a charcuterie board, or topping holiday desserts.
• Simple ingredients: You only need fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water—plus a vanilla bean to really make them taste amazing.
• Easy sugared cranberries: The recipe is so simple, even if it’s your first time making them. You’ll have a batch of sparkling cranberries ready to enjoy in no-time!
• Beautiful garnish: These sugared berries make a gorgeous garnish for holiday drinks, cheese boards, a plate of cranberry streusel bars, or even a pumpkin pie. They’re the perfect garnish for adding a pop of color!
• Great for snacking: My kids love eating these candied cranberries, and they’re a fun party snack too. The sweet sugar coating balances the tang of the tart berries, making them a sweet-tart snack everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients for Sugared Cranberries

• Fresh Cranberries: Look for firm, plump FRESH cranberries at your local grocery store. Do NOT use frozen cranberries when making this recipe!
• White Sugar: You’ll need some regular sugar for this recipe. It’s used to make the sugar syrup that coats the cranberries and to create the superfine sugar that gives them that beautiful, sparkling finish. Not a fan of granulated sugar? Try one of these substitutes for simple syrup instead.
• Water: You’ll use water with the sugar to make the hot syrup that you’ll use to dip the cranberries in so the sugar topping sticks.
• Vanilla Bean: The vanilla bean adds a little bit of extra flavor that makes these sugared cranberries stand out from other recipes.

How to Make Sugared Cranberries

This candied cranberries recipe is super simple to make. Here’s how you do it:

Make the Simple Syrup Mixture

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of granualted sugar (or cane sugar) and 1.5 cups of water.
2. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat once the syrup is ready.

Soak the Cranberries

1. Place the whole cranberries in a large bowl or other heatproof container.
2. Pour the hot syrup over the cranberries, making sure they are fully submerged. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fititng lid and refrigerate overnight. 

*Trust me on this, you really DO need to let them soak up all the sugar overnight or your berries will be really, really tart!

Prepare the Sugar Coating

1. The next day, take the remaining sugar (about 1/2 cup) and blend it with the seeds from a vanilla bean in a food processor or blender.
2. Pour the sugar into a shallow bowl for easy coating.

Strain and Coat the Cranberries

1. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries from the syrup, letting the leftover syrup drip off.
2. Roll the cranberries in the bowl of sugar until they are fully coated. Work in batches for the best coverage.

Let Them Dry

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the sugared cranberries in a single layer.
2. Let them dry at room temperature for about an hour until the coating sets.

Ways to Use Sugared Cranberries

• Snack on Them: Sugared cranberries are a perfect sweet-and-tart snack. They’re great for munching on their own, and kids especially love them as a fun treat.
• Dress Up a Charcuterie Board: They bring a pop of color, a festive look, and a little sweetness to balance out all the savory goodness on your charcuterie boards.
• Top Holiday Desserts: Scatter them on top of cakes, pies, and cupcakes.
• Garnish Holiday Drinks: Sugared cranberries make any drink feel fancy. Use them as a garnish for cocktails, mocktails, or even a sparkling glass of water. Try skewering a few on a toothpick for a special look.
• Decorate Cookie Trays: They look beautiful next to all your baked goodies.
• Pretty up a Salad: These berries go great in a winter salad, pairing well with spinach, nuts, and a tangy vinaigrette.
• Pair with Breakfast Treats: Use sugared cranberries to change up pancake flavors, in a yogurt parfait, or on top of waffles.
• Gift Them: Package sugared cranberries in a clear jar, tie it with a ribbon, and give them as a thoughtful homemade gift.

How to Store Frosted Cranberries

Once the cranberries are dry, transfer them to an airtight container. If you plan to use them up within a day or two, you can store sugared cranberries at room temperature.

For longer freshness, store the cranberries in the refrigerator. They will stay good for up to two weeks if the fridge.

More Cranberries Recipes

• Cranberry Christmas Cake
• Cranberry Streusel Bars
• Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Print Pin

Vanilla Bean Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 2.5 cups sugar divided
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean insides scraped out

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of sugar and 1.5 cups of water to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat.
• Place the fresh cranberries in a medium, heatproof bowl and pour the hot liquid on top; let cool to room temperature.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Using a food processor or blender, pulse the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean until superfine. Transfer to a shallow dish.
• Strain the cranberries with a slotted spoon, add to the sugar, and roll to coat.
• Transfer the sugared berries to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and let sit for about an hour until set. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.