Orange Vanilla Candied Cranberries Recipe
This Orange Vanilla Candied Cranberries recipe transforms tart cranberries into a sweet, tangy, and festive treat. Infused with fresh orange zest and juice, warm vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon, these candied cranberries are simmered in a rich simple syrup and coated with sparkling sugar to create a crisp, flavorful shell. Perfect as a holiday garnish, cocktail accent, or a unique sweet snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 14 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 2 cups of candied cranberries 1x
- Category: Dessert Garnish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 1 12-ounce bag of cranberries
Simple Syrup
- 1.75 cups water
- Zest and juice of 1 orange (approximately 1/2 cup fresh juice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
Coating
- 1.5 to 2 cups white sugar (mixture of 3 parts granulated sugar and 1 part clear sparkling sugar recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare cranberries: Wash the cranberries thoroughly and remove any stems or spoiled berries to ensure only fresh fruit is used.
- Place cranberries in bowl: Transfer the cleaned cranberries into a heat-safe mixing bowl, ready to be soaked in the syrup.
- Make simple syrup: In a 2-quart stockpot, combine water, orange zest and juice, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and the cinnamon stick. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Simmer syrup: Reduce the heat to low and let the syrup simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Cool syrup: Remove the pot from heat and let the syrup cool for a few minutes until it is warm but not hot enough to burst the cranberries when added.
- Combine cranberries with syrup: Pour the warm syrup along with the cinnamon stick over the cranberries, making sure all cranberries are fully submerged in the liquid.
- Refrigerate overnight: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cranberries submerged in syrup overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the fruit to absorb the syrup.
- Drain cranberries: Place a colander or fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the cranberries into it, draining the syrup into the bowl to reserve for other uses.
- Dry cranberries slightly: Let the cranberries sit in the colander for 30 minutes to 1 hour to become tacky, which helps the sugar coating stick better.
- Prepare sugar coating: Spread 1.5 to 2 cups of white sugar (a mix of granulated and sparkling sugar) evenly on a sheet pan.
- Coat cranberries with sugar: Gently roll about half the cranberries in the sugar to coat evenly; add the rest of the cranberries and continue rolling them into a single layer to cover with sugar.
- Dry coated cranberries: Leave the sugar-coated cranberries out to dry for at least 3 hours until the sugar forms a crisp shell around each cranberry, completing the candying process.
Notes
- Reserve the leftover simple syrup for holiday cocktails or desserts to avoid waste.
- The cinnamon stick can be removed before serving or left in the syrup for added flavor.
- For extra sparkle, use clear sparkling sugar mixed with granulated sugar for coating.
- Make sure cranberries are fully dried before storing to keep their crisp sugar shell intact.
- This recipe works well as a garnish for drinks, desserts, or as a festive snack.
Keywords: candied cranberries, orange vanilla, holiday garnish, candied fruit, festive recipe, cranberry syrup, sweet cranberries
