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    Emily Fabulous » Recipes » Recipes

    Boozy Sugared Cranberries

    Published: Dec 3, 2020 · Modified: Feb 28, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 41 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    These Boozy Sugared Cranberries are the perfect garnish for all of your holiday cocktails or just a delicious little treat to add to your holiday spread. Soaked in orange liqueur and rolled in sugar, you can't go wrong with this sweet-and-sour combination.

    boozy-candied-cranberries-in-a-bowl-with-sugar

    On my quest to make something delicious with my leftover cranberries, I ended up with some delicious Boozy Sugared Cranberries as well as a Cranberry Orange Liqueur Syrup.

    Talk about two-for-one! These small and delightful treats are sweet and sour and pack a ton of flavor! This recipe was inspired by A Spicy Perspective.

    boozy sugared cranberries
    Click on the image above to PIN for later!

    How to Make Boozy Sugared Cranberries

    Place 1 cup of sugar, water, vanilla extract, and orange liqueur in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves but do not bring it to a boil.

    Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Place something heavy on top to keep the cranberries submerged.

    cranberries in syrup with a bowl on top to submerge

    Once the mixture has cooled enough, cover it with foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 12 hours or overnight.

    Strain the cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Once fully drained, place the syrup in a sealable bottle or container.

    cranberries being strained from syrup

    Put the remaining sugar in a container with a lid. Put the cranberries in the container, put on the cover, and gently shake and turn to fully coat the cranberries with sugar.

    sugared cranberries in a container

    Place the cranberries on a piece of wax paper to dry for at least an hour. Once dry, place the cranberries in a sealable container until you are ready to use or serve.

    How to Store the Sugared Cranberries and Syrup

    Both the Sugared Cranberries and the syrup need to be stored in sealable containers. My container of choice for the cranberries was a plastic container with a lid.

    I put the syrup in a sealable bottle like this one and stored it in the fridge. The cranberries last for 1-2 weeks covered in the fridge and the syrup will last about 2 weeks in the fridge.

    cranberry orange liqueur syrup in a flip-top bottle

    What To Do With Boozy Sugared Cranberries

    Well, obviously these are going to make an amazing garnish on a cocktail. Or several cocktails, LOL! They are also a delicious treat to put out for a cocktail party or holiday get-together (see below for the kid-friendly version). How great would these look on a holiday cheese plate or Thanksgiving table?

    cranberry cocktail with boozy sugared cranberry garnish

    How to Make these Cranberries Non-Boozy

    If you are going to have kiddos around and want to make them their own sugared cranberries without the booze, all you need to do is substitute the orange liqueur with orange extract. You can also leave out the orange entirely and just have regular candied cranberries. Everything else stays the same.

    candied boozy cranberries in a bowl

    Tools to Make Boozy Sugared Cranberries

    This set of 3 strainers is my favorite and I use them all the time. They are perfect for this recipe to separate the cranberries from the syrup so you can enjoy both!

    Buy on Amazon!

    I also love this glass storage set from Anchor Hocking. The lids seal perfectly and the glass is always easy to clean and doesn't hold any odor.

    Buy on Amazon!

    This saucepan is from my new favorite Cookware line, Caraway Home. They are completely non-stick and non-toxic and they come in beautiful colors.

    Caraway saucepan
    Shop Caraway Home!
    candied cranberries in a bowl
    Click on the image above to PIN for later!
    boozy candied cranberries in a bowl

    Boozy Sugared Cranberries

    These Boozy Sugared Cranberries are the perfect garnish for a holiday cocktail or a delicious little treat to add to your holiday spread.
    4.99 from 73 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Chilling/Cooling Time: 13 hours hours
    Total Time: 13 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 cups
    Calories: 89kcal
    Author: Emily
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • small saucepan
    • fine-mesh strainer
    • sealable bottle or bowl for syrup
    • sealable container for cranberries
    • wax paper
    • small plate or bowl to submerge cranberries

    Ingredients

    • 1½ cups sugar, divided
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 teaspoons orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
    • 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed

