Add a touch of sparkle to your desserts and drinks this Holiday with these homemade candied cranberries aka sugared cranberries. You need just three ingredients to make these gorgeous and festive sugared cranberries!
I’m so glad to see the response I received on my eggless orange cranberry loaf that I posted just a couple of days ago. I was also asked about the sugared cranberries that I used as a garnish. And so, I thought I’d make a separate post on it since it rightly deserves a post on its own.
These sparkling cranberries are really easy to make and perfect for garnishing your Holiday treats! They look so festive and add that ‘wow’ factor to the simplest looking dessert or drink! They would make a perfect addition to your Holiday table or decor.
- What are candied cranberries?
- Ingredients needed to make these sparkling cranberries
- How to make candied cranberries – Step by step process
- Storage suggestions
- Variations
- Ways to use sugared cranberries
- Recipe Tips
- Candied Cranberries | Sugared Cranberries
What are candied cranberries?
Candied cranberries, sugared cranberries, or sugar-coated cranberries, or frosted cranberries call them what you may are nothing but fresh cranberries coated with simple syrup and rolled in sugar.
Some recipes use a mix of water and egg white instead of simple syrup. I prefer using the syrup over the egg white method.
As for how they taste? Even though they are coated with sugar, they are not sweet all the way through. The cranberries are still tart since they are not cooked in the sugar syrup. But you will enjoy the contrast of the tart cranberries and the sweet, crunchy sugar coating. It is surprisingly delicious and very moreish!
Ingredients needed to make these sparkling cranberries
You need just three basic ingredients to make these candied cranberries! The fourth one i.e. orange zest is completely optional, but I love to include it.
- Fresh Cranberries
- Sugar
- Water
- Orange zest
How to make candied cranberries – Step by step process
Step 1: Simple syrup
Combine 1/2cup each sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes. ( Photos 1 to 4 )
Add 1/2 tablespoon of orange zest and mix well. Switch off the heat. Set aside until it turns lukewarm. Check for the consistency of the syrup. It should be slightly thick and sticky. ( Photos 5 and 6 )
Step 2: Add fresh cranberries to the syrup
Add the cranberries to the saucepan, stir to coat evenly with the syrup. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, you can proceed to the next step or you can let the syrup come to room temperature. Cover the saucepan and refrigerate overnight. ( Photos 7 to 9 )
Step 3: Strain the cranberries and allow them to dry
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. ( Photo 10 )
Strain the cranberries, transfer them to the prepared baking tray in a single layer. ( Photos 11 to 13 )
Allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes or up to an hour if it is humid where you live.
Step 4: Toss in sugar
Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or tray. Line another baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. Toss a few cranberries in the sugar at a time and transfer them to the prepared tray. ( Photos 14 and 15 )
Repeat until the rest of the cranberries are coated. Let stand for an hour or until dry. ( Photo 16 )
Storage suggestions
Store sugared cranberries in an airtight container for up to two days at room temperature.
You can also refrigerate them in an airtight container for three days.
Depending on the freshness of the cranberries, they might start to ‘weep’ and turn slightly soft. If you see that happening, then simply roll them again in sugar to get that even crunchy sugar coating.
If they have turned too soft for your liking, cook it down with a little more sugar to make a quick jam or sauce.
I do not suggest freezing sugared cranberries. The sugar coating will dissolve as the cranberries thaw. You can freeze them only if you intend to eat them as a frozen snack.
It is best to make as much as you need instead of making a big batch. I made a small batch using just 1 cup of cranberries since I needed it to garnish my cranberry orange loaf.
Variations
Vanilla: You can infuse the simple syrup with vanilla pods or vanilla extract. Or coat the cranberries with vanilla sugar.
Sugared cranberries and rosemary: Throw in a few sprigs of rosemary along with the cranberries in the simple syrup. Follow the same process to make candied rosemary.
Ways to use sugared cranberries
- Skewer some sugared cranberries onto a toothpick or cocktail picks and use them to garnish your cocktails/mocktails.
- As a topping for frozen treats, tarts, and cakes, from loaf cakes, quick breads, cupcakes, bundt cakes, to cheesecakes! These sugared cranberries will definitely add a gourmet touch to your baked goods.
- A fun addition to your holiday charcuterie board.
- Garnish your Holiday meals or sides with sugared cranberries to make it look more festive.
- Simply enjoy it as a snack!
Recipe Tips
Rinse, pick, and dry the cranberries: Rinse the cranberries well. Pick out the ones that are bruised or soft. Pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin. They should be dry before adding them to the syrup or the syrup will get diluted with the extra water. The cranberries won’t get as sticky and the sugar won’t stick well.
Best sugar for sugared cranberries: Granulated sugar is the best for this recipe. I’ve also had good results using castor sugar/superfine sugar.
Consistency of the syrup: Do not overcook the syrup. It will turn too thick and crystallize leaving a white layer on the cranberries.
