Add glamour to desserts and drinks with Sparkly Sugared Cranberries! These festive sugared cranberries have so many uses! Decorate a cheesecake, top an appetizer, or add to a fruit punch or a cocktail!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- I make these sweet little pop-in-your-mouth Sparkly Sugared Cranberries once a year at holiday time. Sweet red berries nestled on top of a slice of rich and creamy Brie made a gorgeous festive appetizer, but I also love them straight from the bowl!
- They're like little Christmas lights, adding glitz and glamour to your festive dishes.
- Top a cheesecake, add them to a cocktail or sprinkle them on a cheese plate for a pop of colour.
- So easy to make! This recipe tosses the berries in pure maple syrup instead of sugar syrup.
🛒 Only 3 ingredients!
- cranberries: use fresh cranberries or thaw frozen cranberries.
- maple syrup: you'll need pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Some recipes for sugared cranberries require you to make a simple syrup, but this recipe uses maple syrup instead. Besides being easier, it adds a subtle, natural sweetness.
- sugar: the only type of sugar that works well with these sugared cranberries is white granulated sugar.
🥄 How to make sugared cranberries
- Rinse the cranberries and sort through them. Discard any that may be discoloured. Put them in a medium bowl.
- Heat maple syrup in a small saucepan just until warm. If it is too hot, the berries may pop.
- Pour the warm maple syrup over the cranberries and gently toss. Let them soak for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Drain the cranberries in a colander and reserve the liquid to sweeten a cocktail, add to a smoothie, serve with pancakes, with warm cranberry apple pumpkin baked oatmeal or stir into a warm bowl of your morning oatmeal.
- Put the sugar in a small bowl, and gently toss the cranberries, a few at a time, until coated.
- Spread out on parchment paper on a baking sheet until dry.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
🍽 Delicious ways to use sugared cranberries
These little sugared cranberries are so versatile! Garnish your appetizers, desserts, or simply serve these sugary bites as candy, or as snacking food straight from the bowl! Or try any of the following ideas.
- Sprinkle a few on top of your bowl of cranberry sauce.
- Add them to your favourite Cranberry Sangria.
- Add them to a cheese or charcuterie board for a pop of colour.
- Garnish a platter of rolled stuffed turkey breasts with a few sugared cranberries.
- Float a few in a gin and tonic. With the addition of a tiny splash of cranberry juice, they'll make your drink slightly pink!
- Add a little dazzle to the top of a cranberry cheesecake.
Reader's Questions
You'd think that having been drenched in maple syrup they would turn soft and mushy, but no! They keep their pop, but lose their tartness. Store them at room temperature for 2 days, or for up to 5 days in the fridge.
If you haven't tried these sugared cranberries before, you're in for a treat! Enjoy.
When you make this recipe for sparkling sugared cranberries, please let me know how you used them. Leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance!
📖 Recipe
Showstopper Sparkly Sugared Cranberries in Maple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or thawed
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar,
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries and sort to discard any that may be discoloured. Put in a medium bowl.
- Heat maple syrup in a small saucepan just until warm. If it is too hot, the berries may pop.
- Pour the warm maple syrup over the cranberries and gently toss. Let them soak overnight in the fridge.
- Drain the cranberries in a colander and reserve the liquid to sweeten a cocktail, add to a smoothie or for another use.
- Put the sugar in a small bowl, and gently toss the cranberries, a few at a time, until coated.
- Spread out on a baking sheet until dry, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2014. It has been updated with new photos and extra information.
Beverly Sandock
I love this version of frosted cranberries and make them often for accompaniments or garnishes.
Elaine
Hi Beverly, They're so fun, aren't they!