Orange vanilla candied cranberries are sweet and sour little bits of deliciousness that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Okay, I’m officially adopting a love of the sweet-tart combination!
I was always more of a sweet-salty person, but these orange vanilla candied cranberries are too good to pass up!
Who knows how the idea to make these popped into my head. Well, it was probably from searching for recipes to use up the extra package of cranberries we had after Thanksgiving.
Then I came across candied cranberries…
And that’s when the wheels began to turn:
‘Cranberry and orange are a classic combination…but vanilla always adds a nice touch…oh, and don’t forget some cinnamon!’
Welcome to how my brain works. It’s no wonder I can’t seem to ever completely finish a project…So many ideas, so little time.
Anyway, just try these little bits of heaven. They’re worth the time it takes to make them, trust me.
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Fun Tips:
Candied cranberries make a beautiful garnish for other recipes like:
- Easy Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip,
- Christmas Appetizer Wreath,
- Cranberry brie bites, and
- Cranberry curd bars with a pistachio crust
Don’t forget to save the syrup to add to your holiday cocktails, too.
Orange Vanilla Candied Cranberries
Orange vanilla candied cranberries are sweet and sour little bits of deliciousness that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 12- ounce bag of cranberries
- 1.75 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- Zest & juice of 1 orange, approximately 1/2 cup fresh juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1.5 to 2 cups white sugar for coating, I used 3 parts granulated sugar and 1 part clear sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Wash cranberries & remove any stems or cranberries that have gone bad. Place cranberries in a heat-safe bowl.
- Combine water, zest, juice, vanilla, sugar & cinnamon stick in a 2 qt stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medum low or low & simmer for 5 - 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for a few minutes. The mixture should be warm, but not so hot that the cranberries pop during the next step.
- Pour mixture, including cinnamon stick, on top of cranberries and let sit overnight.
- Using a colander over a bowl, drain the syrup from the cranberries; reserving for another use. Let cranberries sit for 30 minutes to an hour to get slightly tacky.
- Pour 1.5 to 2 cups of white sugar onto a sheet pan. Gently roll about half the cranberry mixture into the sugar, coating evenly. Add remaining cranberries and roll in the rest of the sugar, rolling the cranberries into as close to a single layer as possible. The key here is to make sure you have enough air circulation around each cranberry.
- Leave cranberries and sugar out to dry. This could take several hours. The cranberries are done when the sugar has created a crisp shell outside each cranberry.
Notes
Candied cranberries make a beautiful garnish for other recipes like:
- Easy Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip,
- Christmas Appetizer Wreath,
- Cranberry brie bites, and
- Cranberry curd bars with a pistachio crust
Don't forget to save the syrup to add to your holiday cocktails, too.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
And after all that is done, try to keep these cranberries around for more than a day or two. I stored ours in a lightly covered container. Even the 3-year old could barely keep her hands off them!
Have you ever been surprised by a recipe?
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Deb says
Do you put the cranberry and liquid sugar mixture in the fridge overnight or on the counter?
Leslie says
Hi Deb! I put the mixture in the fridge overnight. Though I don’t recommend refrigerating the finished cranberries, because they would likely get soggy. Enjoy!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
what a great idea! I’ll have to try this – pinned! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party – hope to see you next week too. In the mean time, have a fabulous week ahead!
Melinda Mitchell says
Wow!! A 3 yo likes them?? Well, my 5, and 2 yo grandbabies wanted some just from the pix!! So sorry all your pix are now eaten all up! 😉
Inspire Me Monday
Danielle says
Oh my goodness! These look simply fabulous!
Sherry says
Love the flavor combos you have here! I will have to try this Holiday season!
Jennifer Wise says
I never would have thought of this whole combination, but it looks delightful!! I’m going to have to try this! 🙂 Tweeting and Pinning and printing now…
#embracingchangelinky
candy says
I have never made anything like this before so this is wonderful. Found you on Blogger’s Pit Stop Link Party
Nina Lewis says
This sounds like an amazing recipe! Thanks for sharing at our Party in Your PJs link party!
Lisa says
The pictures make this look delicious! Thanks for posting. I found you from the Saturday Sharefest! Have a great day.
~LIsa
https://kevinandlisaauger.blogspot.com/`
frugal hausfrau says
These would be so pretty around the top of a white frosted cake! How fun!
Thanks for sharing your creation with us at Fiesta Friday this week!
Mollie
BonBon says
Thanks for sharing at Inspire Me Monday. I wanted to let you know that you are one of my features this week. Come check it out https://www.farmhouse40.com/insprie-me-monday-200
Marilyn says
Congratulations! Your post was my feature pick at #WWBlogHop this week. Visit me at https://www.marilynstreats.com on Tuesday evening to see your feature! All hosts choose their own features from the comments left on their blog so be sure to stop by and see your feaure. I invite you to leave more links to be shared and commented upon. Please be sure to leave your link number or post title so we can be sure to visit!