Homemade Sugared Cranberries for Garnish

I started making sugared cranberries for garnish about five years ago when I needed something festive for a holiday cake and the store-bought options looked artificial. These take about 15 minutes of active work, then they sit overnight to dry. The process is simple: you simmer cranberries in sugar syrup, let them dry on the syrup coating, then roll them in more sugar.

The result looks like frosted berries and adds a tart-sweet crunch to desserts, cocktails, or cheese boards. I’ve used these sugared cranberries for garnish on everything from pavlovas to the rim of champagne glasses. They hold up well for 3-4 days, which makes them useful for prepping ahead of holiday gatherings.

The key is getting the sugar syrup to the right consistency, too thin and it slides off, too thick and the cranberries get soggy.

What Makes These Work

The sugar syrup needs to reach between 230-235°F, which is just before the soft ball stage in candy making. At this temperature, the syrup is thick enough to cling to the cranberries but not so thick that it penetrates and makes them mushy. I use a candy thermometer every time because guessing leads to inconsistent results.

Fresh cranberries work better than frozen for this recipe. Frozen cranberries release too much moisture as they thaw, which dilutes the syrup and makes the coating slide off. If you only have frozen, thaw them completely and pat them very dry with paper towels before using.

The overnight drying step is not optional. I tried rushing this once by putting them in a low oven, and they turned into shriveled, hard pellets. At room temperature, they develop that beautiful crystallized coating while staying plump inside.

The Ingredients You Need

You need just three things: fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water. I buy cranberries in 12-ounce bags, which is the standard size at most grocery stores. Look for firm berries without soft spots or wrinkles. Organic cranberries tend to be smaller and work well for delicate garnishes, while conventional ones are larger and make more of a statement.

For the sugar, regular granulated white sugar is what you want. I’ve tried superfine sugar thinking it would create a smoother coating, but it actually absorbs moisture from the air faster and gets sticky. Coarse sugar like sanding sugar looks nice but doesn’t stick as well to the initial syrup coating.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup water

How I Make Them

1. Rinse the cranberries in a colander and pick through them, removing any that are soft or have stems still attached. Pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
2. Combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
3. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip doesn’t touch the bottom. Continue heating without stirring until the syrup reaches 230°F. This takes another 5-6 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and immediately add all the cranberries to the hot syrup. Stir gently with a silicone spatula to coat every berry. Let them sit in the syrup for 2-3 minutes.
5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. The excess syrup will drip through the rack onto the sheet below. Space the berries so they’re not touching each other.
6. Let the cranberries sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. They’ll develop a slightly tacky coating as the syrup dries. I usually make them before bed and finish them the next morning.
7. Put the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with about 10-12 cranberries at a time, roll them in the sugar until completely coated. The tacky syrup coating helps the sugar stick.
8. Transfer the sugar-coated cranberries to a clean wire rack or parchment-lined baking sheet and let them sit for 30 minutes to set. The sugar coating will firm up and look frosted.

Keeping Sugared Cranberries Fresh

Store sugared cranberries in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay good for 3-4 days. Don’t refrigerate them, the moisture in the fridge will make the sugar coating dissolve and get sticky.

After day 4, they start to soften and lose their crisp texture. I’ve never tried freezing them because I don’t think the sugar coating would survive, and honestly, they’re easy enough to make fresh when you need them.

Getting The Best Results

• Use a candy thermometer. Eyeballing the syrup consistency leads to coating that’s either too runny or too thick. The $10 investment makes this recipe foolproof.
• Don’t overcrowd the cranberries on the drying rack. If they touch while drying, they’ll stick together and you’ll lose the sugar coating when you pull them apart.
• Make sure cranberries are completely dry before you start. Any water on their surface dilutes the syrup and prevents proper coating.
• Work quickly when coating in the final sugar. The syrup coating dries as you work, and if you wait too long, the sugar won’t stick properly.
• If your kitchen is very humid (over 70%), these might not dry properly overnight. Run a dehumidifier in the room or make them on a drier day.
• Don’t stir the syrup while it’s heating to temperature. Stirring can cause crystallization and create a grainy coating.

Different Ways To Use Them

I use these as cake toppers most often, they look particularly good on white frosted cakes where the red pops. For cocktails, I thread 3-4 onto a cocktail pick and rest it across the rim of the glass. They also work well scattered on top of cheesecake or panna cotta.

You can make these with other firm berries like blueberries, but the timing changes. Blueberries have thinner skin and need only 1-2 minutes in the syrup, not 3. I’ve tried raspberries and blackberries, but they’re too delicate and fall apart.

For a different look, use colored sanding sugar for the final coating instead of white sugar. Red sanding sugar makes them look extra festive, while gold or silver works for New Year’s. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a strip of orange peel to the syrup for subtle flavor, though I usually skip this since I like the pure cranberry tartness.

Notes

• Must use candy thermometer for consistent results
• Fresh cranberries work better than frozen
• Store in single layer at room temperature up to 4 days
• Don’t refrigerate, moisture makes sugar coating dissolve
• Don’t stir syrup while heating to temperature
• In humid weather, may need dehumidifier running to dry properly

Questions People Ask Me

Can I use frozen cranberries? Fresh work better, but if you must use frozen, thaw them completely and press them very firmly between paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Expect about 30% of them to fail because of the extra moisture.

Why did my sugar coating melt? Either your kitchen is too humid, or you stored them in the fridge. Keep them at room temperature in a dry place.

Can I skip the overnight drying? Not really. I’ve tried a few shortcuts and they all result in cranberries that are either too wet to coat in sugar or so dried out they’re hard. The overnight rest is what gives you that perfect texture.

How do I know when the syrup is ready without a thermometer? Drop a small amount into ice water. At the right temperature, it should form a soft ball that you can pick up but that flattens when you take it out of the water. But honestly, just buy a thermometer.

Mine turned out sticky and wet. What happened? Your syrup wasn’t hot enough, or you didn’t let them dry long enough. The syrup should be at least 230°F, and they need a minimum of 8 hours to dry.

Can I use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar? No, these create different chemical reactions and won’t form the right coating. Stick with granulated white sugar.

How far ahead can I make these? Up to 4 days before you need them. I wouldn’t go beyond that, they start to soften and lose their visual appeal.

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