Sugared Cranberries

These Sugared Cranberries (or candied cranberries) are a quick and easy holiday treat perfect for use as a garnish for cocktails or desserts, but they’re fun to pop in your mouth by the handful too.

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Sugared cranberries are perfect for topping a holiday dessert or cocktail.

Make it festive, but keep it easy.

I love a good festive dessert, but you won’t find me spending hours upon hours decorating something just for people to take a look and grab a bite. Nah.

But these sparkly little gems? Easy. Fast. Delicious. Festive. Dare I say magical?

These little guys are like the holiday season in a bite—sweet, tart, and sparkling with sugar, they add a festive pop to just about anything. Try them skewered over a cocktail. Poke a couple into a dollop of frosting. Decorate a layer cake with these guys. Dress up your charcuterie board.

You’ll need some fresh cranberries, sugar, and water and that’s it! First, you toss the cranberries in a simple syrup. Once they’re nice and syrupy, you let them dry out a bit (this step is key to getting that perfect sugar coating). Then, roll them in sugar until they’re all sparkly and festive.

One tip from my kitchen to yours: make a big batch because these go fast! I once made a double batch for a holiday party, and they were gone within minutes between the cocktail skewers, the bowl on the charcuterie board for munching, and the sweet pop of color they added to the cupcakes.

They’d go especially well as garnish with my Christmas sangria recipe or this Christmas cranberry cocktail!

Ingredients & Variations:

Fresh Cranberries – I love fresh cranberries, but they’re pretty bitter on their own. The sugary coating makes them irresistible and you’ll find yourself eating them by the handful.

Simple Syrup – You’ll prepare a simple syrup out of granulated sugar and water. This is what makes the cranberries sticky and also sweetens them up.

Variations: There are a few ways you could switch up this recipe to make it a bit different! The easiest way is to modify the simple syrup with some other flavorings. Stir in some vanilla extract or add a cinnamon stick to flavor the syrup. Citrus zest from oranges, lemons, and limes could also be used to flavor the sugar.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step by Step Instructions:

Prepare the simple syrup in a saucepan with half a cup of water and half a cup of sugar. Let it cool for 5 minutes and then add the cranberries and let them sit for 5 minutes.

Transfer the cranberries to parchment paper or a wire rack and let them sit for about an hour. They should be just a bit sticky so the sugar sticks to them nicely.

Add the remaining sugar to a bowl and roll the tacky cranberries in it until fully coated. They should have a frosty appearance. Let these dry for another hour or so before using.

Serving Suggestions:

These candied cranberries make an excellent holiday treat all on their own but they are even better when paired with holiday cocktails or desserts!

You can add them as a garnish to all kinds of drinks, even the non-alcoholic kind!

They’re great for topping desserts, such as cupcakes, cheesecake, or layer cakes. It’s an easy way to add a little cheer.

Storage Instructions:

These sugared cranberries are best stored at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days in a cool area inside of a covered container.

They will start to lose their frosty appearance and weep a bit the longer they sit. You can toss them in some more sugar to liven them back up.

I wouldn’t freeze or refrigerate them as they will begin to weep much faster, and weeping cranberries are sad. 😭

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