alright sugar pies. ready to get some sugar overload?

i am a big believer that food should always be two things: most importantly it should be delicious. and it should also always be pretty. pretty food just tastes better. agree?

that being said i am always on the hunt for deliciously pretty foods. these sugared cranberries are just that.

truth talk. nobody ever eats the cranberries at the holiday parties. the bowl just sits there. untouched. and sad. and lonely. well. hey hey hey. i am going to change that story. and i know. you’ll still doubt me. until you try this recipe. you will be a cranberry craving convert at first bite. promise.

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really simple gang. pour one cup water & one cup sugar into a pot. get it nice & hot until the sugar all dissolves. you’ve just made a simple syrup. great for lots of things like iced coffee and mixed drinks . . . but especially great for prepping these berries. once the syrup is made. dump the bag of cranberries right into the pot. keep it on the burner and allow those berries to heat up. soften. and get coated in the sugar syrup. after about 3-4 minutes in the pot. strain the cranberries into a colander. you don’t want to keep them in too long. as you do not want them to get mushy or lose their shape. as they are heating you’ll notice that the color is eyen more vibrant. they are b e a u t i f u l.

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once strain. pour the cranberries into a dish that is filled with ultra fine sugar. gently fold them into the sugar. allowing them to get coated completely. you’ll then want to set the dish aside. preferably in the fridge. and allow the berries to cool & the sugar to set. what you will end up with are the most beautiful. sugared. festive. whimsical berries. and i can promise they will be both pretty and delicious.

i use these a lot when i am building a charcuterie board. they make the most beautiful addition to a holiday grazing board. i also use them to top buttermilk pancakes. or throw them into a dutch baby. they are so yummy. the sugar cuts the tartness. and they are simply divine. you could find a million ways to use these sugared cranberries. use them as a garnish in a holiday drink. or as an ornament to dress up a serving plate. honestly. use them any way you wish.

you also can try variations to this recipe. try adding in some orange zest to your simple syrup for another dimension of flavor. yum! or add some liquor to make some boozy berries. how fun is that?!