Sparkling Cranberries
Around the holidays these pretty, sugared, sparkling cranberries are perfect. Tart and sweet, they glint and wink in the surrounding holiday lights, and lend a striking dash of red to the table.
I've become convinced that these sparkling, sugared cranberries should be a part of every holiday spread. Sparkling cranberries glint and wink in the surrounding holiday lights, and lend a striking dash of red to the table. Another great thing is the way they effortlessly make the transition from savory course to sweet. So, for example, I've become fond of serving them as part of a cheese spread, but I imagine they'd be nice as the finishing touch on on a tart or clustered atop a crème brûlée or pudding of some sort.
Sparkling Cranberries: What Type of Sugar?
Over the years I've discovered this detail is key. I've experimented with a range of sugars with varying degrees of success. Some work better than others. In the beginning, I wanted to make them with a maple sugar coating - but the cranberries looked like they had been dropped in dust. The same goes for raw cane sugar, coconut sugar, and Rapadura. I gave up trying to do a less refined sugar version. On the other end of the sugar spectrum, extra-fine grain sugar didn't work well either. The results were too clumpy. Essentially, the best way to get a good sparkling sugar crust on your cranberries is to first roll them in an slightly-chunky white sugar. The larger sugar grains retain structure despite the moisture from the simple syrup. Later in the process, toss them in regular, standard granulated sugar. The small grains of the granulated sugar cling to any spots that are still sticky from the simple syrup.
They are simple to make, but you need to do the first step the night before. I like to toss the cranberries in sugar the next morning, and off and on throughout the day so they have time to dry and crisp up.
Variations:
There are endless ways to add layers of flavor to your sparkling cranberries.
- Cardamom Sparkling Cranberries: In the comments Aimee mentioned, ”I made my simple syrup with cardamom sugar to give it even more of a holiday flavor.” This got me thinking, you could steep a few cardamom pods along with the water and sugar, and strain before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. And/or add a teaspoon of finely crushed cardamom to your sugar mixture before tossing with the cranberries.
- Citrus Sparkling Cranberries: By introducing the zest of an orange or two to your simple syrup pot, you can infuse the simple syrup with notes of winter orange. Strain and proceed with the recipe.
Also, use the leftover simple syrup in holiday drinks and cocktails!
More Holiday Recipes
- 15 Festive Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Black Sticky Gingerbread Cake
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Fluffy Vanilla Nougat
- Candied Walnuts
- What To Eat Christmas Morning
Premium Ad-Free membership includes:
-Ad-free content
-Print-friendly recipes
-Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest recipe collection PDF
-Weeknight Express recipe collection PDF
-Surprise bonuses throughout the year
Sparkling Cranberries
One of the keys here is allowing enough time for the cranberries to dry and crisp up as you're tossing them to coat with sugar throughout the day. For the simple syrup, use 2 cups of granulated sugar. For the sugar coating, I do a mix of medium-large sugar for the first coating, and then a second toss with regular granulated white sugar. You don't want a *huge* grain for that first toss, just something larger than standard sugar. You can sort of see the different grain sizes in the third photo in the main write-up. Have fun!
- 2 cups cranberries, picked over
- 2 cups water
- 3+ cups sugar, mixed types (see headnotes)
-
Place the cranberries in a medium glass bowl and set aside.
-
Make a simple syrup by bringing the water and 2 cups of granulated sugar just to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Let the syrup cool for a couple minutes and then pour it over the cranberries. If the syrup is too hot the cranberries will burst, so be careful. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
-
The next day, drain the cranberries and toss them, in batches, with larger grained sugar until they are well coated. I only use a scoop of sugar at a time, and small batches of cranberries, so the sugar doesn't get too damp. Place the coated cranberries on a baking sheet, in a single layer, to dry for a few hours.
-
Do a second toss with the regular granulated sugar, this typically takes care of any sticky spots on the cranberries. Let dry another hour or so, or until the sugar coating is dry and crisp.
Makes 2 cups of sparkling cranberries.
