Description
These Orange Zest Sugared Cranberries are a delightful holiday treat combining tart cranberries with sweet, citrus-infused sugar. Coated in a homemade orange-infused simple syrup and sprinkled with candied orange zest and sugar, they add a festive pop of flavor and color to any dessert or holiday table. Perfect as a garnish or enjoyed on their own, this easy-to-make recipe yields a bright, sweet-tart snack that’s both visually appealing and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Fresh Produce
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 orange (for zest and juice)
Sugars & Sweeteners
- 1 1/3 cups sugar (divided: 1 teaspoon, 1 cup, and remaining for coating)
- Water (to make 1 cup liquid with orange juice)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 250ºF (120ºC) to prepare for baking the orange zest.
- Prepare Orange Zest: Zest the orange over an empty pie plate. The pie plate works perfectly for both baking the zest and tossing the cranberries later.
- Bake Orange Zest: Spread out the orange zest evenly over the bottom of the pie plate and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then toss the zest to help it dry evenly and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool completely.
- Make Simple Syrup: Squeeze the juice from the orange into a measuring cup, then add water to reach a total of 1 cup of liquid. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange juice-water mixture and 1 cup of sugar. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just starts to barely boil. Remove from heat.
- Coat Cranberries: Working in batches, add cranberries into the warm simple syrup to coat them thoroughly. Remove the cranberries and transfer them onto a wire cooling rack, allowing excess syrup to drip off. Repeat until all cranberries are syrup-coated and arranged on the rack.
- Dry Sticky Syrup: Let the cranberries rest on the cooling rack for 30 to 45 minutes until the simple syrup coating becomes sticky but not wet.
- Prepare Sugared Orange Zest: Mix the cooled baked orange zest with the remaining sugar thoroughly. This creates a fragrant, citrusy sugar coating.
- Coat Cranberries in Sugar: In batches, toss the sticky cranberries in the sugared orange zest mixture until they are fully coated. Carefully return them to the wire cooling rack. Repeat until all cranberries are coated. Allow them to dry completely for a sparkly sugared finish.
- Serve and Store: Enjoy these festive sugared cranberries immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
- The pie plate is ideal as it allows even heat for the orange zest and is perfect for tossing cranberries in sugar without making a mess.
- Use fresh, firm cranberries for best texture and appearance.
- Ensure cranberries are dry enough after syrup coating before tossing in sugar to avoid clumping.
- Store sugared cranberries in an airtight container in the fridge; they keep well for up to 1 week.
- These cranberries make a beautiful garnish for cakes, cocktails, or holiday platters.
