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.
What lovely photos and what a lovely idea! I am so excited the holidays are around the corner. Thanks for sharing your recipe and congrats on the top 9 too!!!
These are lovely for the holidays. The cranberries look like they are spinkled in snow! P.S. Your dog is very cute!
wow love these and the snap of you and your dog is adorable
Hi, Sommer! I feel like we haven't chatted in a while, although I am not sure why! Let's remedy that! These cranberries look WONderful, and I love your dog, although I am rather partial to my own. ;)
What a wonderful idea! These sugared cranberries look gorgeous. I imagine that they would look beautiful on a holiday table. You are adorable, by the way. Thank you for sharing. I hope your weekend is full of love and fun.
They look so pretty and festive. Great for the holiday table!
these look fabulous! I will definitely be making these at Christmas time!
Oh, beautiful, Sommer! These photos are gorgeous (as are you!)! I love the idea of making amazing edible decorations. You are helping me feel festive already – wish I were there to enjoy all the activities. ( :
Your sugared cranberries are so cute that I'd throw a party just to make them to show off to my guests :d
thanks for sharing it
What a terrific recipe. And I just love your photos. This is a great idea and looks so beautiful and festive.
Thanks for sharing,
Joanne
I love these! I love your pictures too :)
Candies cranberries are my favorite thing ever! I made a whole bunch last year nd they were gobbled up in minutes. I used plain old simple syrup but lov ethe extra flavors in your version. Thanks for the reminder to make them again.