Related Recipes
Simple Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies
This is the recipe I use anytime I want perfect sugar cookies. Great flavor, and the dough is a dream to work with.
15 Festive Christmas Cookie Recipes
A list of Christmas cookies worth their weight in sugar! From gingerbread to classic shortbread, sugar cookies to triple ginger cookies. They’re all festive and fantastic. Happy holidays all!
Triple Ginger Cookies
These are the ginger cookies you want to make. A special triple ginger cookie made with three kinds of ginger and a hit of lemon zest. Cracked and sugar-crusted on the outside, dense and moist within.
What to Eat Christmas Morning (12 Recipes)
A dozen Christmas morning breakfast ideas for anyone trying to figure out what to cook and eat on Christmas morning.
Black Sticky Gingerbread Cake
This black sticky gingerbread cake recipe makes an outrageously dark, dense, flavorful and delicious cake. The burnt-caramel-esque crust that forms on the top of the cake is part of what makes this recipe a keeper.
Candied Walnuts
Caramelized and toasted, these crunchy candied walnuts use brown sugar and spices to deliver the perfect snack or topping.
Post Your Comment
Comments
These are so beautiful. I have made sugar covered blueberries before but never cranberries. I will have to give it a try :)
What a heavenly natural sweet for the season!
stunning and delicious! perfect for any holiday celebration and spread. I'm thinking of adding some crushed walnuts or pecans to it!
Oh, these are stunning, and I imagine they taste lovely, besides -- sweet and tart, each bite a little different. Lovely to see a recipe for these that doesn't use egg whites, i.e. that is completely edible! Thanks, Molly
How beautiful! These will be topping my mini-cheesecakes this new year!
Ahhh, these are just perfect! I'll definitely pair these with my Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake shots for a pretty holiday spread. Thank you!!!
Beeyootiful!! Love these so much! :-)
Absolutely beautiful! I've made these several times using another recipe, but always had issues here and there with the sugar coating sticking completely. I cannot wait to make them with your recipe. Just what I've been looking for.
This would be a BEAUTIFUL centerpiece!
Wow, these look gorgeous. And I have a bag of cranberries in my refrigerator. Can't wait to make them!
Funny... I was just playing with whole cranberries this morning over my hot cereal... was wondering if you had any good uses... I like coincidences. ;) Always great stuff, Heidi.
thank you! i love the tips about the different kinds of sugar and I'm considering bree's suggested addition of cardamom...
Hi - first off, love your recipes, esp the simple cauliflower saute and chocolate cake. Secondly, the cranberries in sugar are an old holiday tradition in Estonia. I remember eating those every winter when growing up. We dip them in beaten egg whites, then roll them in powdered sugar, leave them to dry until the icing hardens and voila - cranberry candy. Happy holidays!
Okay, I had to read all the comments to make sure these were edible :) Can' wait to make them - thanks for such a perfect winter recipe.
I am definitely making these for my new years party - what a perfect (easy, cheap) centerpiece! thank you!
We do this, but we use 1 tsp of Cardamon to 2 cups of sugar on our cranberries, I think the Cardamon really adds something extra. I love them! HS: I LOVE this idea! Thanks Bree. I've have to give this a try.
What an ingenious idea! Those are possibly more festive than gingerbread men, which is saying quite a lot. I can't wait to try this!
I have made these for the past few years and they are always a big hit. The recipe I know is a bit different - you use corn syrup, just roll them in your fingers with the syrup (yes, very sticky!) then drop in a bowl of sugar to coat. One hand for sticky, one hand for rolling. And to answer previous questions, they can last a good long time. I still have a dish from over a week ago on my counter. It depends on the humidity - they do respond so I put them in the fridge if needed. Eventually they go "off" (slightly vinegary). They are fabulous for just tossing onto any dish - main course or dessert - for a festive garnish, or in a bowl with spiced nuts!
These are absolutely gorgeous! What a pretty sparkling idea.
The cranberries are gorgeous and I'm sure they taste fabulous. I'm already envisioning a multitude of uses.