Do not cook cranberries in the syrup: Do not cook the cranberries in the simple syrup or they will burst open. We just need to coat them with syrup in order to make them sticky.
Drying time for cranberries coated in simple syrup: My cranberries had dried up in about 35 minutes, they were not wet but sticky. If it is humid where you live, it will take longer to dry.
Don’t discard the sugar syrup and leftover sugar crystals: Strain the syrup and use it to sweeten drinks, knead it with wheat flour to make sweet paratha’s, sooji halwa, or even brush it on cake layers to add moisture. Leftover sugar can be used in desserts or to sweeten hot tea/coffee.
Don’t dump the entire batch in sugar: The cranberries are sticky and dumping the entire batch will cause the sugar to turn clumpy. Coat the cranberries in batches or change the bowl with fresh sugar.
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Candied Cranberries | Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 1 cup cranberries rinsed, picked, and dried
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar or as required for coating
Simple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest, optional
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the orange zest and mix well. Switch off the heat. Set aside until it turns lukewarm. Check for the consistency of the syrup. It should be slightly thick and sticky.
- Add the cranberries to the saucepan, stir to coat evenly with the syrup. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, you can proceed to the next step or you can let the syrup come to room temperature. Cover the saucepan and refrigerate overnight.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Strain the cranberries, transfer them to the prepared baking tray in a single layer.
- Allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes or up to an hour if it is humid where you live.
- Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or tray. Line another baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. Toss a few cranberries in the sugar at a time and transfer them to the prepared tray.
- Repeat until the rest of the cranberries are coated. Let stand for an hour or until dry.
Video
Candied Cranberries | Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries rinsed, picked, and dried
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar or as required for coating
Simple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest, optional
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the orange zest and mix well. Switch off the heat. Set aside until it turns lukewarm. Check for the consistency of the syrup. It should be slightly thick and sticky.
- Add the cranberries to the saucepan, stir to coat evenly with the syrup. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, you can proceed to the next step or you can let the syrup come to room temperature. Cover the saucepan and refrigerate overnight.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Strain the cranberries, transfer them to the prepared baking tray in a single layer.
- Allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes or up to an hour if it is humid where you live.
- Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or tray. Line another baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. Toss a few cranberries in the sugar at a time and transfer them to the prepared tray.
- Repeat until the rest of the cranberries are coated. Let stand for an hour or until dry.
Video
Date rolls are a classic East Indian sweet prepared popularly during Christmas. These dainty and delicious date roll cookies are made by wrapping dates stuffed with walnuts in a buttery pastry and baked to golden perfection!
These date rolls are yet another classic Indian Christmas sweet, that is not only made by the East Indian community, but is quite popular amongst most Goan and Mangalorean households as well.
Date roll cookies often make an appearance on ‘ kuswar ‘ (traditional Goan Christmas platter) to be shared with friends, family, and distributed amongst neighbors.
Honestly, I have never made them before. This time I tried a small batch at home and was very pleased with the way they turned out. So I decided to share it on the blog. Well better late than never, right?
I have already shared most of the traditional Goan Christmas sweets on the blog already. I will link them up in the post below.
- Ingredients needed
- Why you will love these date rolls?
- How to make date rolls for Christmas- Step by step process
- Storage
- Recipe tips
- Variations
- More traditional Christmas sweets to include in your ‘kuswar’
- Date Rolls | Date Roll Cookies
Ingredients needed
To make these traditional East Indian style date rolls, you will need,
Butter: I’ve used salted butter for this recipe. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
Icing sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or Confectioner’s sugar, different names for the same thing.
Egg: You will need two eggs, one whole egg for the pastry dough, and just the yolk of the other egg to brush the pastry.
All-purpose flour: Use plain flour and not self-rising flour as we don’t need the leavening agents i.e. baking powder or soda for this recipe.
Dates: Use a soft variety of dates for this recipe. Medjool dates would be great here, I’ve used Omani dates which also work very well. The hard ones can dry out even more in the oven, so avoid using those.
Walnuts: Walnuts are used for stuffing the dates before wrapping them in the pastry dough. Cut the walnut into halves and stuff one half in each date.
Why you will love these date rolls?
✓ These date nut rolls are;
✓ Very addictive
✓ Easy to make
✓ A great activity to get your kids involved in helping out during the festivities
✓ Perfect for gifting friends and family
How to make date rolls for Christmas- Step by step process
Step 1: Prepare the pastry
In a large mixing bowl, add 100 grams salted butter and 75 grams icing sugar. Beat on low speed until the sugar has incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat till the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice. ( Photos 1 to 5 )
Next, add one egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, continue beating at medium-high speed until well incorporated. ( Photos 6 to 9 )
Add 250 grams all-purpose flour (sifted) in 2 batches, beating on low speed with each addition until the dough looks crumbly. ( Photos 10 to 14 )
Using your fingers, bring the mixture together. ( Photo 15 )
Divide the dough into two parts. Shape each half roughly into a square. Flatten it out a bit, wrap it in cling film. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. ( Photos 16 and 17 )
Step 2: Stuff the pitted dates
Cut about 20 walnuts in halves. Insert half a walnut in the center of the date. Repeat with the rest of the dates and walnut halves. ( Photos 18 to 21 )
Step 3: Prepare the date rolls
Preheat the oven to 350° F/180° C for 15 minutes. Work with a portion of the dough. On a clean work surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch in thickness.
