Sugared Cranberries (Candied Cranberries)
These Vanilla Orange Candied Cranberries are the perfection combination of tart and sweet, with a crunchy layer of sugar that creates a delicious texture! These festive treats are great to add to your holiday desserts or serve on their own as a little snack!
Candied Cranberries AKA Sugared Cranberries
I took my dog for a walk this morning and reveled in the clean crisp air, gingerly scented with decomposing leaves and pin needles.
I don’t know what it is about that earthy aroma that makes me so happy. Like a whispering woodland fairy, it always reminds me to start planning for the holidays. No time to waste.
I always like to make Vanilla Orange Candied Cranberries in preparation for the holidays. Candied or sugared cranberries are extremely simple to make and impressive on any Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s table.
Like nature-made Sour Patch Kids, candied cranberries are sweet and tart.
Plus they are so pretty!
Ingredients for Candied Cranberries
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Orange extract
- Fresh cranberries, washed
How to Make Sugared Cranberries
- Combine part of the sugar, water, vanilla, and orange extract in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until the sugar has completely dissolved, but not boiling.
- Pour in the cranberries and stir. The hot syrup will loosen the skin, saturate the berries, and adhere to the berries over time. Cover the cranberries with a small plate to keep them mostly submerged. Then cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Place the remaining sugar in a rimmed dish. Strain the cranberries with a slotted spoon and place them in the sugar. Shake until they are completely coated. Carefully transfer them to a baking sheet to dry, about an hour.
- Once the sugar coating is hard and at room temperature, place them in an air-tight container and keep them in a cool spot for up to a week.
Get the Full (Printable) Sugared Cranberries Recipe Below!
How To Use Candied Cranberries
Just think of all the wonderful ways to use these sugared cranberries:
- Place them in a candy dish to be gobbled up by the handful as a holiday treat.
- Use as a fancy garnish for holiday pies, cakes, cocktails and mocktails, cranberry sauce, or savory dishes.
- Fill martini or champagne glasses with them to decorate your holiday table.
- Place them in little tins or gift bags for small edible gifts.
- One more bonus, the leftover vanilla-orange simple syrup absorbs the essence of cranberry, so save it for irresistible holiday cocktails.
Sugar-coated Cranberries are a must-make this holiday season. Just soak the berries in vanilla orange syrup, then shake in sugar. Viola!
Recipe Variations
Mix up the flavors of the candy coating by swapping the vanilla and citrus extracts with other extracts such as: coconut, almond, lemon, chocolate, rum, and/or raspberry extract.
Looking for More Holiday Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Sugared Cranberries Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange extract or Grand Marnier
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag) about 3 cups
Instructions
- Combine 2 1/2 cups of sugar, water, vanilla, and orange extract in a sauce pan. Heat over medium until the sugar has completely dissolved, but not boiling.
- Pour in the cranberries and stir. The hot syrup will loosen the skin, saturate the berries, and adhere to the berries over time. Cover the cranberries with a small plate to keep them mostly submerged. Then cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator over night.
- Place the remaining 1 1/4 cup of sugar in a rimmed dish. Strain the cranberries and place them in the sugar. Shake until they are completely coated. Carefully transfer them to a baking sheet to dry, about an hour.
- Once the sugar coating is hard, place them in an air-tight container and keep in a cool spot for up to a week.
So easy and so pretty? I love that you are presenting us with something so doable and at the same time so chic! Love the grand marnier :)
LOVE THESE…saving!
These sound delicious! Love the idea of grand marnier :-)
Nice, Sommer! I love that you compared these to Sour Patch Kids too-I bet these are much more delicious, and I know they are more wholesome:)
So pretty! Such a great idea as an edible centerpiece, too.
These are wonderful. I can see a ton of uses for these lovelies.
this is so pretty:) thank you for sharing this.
I love this idea! Cranberries are on sale at our Teeter this week, and since I'm having friends over on Sunday, I think I'll try this!
Yum! Great idea!
Wow, these are so easy and they looks so festive and beautiful! I definitely want to make these this year! Thanks so much for sharing. Oh, and yeah, I cannot believe that Christmas is only 6 weeks away, crazy!
I love, love, love this. Seriously, I'm planning a holiday party already just to have these sitting on the counter in dishes to share. I love it!
These sugared cranberries are downright beautiful and festive. What a lovely edible decoration for the table. Saved to recipe file for sure…thx for the inspiration and sharing :)
I had sugared fruit like this on my wedding cake. It is so pretty. I have always wanted to come see the gingerbread houses at Grove Park. Is it just mobbed or are there better times to come? My husband, Paul, makes an amazing gingerbread house every year with candy glazed windows and he lights it from inside.
Gorgeous! I can‘t wait to try them. I love cranberries.
Love this idea! All of the uses are so well thought out and perfect for the holidays. I have a great planning sheet I found for thanksgiving too if you need it!
Hi Kona! You look almost as sweet as your Frauchen. :-))
That's a super duper idea! I didn't know I could do cranberries this way. Thanks!
Angie
I think I'm in love! What a fantastic idea.