Whether you need a quick decoration, garnish, or snack, these Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries are a quick show-stopping festive treat.
The best kind of recipes are the ones that are versatile. These Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries are just that. They make stunning garnishes and decorations for cakes and winter treats, they are fantastic for a New Year's cocktail, and they are so fun to just pop in your mouth and snack on when you're craving something a little sweet. No matter what you're planning to cook for your holiday season, there is definitely a place for these in your gathering!
Skills & Techniques
To really knock this Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries recipe out of the park, make sure to brush up on these proficiencies.
- Three Tips For Making Stunning Sugared Cranberries. Use these three tips to make sure you get beautiful, not clumpy, sugar coverage.
- How To Make Simple Syrup. This recipe follow a basic ratio for simple syrup. If you want to alter the amount of sweetness (or amp it up) find out how to make those adjustments. Plus, there is a troubleshooting guide for if your simple syrup crystallizes.
- Buying and Storing Spices. Are you storing your spices correctly? Is that vanilla bean or those cinnamon sticks in your pantry still fresh? Find out how to tell, and how to prevent quality depreciation in the future.
Storage and Leftovers
The only downside (for me anyway) for these Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries is that they are best enjoyed the day you make them. While yes, technically, you can store these short term (overnight), I find that they just aren't as pretty because the sugar coating starts to clump or turn pink.
If you would like to try storing them, I recommend laying them in a flat layer inside of an airtight container in the refrigerator. For a little extra help, stick a paper towel into the container to collect any moisture. This will help keep that pretty sparkling look on your cranberries. Remove the cranberries from the fridge an hour before you plan to use them so they return to room temperature.
If the sugar coating gets a little soggy during storage, use that dampness to your advantage and roll the cranberries in some fresh sugar before serving.
Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries
If you've never had sugared cranberries before, then you're in for a treat. They have a delightful popping crunch to them and the sweetness of the sugar coating gives makes them a great fix for a sweet tooth. The main thing to remember is that you don't want your simple syrup to be at a boil, or even a simmer, when you put in the cranberries. If it is, the cranberries may explode and result in painful burns and a terrible mess. The best success will be had if your simple syrup is at poaching temperature; read more about how to achieve that here.
Get your free printable grocery list for this sparkling cinnamon vanilla sugared cranberries recipe HERE.
This grocery list has everything that you’ll need to make this Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries recipe. To make grocery shopping simple, each ingredient is listed in easy-to-find grocery store amounts. If there is no amount specified, that means that you can buy the smallest (or largest) container available and still have plenty left over.
Happy Cooking! 🙂
Sparkling Cinnamon Vanilla Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
Cinnamon Vanilla Simple Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean, split down the middle and seeds scraped
Sparkling Cranberries
- 12 oz cranberries
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pot over medium heat, warm the sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and scraped vanilla bean until it comes to a simmer. Let itsimmer for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat until the simple syrup is between 160° and 180°F.
- Add in one cup of cranberries and let cook for 3 minutes. Remove the cranberries from the simple syrup and strain them through a fine mesh sieve. Toss them in the granulated sugar until evenly coated and set aside in a single layer until ready to serve. Repeat until all cranberries are done.
What are your thoughts?