Sparkling sugared cranberries and sugared blueberries make a beautiful egg-free simple garnish for cakes, puddings, charcuterie platters, frozen tarts, ice cream bowls, cocktails and more.
Sugared cranberries and sugared blueberries make the easiest prettiest garnish. Each takes only 2 ingredients, and under 20 minutes. Sure, they have sugar, but my recipe does not use eggs. Just water. Sugar and water and berries.
These fancy frosted berries are super easy to make, and delicious to eat. I used blueberries, cranberries for a more tart taste to take the edge of the sweet, but raspberries and strawberries work too!
How Do You Use Sugared Berries?
I put them on my chocolate cream pie here, but you can do so many things with sugared berries. Here are a few ideas you can add them to:
- Cakes and pies and tarts
- Ice cream and pudding dessert bowls
- Charcuterie platters for splashes of color and sweet
- Speared on tooth picks for cocktail garnishes
- On their own as a dessert
How Do You Make Sugared Cranberries and Sugared Blueberries?
Just two simple steps:
1. Make a simple sugar syrup by microwaving sugar and water together for one minute. Let it cool, then dip each berry.
2. Roll the berries in sugar and let them dry. That's it! You can apply two coats, directions are in the recipe card below.
Traditional recipes have you dipping berries in egg white - not safe and not necessary, water is perfect.
Other recipes also have you waiting an hour for the dipped berries to become sticky before rolling them into sugar. My way is much quicker, and double dipping gives a heavy coating.
Q & A About Sugared Berries
Berries are nature’s candy and making sugared berries make them even more candy-like. Here are some questions answered about this recipe.
Can You Eat Sugared Fruit?
You can eat these straight instead of using as a garnish. Of course the berries are nutritious but the sugar isn’t so I’d pop a few but not have a bowl of sugared berries for my breakfast lol.
How Do You Sweeten Blueberries?
Easy, just use my sugared berries recipe right here. Blueberries are a bit sour so they are the perfect berry, just like cranberries, to coat in sugar.
Can You Use Frozen Berries To Decorate A Cake?
Of course, but sugared berries are even prettier.
Can You Eat Raw Cranberries?
Yep! Sugared cranberries cut the sourness however.
Are Cranberries High in Sugar?
No, quite low, so are blueberries. That's what makes them the perfect candidate for sugared berries.
How Do You Sweeten Raw Cranberries?
Eat sweetened raw cranberries by making sugared cranberries and then use as garnishes to a cake or even charcuterie platter. Or eat a few on their own.
What Do You Do with Fresh Cranberries?
Make this fresh sugared cranberry recipe among other uses such as my Cranberry Orange Muffins.
Best Desserts To Garnish with Sugared Berries
Chocolate Cream Pie
Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Cake
Sweet Potato Ice Cream
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Sugared Cranberries | Sugared Blueberries
Ingredients
Sugar Syrup
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup water
Berries & Sugar to Roll
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup cranberries
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse and pat dry fresh berries. Remove any soft berries or those that are gone. Set aside.
- Set out a cooling rack with a protective paper or cookie sheet beneath to catch loose sugar.
- Add ½ cup sugar to a bowl to prepare for rolling the berries to coat.
Make Sugared Berries
- First, make the simple sugar syrup by adding ¼ cup of sugar to ¼ cup of water and set into microwave for 1 minute. Remove cup and stir until all sugar is melted. Quickly add in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and stir again until dissolved. Microwave another 15 seconds if you need to dissolve any further.
- Set the syrup aside to cool, about 15-30 minutes. Don't use it warm or it will pop the berries.
- 1st coating: When the syrup is at room temperature, dip each berry using a fork to coat it completely. Lift the berry, let excess syrup drip off, then roll in the sugar in the bowl. Set coated berry on cooling rack to dry. Do this until all berries are coated.
- 2nd coating (optional): If you want to apply a second coat, dip freshly coated berries twice in the bowl of sugar - NO NEED to dip in syrup again or to allow first coating to dry first. Set twice-coated berry on rack to dry.Drying: It takes about 30 minutes at room temperature to dry the berries well enough to be able to work with them.
Store Sugared Berries
- Store them uncovered in the refrigerator for 4 days. If they get wet and the sugar coating seems to dissolve, simply roll them in sugar to refresh.
Jennifer Hewitt
Hi. I’m giving this recipe a try to decorate my blueberry cupcakes. In the ingredient list you have listed 1/2 cup water, however in the instructions you say to use 1/4 cup water mixed with the sugar but don’t mention what to do with the remaining 1/4 cup of water. