Candied Cranberries
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 11, 2025 These Vanilla Orange Candied Cranberries are the perfect 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!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Candied Cranberries, AKA Sugared Cranberries
I always like to make Vanilla Orange Candied Cranberries in preparation for the holidays. This Cranberry Candy Recipe, also known as Sugared Cranberries, is extremely simple to make and impressive on any Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s table.
Like nature-made Sour Patch Kids, sugar-coated cranberries are sweet and tart. Plus, they are so pretty, you will find all sorts of way to use these sparkling cranberries!
Ingredients for Candied Cranberries
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Orange extract
- Fresh cranberries, washed
How to Make Candied Cranberries
Find the full Cranberry Candy Recipe with ingredient proportions and detailed instructions in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
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.
How To Use Candied Cranberries
Just think of all the wonderful ways to use these sugared cranberries:
- Place this cranberry candy recipe 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.
Sugared Cranberries are a must-make this holiday season. Just soak the berries in vanilla orange syrup, then shake in sugar. Viola!
Looking for More Holiday Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Candied Oranges
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Chocolate Petit Fours
- Impossible Pie with Coconut
- Valentines Day Snacks (Trail Mix)
- Black Rice Recipe (Forbidden Rice)
- Nutella Fondue
- Cherry Pie Bars
- Coffee Bread Pudding
- Cranberry Raspberry Sauce
- Candied Pecans
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Christmas Creme Brulee
Candied 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.
1. You are the cutest creative ever. Yes, cuter than Kona.
2. These are perfect!
I live in Asheville as well and have always enjoyed seeing the gingerbread house competition! Every year my boyfriend and I enjoy some hot chocolate in the lounging area after looking at all the houses. The Nutcracker is such a treat, too! Your cranberries look delicious! What a festive idea!
These are such great treats. I wish we had cranberries in Greece.
Those are so pretty and festive. Thank you for a timely recipe!
Well this is incredibly timely. I was just looking up how to make sugared cranberries for some desserts I have in mind this Christmas. Thanks! They look beautiful.
Gorgeous! i love cranberries!
woow.. really it looks so good, great idea!
Wow! What a great idea. I am going to make these for Thanksgiving – for sure. Won't everyone be impressed! Do the cranberries soften much?
Hi there! I love the recipes, clear instructions & delicious photography! May I know what camera you use for your shots? Thanks. Will keep coming back for more.
They are so beautiful. What a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing!
Holy Cranberry! I am going to have to give these a whirl. They look beautiful and sound delicious. We have a lot of cooks in our family and we all are bringing *something special* to Thanksgiving this year. This might have to be my new treat! :)
These are stunning! And sound positively delicious!