The Home I Create: Thrifting, Affordable Home Decor, and DIY

Two ingredients are all you need to make these sparkly and delicious sugared cranberries that are perfect for the holiday season.

When I shared my Christmas home tour last year, I did not expect for my sugared cranberry bedazzled bunt cake to get noticed as much as it did.

Now it wasn't the bundt cake its self that was getting so much attention but the pretty sugared cranberries sprinkled on top.

Cranberries are a staple from fall through the holidays. And sparkly sugared cranberries make the prettiest garnish for festive looking dessert and drinks.

You can add them to your holiday cheese boards for a fun pop color that's also edible.

Serve them up with waffles, french toasts, quick bread, you name it!

Or just have a pretty bowl full that you can pop them in your mouths for a sweet and tangy treat {that you don't have to feel guilty about}.

How To Make Sugared Cranberries {and Rosemary}

The best part is these sparkling beauties are super easy to make. It may seem like a lot of steps but it goes by really quickly.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cranberries {discard any soft or bruised ones}
1 ½ cups of sugar
½ cup water
cooling rack
Wax paper

DIRECTIONS:

In a pot bring ½ cup water and ½ sugar to a boil. Stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove the pot from the stove and let the sugar water mixture {simple syrup} cool for about 10 minutes
Once the simple syrup has cooled completely, pour ½ cup of cranberries at a time into the simple syrup
Using a slotted spoon remove the cranberries from the simple syrup and place on a cooling rack {with wax paper underneath} to drain and dry for about 1 hour
Pour some of the remaining sugar in a dish and roll a handful of the dried and tacky cranberries at a time coating them well.
Using a slotting spoon return the sugared cranberries to a clean cooling rack {with wax paper underneath} so the excess sugar can fall off.

Also, these same steps can be used to make sugared rosemary sprigs. I always make a few sugared rosemary sprigs at the same time I'm making the sugared cranberries.

And just like the sugared cranberries, they make a beautiful garnish, especially for holiday desserts.

Come back Friday to see how to use these sugared cranberries and dried orange slices I shared yesterday to dress up store brought cakes when I fake and not bake my holiday desserts!