Sugared Cranberries are a delightful addition to your holiday spread. Their sweet and tangy combination, along with their sparkling appearance, makes them a versatile garnish for any occasion!
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Sugared Cranberries for Cocktails
These 3 ingredients super simple little treats are my favorite garnish to make during the holiday season. They are such a perfect garnish for any holiday drink but they are equally as good for garnishing festive cakes and charcuterie boards.
Sugared Cranberries also know as candied cranberries, frosted cranberry or sparkling cranberries are easy to make and can be made ahead of time. Perfect for a holiday party!
Equipment Needed
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk/Wooden or Silicone Spoon
- Baking Sheet
- Wire Cooling Rack or Parchment Paper
- A Pie Plate or Dinner Plate (for coating)
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar - I prefer using granulated sugar (aka regular sugar) because I think it look like beautiful white snow. You can also use cane sugar or experiment with other kinds of sugar like caster sugar.
- Water
- Cranberries - The cranberries need to be fresh and not frozen.
Instructions
Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a sauce pan. Heat on medium until the sugar dissolves and the water just starts to boil. Remove from the heat.
Add the cranberries to the simple syrup. Let rest undisturbed in the syrup about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the cranberries and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Let simple syrup start to dry on the cranberries and rosemary until sticky and tacky, 10 minutes.
Add remaining ½ cup sugar to a bowl or pie plate. Add the cranberries to the sugar and toss until completely covered in sugar. Carefully transfer back to cooling rack. Let dry completely, this usually takes about an hour but depends on the environment.
Serving Suggestions: You can enjoy sugared cranberries in various ways:
- A garnish for your holiday cocktails. Add them on top of my Cranberry Bourbon Smash or Cranberry Apple Shrub.
- Serve them in a bowl as a snack.
- Use them as a topping for desserts like cheesecakes, pies, or cakes.
- Add them to a festive holiday charcuterie board.
Tips, Tricks and Questions
Storage: Store your sugared cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for extended freshness. They also freeze well for longer-term storage.
How long will sugared cranberries stay fresh?
Properly stored, sugared cranberries can stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to two weeks in the refrigerator. After a few days the cranberries might start to get a little weepy, you can also ways re-roll them in sugar.
Variations:
You can add variation to your sugared cranberries with different flavors by adding spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to the sugar coating for a unique twist. You can also add flavoring to the simple syrup trying adding vanilla or orange zest for a fun twist!
Can I use frozen cranberries?
No, Fresh cranberries are recommended for this recipe. Frozen cranberries turn soft after they thaw out and won't work well in this recipe.
Sugared Cranberries
The perfect fall and winter garnish for all of your cocktails and mocktails. These Sugared Cranberries aren't only a beautiful garnish but fun to snack on too.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a sauce pan. Heat on medium until the sugar dissolves and the water just starts to boil. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cranberries to the simple syrup. Let rest undisturbed in the syrup about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the cranberries and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Let simple syrup start to dry on the cranberries and rosemary until sticky and tacky, 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ½ cup sugar to a bowl or pie plate. Add the cranberries to the sugar and toss until completely covered in sugar. Carefully transfer back to cooling rack. Let dry completely, this usually takes about an hour but depends on the environment.
Notes
Once you remove the cranberries from the simple syrup don't toss it! Keep it to make drinks, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
¼ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 39gProtein: 0g
Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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