How to Make Sugared Cranberries & Sugared Rosemary

The perfect garnish to add some sparkle and festive color to your Christmas desserts and Holiday boards! Use these candied cranberries and candied rosemary to decorate cakes, charcuterie boards, holiday drinks, and more!

what are sugared cranberries / rosemary?

Sugared cranberries and rosemary are coated in a simple syrup then rolled in granulated sugar for it to stick onto the surface. They look like they're covered in sparkly ice and they're typically used for garnish or decorations!

making the simple syrup

Before starting, make sure to wash, drain, and dry the rosemary and cranberries thoroughly. Try to get them as dry as you can! If there's any water on the surface, the syrup will not stick on properly and the sugar coating will be patchy.

Now, it's time to make a very simple syrup - this is what helps the sugar stick to the rosemary and cranberries. To make the simple syrup, combine water and sugar in a pot and bring up to a boil. Boil for 1 minute then set aside to cool. It's ok if the syrup is slightly warm but it shouldn't be HOT - if it's hot, it can cause the cranberries to burst and the rosemary to wilt!

Once the syrup is cooled, it's time to coat the rosemary and cranberries. You can use this recipe to make either one or a mixture of cranberries and rosemary. If you are making both, I recommend coating them in the syrup separately because the cranberries can bruise the rosemary if they're tossed together.

drying for an hour

After the rosemary and cranberries are coated in the syrup, it's time to let the syrup dry. Rolling them in the sugar right away will create a sticky mess and they won't have the same light and delicate sugary exterior. The sugar will also be more likely to just slide off when the syrup is fresh. The syrup coating should feel sticky but not super wet once they're fully dried.

It's best to let them dry on a wire rack, but if you don't have a rack that can hold the cranberries without them falling through, you can place them on a piece of parchment paper. Just note that if you do place them on parchment paper, the air won't circulate properly, so you'll need to dry them for 1 hour on one side, turn them over, and dry for another hour on the bottom side.

rolling in sugar

Now for the fun part! It's time to roll the cranberries and rosemary in sugar. Roll them in small batches so they have enough room to move around and get properly coated. If you're making both cranberries and rosemary, again, I recommend rolling the cranberries separately from the rosemary to prevent bruising.

If you find the sugar isn't sticking to the surface, the syrup may just need some more time to thoroughly dry. The dry time can take a bit longer depending on how humid / warm your home is on that particular day.

tips for candying cranberries and rosemary

• Wash and dry well! For the syrup to stick to the cranberries and rosemary, it's important to dry them very well after washing them (before coating them in the syrup)! I just like to place mine on a paper towel for a few minutes beforehand.

• Quick dunk in the syrup. The cranberries and rosemary don't need long in the syrup and leaving them for too long can cause them to burst / wilt!

• Toss the cranberries and rosemary in syrup separately. The cranberries can bruise the rosemary if they get tossed around in the same bowl together, so it's best to do each one in their own batch.

• Patience. It's important to let the cranberries/rosemary dry for a full hour before tossing in the sugar. This helps the dry sugar coating stick to them without getting soaked into the syrup - for the perfect amount of sparkle!

how many sugared cranberries and rosemary does this recipe make?

The recipe amounts here are enough to make 3 cups of sugared cranberries or about 25 to 30 sprigs of sugared rosemary. But you can also make a combination of the two! I usually use this recipe to make a combination of about 2 cups of sugared cranberries and 10 sprigs of sugared rosemary.

what to do with leftover syrup

After coating the cranberries / rosemary in the simple syrup, you're going to have a bit of syrup leftover. My absolute favorite way to use the leftover syrup is to sweeten drinks! It makes a fantastic sweetener for holiday drinks, and I love using it to sweeten lemonade.

You can also use the syrup to:

• brush on cakes (it makes them super moist!)
• drizzle on yogurt parfaits
• sweeten oatmeal
• make other candied treats (like candied almonds or candied pecans!)
• use it in place of maple syrup on French toast or pancakes!

But the list is endless! So use any of these ideas or get creative!

how long do sugared cranberries and rosemary last?

For storage, these sugared treats will last for about 3 to 4 days stored at room temperature. The fresher the cranberries and rosemary are, the longer they'll last. The rosemary will start to lose its vibrant green color as it sits, so it's best to use it within 1 to 2 days.

I like to store these uncovered to ensure they have some air circulation which helps prevent moisture and helps keep the sugar coating sparkly. It's also best to store them in 1 or 2 layers and avoid stacking too many on top of each other otherwise the sugar can dissolve. If you do find that the sugar on the cranberries/rosemary sprigs has melted and they're not as sparkly, you can reroll them in sugar and they'll be good as new!

check out some of these other recipes!

• Gingerbread Cookie Bars
• Giant Sugar Cookie Cake
• Cranberry White Christmas Cake
• Vertical Chocolate Bûche de Noël
• Caramel Gingerbread Cake

Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.

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Enjoy!

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