Last Updated on June 2, 2023 by The Noms
In our mind, cranberries are the perfect accompaniment to the holidays and Christmas! These Sugared Cranberries are a great snack, a great garnish or a beautiful decoration for your holiday table!
Cranberries always have made an appearance for the holidays in our house. We love using the tart berry in relishes and treats like muffins, but we also like the way cranberry can impart some delicious flavors to drinks. With the holidays quickly approaching we wanted to come up with another way that would make some great seasonal treats using some cranberries, so we came up with these sugared cranberries.
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Sugared Cranberries and Cranberry Simple Syrup
This recipe is a perfect holiday treat using this classic holiday berry to make a great snack or a sparkly garnish for a cocktail. The contrast between the tart cranberries and sugary coating makes this snack pop in your mouth. The overpowering tartness of the cranberries are tempered by a soak in hot sugar syrup giving the berries a balanced sweet and tangy flavor, such as what we used in the Cranberry Sweet and Sour Cocktail.
What Ingredients are Needed for the Sugared Cranberries and Cranberry Simple Syrup?
- cranberries
- sugar
- water
Another great part of this recipe is the resulting cranberry simple syrup that is perfect for use in homemade sodas or other cocktails. Sweet with just enough tang from the cranberries, the syrup is a festive addition to lots of drinks!
If You Are Looking for More Holiday Recipes, Try These!
- Ginger Snap
- Holiday Berry Sparkler
- Caramel Green Apple
- Salted Butterscotch Bourbon Eggnog
- Cranberry Orange Shrub
- Holiday Honey Punch
- Christmas Old Fashioned
- Tom and Jerry
- Pine Old Fashioned
- Rosemary’s Pear
- Holiday Ginger Flip
- Pine Simple Syrup
Can Simple Syrups go bad?
They can get moldy if they sit too long. We encourage you to store it in the fridge in an airtight container but for no more than one to two weeks. We actually have a whole shelf of simple syrups in our fridge at any given time! Try out these bottles they are so handy!
If you are looking for the perfect dessert to put these on, try out our Mini Berry Bites!
Cheers!
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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Cranberry Orange Shrub Cocktail
Holiday Cranberry Desserts
- Cranberry Christmas Cake – Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Creamy Frosted Cranberry Dessert – Tastes of Lizzy T
- Vanilla Orange Candied Cranberries – A Spicy Perspective
- Sugared Cranberry Cake – Foodtastic Mom
Cranberry Cocktails
- Holiday Berry Sparkler
- Cranberry Aperol Spritz
- Christmas Old Fashioned
- Cranberry Mulled Wine – Swanky Recipes
- Cranberry Gin Cocktail – Lauren Caris Cooks

Sugared Cranberries and Cranberry Simple Syrup
A great holiday treat for snacking or topping on holiday desserts. The simple syrup is perfect for Christmas and New Year's cocktails!
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2/3 cup sugar, divided
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
Combine 2 cups granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. Don't boil or the cranberries may pop when you add them.
Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl.
Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, this is your cranberry simple syrup.
Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to a week.
Place 2/3 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Add cranberries, a few at a time, rolling to coat with sugar.
Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 66Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 7.3gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6.9gProtein: 0g
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Amy
Wednesday 20th of December 2017
How do you store the cranberries? I want to make a big batch and use some for cocktails Friday night and then top a cake with some on Saturday.
The 'Noms.
Wednesday 20th of December 2017
We let them dry until the sugar hardens on the cranberries. After they have hardened up, we put them into an airtight container and store them in the fridge! We kept them about a week or so!
Mary
Monday 28th of December 2015
A cool idea! Pinning for next year.
The 'Noms.
Tuesday 29th of December 2015
Thanks so much! Hope you can enjoy them next year!
Angelique Campbell
Tuesday 15th of December 2015
These look absolutely amazing!
The 'Noms.
Wednesday 16th of December 2015
Thank you!
laci carlson (@CarlsonLaci)
Tuesday 15th of December 2015
Heck yea this is amzing I will definitely be trying these
The 'Noms.
Wednesday 16th of December 2015
Thank you! They are pretty yummy!
Krista Williams
Tuesday 15th of December 2015
Yum! What a brilliant idea!
The 'Noms.
Wednesday 16th of December 2015
Thank you!