    Instructions

    • Place 1 cup of sugar, water, vanilla extract, and orange liqueur in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves but do not bring to a boil. This will take only a few minutes.
      liquid for sugared cranberries
    • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Place something heavy on top to keep the cranberries submerged (be careful not to overflow the pan). I had a round flat bowl that worked perfectly or a small plate should work as well.
      cranberries in syrup with a bowl on top to submerge
    • Once the mixture has cooled, cover it with foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 12 hours or overnight to allow the cranberries to soak in all of that delicious syrup.
      pan with cranberries wrapped in foil
    • After soaking, strain the cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Once fully drained, place the syrup in a sealable bottle or container, place it in the fridge, and save for cocktails or desserts!
      cranberries being strained from syrup
    • Put the remaining sugar in a container with a lid (or a small bowl). Gently place the cranberries in the container, put on the lid, and gently shake and turn to fully coat the cranberries with sugar (if your cranberries are in a bowl, use a spoon to carefully mix the cranberries in the sugar to coat).
      sugared cranberries in a container
    • Place the sugared cranberries on a piece of wax paper to dry for at least an hour. Make sure they are separated so they have room to dry.
      sugared cranberries on wax paper to dry
    • Once dry, place the cranberries in a sealable container in the fridge until you are ready to use or serve. They will last for 1-2 weeks covered in the fridge.
      boozy candied cranberries in a bowl

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 19.3g | Calcium: 2mg

    Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jackie says

      December 23, 2022 at 1:00 pm

      I'm steeping the cranberries now, but have no room in the fridge. Is refrigeration for the 12 hours really necessary? Can I just leave them out on the counter?

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 23, 2022 at 1:57 pm

        Hi Jackie, I haven’t tried it that way but I don’t see why it won’t work. If you try it, let me know how it goes! Happy holidays 😊

        Reply
        • Jackie says

          December 23, 2022 at 2:58 pm

          Thanks! I will let you know. Happy Holidays back at you!

          Reply
    2. Chris says

      December 21, 2022 at 6:17 am

      4 stars
      My syrup didn’t turn red like the picture, I ended up having to put some grenadine in it … the only thing I changed was the amount of cranberries because I just used the whole 16 oz bag of cranberries . The recipe calls for 2 cups not 16 oz but the bad is about 3 cups do I made a batch and a half to make up for the extra cup of berries so I would think that would be ok but my syrup was clear with only a very slight pink hue….

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 21, 2022 at 8:43 am

        Hi Chris, I'm not sure why the syrup wouldn't pick up the color from the cranberries. As long as you calculated correctly and allowed the berries to steep for at least 12 hours, adding more to the recipe should not have changed anything. I use Ocean Spray brand bagged cranberries when I make this recipe and haven't had the same experience. Adding grenadine is a good fix or even a few drops of food coloring as long as the syrup had the cranberry orange flavor. Thanks for trying the recipe!

        Reply
      • Kelly says

        December 24, 2022 at 9:56 am

        5 stars
        Mine didn’t turn red either, but I think I know why. I didn’t allow my mixture to cool before refrigerating. I think had I done that, the cranberries would have “cooked” a bit , which in turn would allow some of the red to bleed into the syrup. Just a guess, though. Lol. I’m going to try again and see if I’m right.

        Reply
        • Emily says

          December 26, 2022 at 9:47 am

          Hi Kelly, thanks for sharing. So weird the cranberries are not cooperating, lol. Let me know how your second batch turns out!

          Reply
    3. Bea says

      November 11, 2022 at 9:18 pm

      5 stars
      I make a version of the Southern Living Cranberry Christmas Cake & these are the best for decorating the top. It's absolutely stunning & so delicious!! Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        November 12, 2022 at 10:46 pm

        Thanks for sharing, Bea! That sounds like an amazing way to celebrate 😁

        Reply
    4. Scarlet says

      December 08, 2020 at 1:34 pm

      I like how you get both the boozy sugar cranberries and the cranberry syrup out of the same recipe. Cool!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 08, 2020 at 5:03 pm

        Right?!? If only all recipes could be a 2-for-1!

        Reply
    5. Chef Dennis says

      December 08, 2020 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      My wife is super loving these Boozy Sugared Cranberries!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 08, 2020 at 5:04 pm

        That's great, Dennis! Smart to make them for your wife 😉.

        Reply
    6. Meesha says

      December 08, 2020 at 7:01 am

      5 stars
      Wow this sounds like a really great idea ! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 08, 2020 at 5:04 pm

        You are welcome, I hope you get a chance to try them!

        Reply
    7. Debra says

      December 08, 2020 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful....such a fun idea too.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        December 08, 2020 at 1:32 am

        Debra, thank you, they are fun to make and eat!

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Emily! I'm excited to share my passions, experiments, and fun with you. I love to cook, bake, create recipes, mix cocktails and try new things!

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