If you find that the dough is sticking to the rolling pin, cover it with another parchment paper and continue rolling. ( Photos 22 to 25 )
Trim off the edges. Cut into 1.5-inch strips, or as per the size of the dates. ( Photos 26 to 28 )
Place a date on one edge of the strip, roll until it is completely wrapped in the dough and has a slight overlap. Cut off the strip, and gently press to seal the roll. ( Photos 29 to 33 )
Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough and the dough scraps. ( Photos 34 to 37 )
Step 4: Bake
Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
Add an egg yolk to a bowl. Add two teaspoons of water, whisk it together.
Brush each roll with egg wash. This is optional, but it adds a lovely golden brown color to the crust. Bake at 350° F/180° C for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. ( Photos 39 to 41 )
Baking time will depend upon the thickness of the dough.
Step 5: Cool and serve
Allow the date rolls to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack, let them cool down completely. ( Photos 43 and 44 )
Storage
Date rolls will keep well in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe tips
This recipe is pretty easy and difficult to mess up. Nonetheless, I have four simple tips to share with you.
Avoid over kneading or overmixing the dough: Overkneading will develop gluten in the flour. That will make the rolls tough instead of a light and crumbly, shortbread-like texture. All you need to do is just bring the dough together.
Chill the dough: The dough is pretty soft and needs to be refrigerated for a little while. The dough will be a lot easier to work with. Also, since the butter is slightly cold, the cookies won’t spread as much in the oven.
Allow the rolls to cool completely: The date pastry rolls will crisp up once they have cooled completely. Avoid storing warm date rolls in a jar or container as they will cause them to steam inside the jar, which in turn will make the rolls soggy and soft. Always store any sort of cookies once they have come to room temperature.
Variations
- Different nuts: Feel free to use other nuts like cashew nuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia, Brazil nuts, etc instead of walnuts. I personally love the classic pairing of date and walnuts!
- Date and nut paste: Add the nuts to a food processor, and pulse to break them down. Then add the pitted dates and process until the mixture comes together. Roll the date-nut paste into a log. Cut as per the size of the pastry. Use that for the stuffing instead of a whole date.
- Coconut: Add some desiccated coconut to the above date-nut mixture for another delicious variation.
- Flavors: You can add some pumpkin pie spice mix, all-spice etc, to the date-nut mixture. If you are not making the date-nut log, then you can flavor the pastry dough with a hint of these spices.
- Chocolate: For a gourmet touch, you can drizzle some melted chocolate over the rolls.
More traditional Christmas sweets to include in your ‘kuswar’
- Marzipan (no-cook/egg-free)
- Bebinca
- Guava cheese
- Milk Cream
- Coconut Toffee
- Baath cake
- Doce de grao (chana dal fudge)
- Karanji/Neureos
- Kormolas
- Shankapali
- No-cook coconut ice
- Rich fruit cake
- Walnut fudge
- Kalkal
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Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Have a lovely time <3
Date Rolls | Date Roll Cookies
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 100 grams salted butter
- 75 grams icing sugar sifted
- 1 large egg 65 g
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 grams all-purpose flour sifted
- 40 dates, pitted
- 20 whole walnut kernels
Egg wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons water or milk
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and icing sugar. Beat on low speed until the sugar has incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat till the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice.
- Next, add in the egg and vanilla extract, continue beating at medium-high speed until well incorporated.
- Add flour (sifted) in 2 batches, beating on low speed with each addition until the dough looks crumbly.
- Using your fingers, bring the mixture together.
- Divide the dough into two parts. Shape each half roughly into a square. Flatten it out a bit, wrap it in cling film. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Cut the walnuts in halves. Insert half a walnut in the center of the date. Repeat with the rest of the dates and walnut halves.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F/180° C for 15 minutes. Work with a portion of the dough. On a clean work surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch in thickness.
- If you find that the dough is sticking to the rolling pin, cover it with another parchment paper and continue rolling.
- Trim off the edges. Cut into 1.5-inch strips, or as per the size of the dates.
- Place a date on one edge of the strip, roll until it is completely wrapped in the dough and has a slight overlap. Cut off the strip, and gently press to seal the roll.
- Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough and the dough scraps.
- Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- Add an egg yolk to a bowl. Add two teaspoons of water, whisk it together.
- Brush each roll with egg wash. This is optional, but it adds a lovely golden brown color to the crust. Bake at 350° F/180° C for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. Baking time will depend upon the thickness of the dough.
- Allow the date rolls to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack, let them cool down completely.
Video
Notes
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