Sugared Cranberries With Secret Ingredient
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Do you like cranberries? I love cranberries! One of my favorite childhood desserts that was only available around Christmas and New Year time is sugared cranberries. They were packed in very beautiful boxes and tasted so delicious. I was enjoying every bite of them. First, you taste sugar and then sour cranberry inside. Unforgettable memories! I am sharing the recipe for sugared cranberries with my secret ingredient. What is it? The answer is Orange. Cranberries with orange is the perfect combination.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sugared Cranberries are fast and easy decor for garnishing Holiday Desserts.
- This is festive decor for Macarons, Cupcakes, or Cake in a Cup.
- Cranberries are full of vitamins and antioxidants. How do you get your kids to eat cranberries? All you have to do is cover cranberries with sugar. Easy! And they will eat these vitamins so fast.
Ingredients Note
- Fresh cranberries. Do not use frozen.
- Orange juice. Can be replaced with water.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Zest from one orange. You can also use other citrus, like lemon.
- Granulated sugar to roll cranberries in.
How to make this recipe
Before making sugared cranberries, you need to sash cranberries and dry them on a paper towel. This is an important step; do not skip it. After that, remove soft and broken cranberries. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil and let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Sugar should dissolve completely.
Tip from Marina: let syrup cool down for about 5 minutes before the next step.
Stir in cranberries into syrup and transfer onto a parchment paper. Use a fork for this or a spatula. Do not keep cranberries for too long in the syrup; they will start breaking up. To prevent this, use 5-7 cranberries at once. Let cranberries dry for about 5 to 10 minutes. You can also mix orange zest with granulated sugar and roll in cranberries. Orange zest is optional at this step. You can use granulated sugar only.
When you cover all cranberries in the sugar, let them dry on the plate for about 20-30 min after that, transfer sugar-covered cranberries into the box and enjoy. Check out really cute boxes for desserts at Restaurantware.
Expert Tips
- For better coverage, make sure to roll the cranberries in small batches.
- To avoid a sticky texture, cranberries have to dry well between steps.
- You can add spices like cinnamon or thyme to the syrup for taste.
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Recipe FAQs
Store sugared cranberries in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
No, frozen cranberries will release too much moisture during the drying process.
Yes, absolutely. Sugared Cranberries are great decor for cocktails.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you make these Sugared Cranberries, please tag me on social media and make sure to leave a rating down below. I would love to see your creations!
Recipe
Sugared Cranberries With Secret Ingredient
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 200 gr fresh cranberriesย
- 100 gr orange juiceย
- 100 gr granulated sugar
- 5 gr zest from one orange
- 100 gr granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash cranberries and dry them on a paper towel. Remove soft and broken cranberries.ย
- In the small saucepan combine orange juice and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil and let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Sugar should dissolve completely.ย
- Stir in cranberries into syrup and transfer onto a parchment paper.
- Let cranberries dry for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Mix orange zest with granulated sugar and roll in cranberries.
- Let sugared cranberries dry on the parchment paper or a plate for about 20-30 min.
- Transfer sugar cranberries into the box and enjoy.ย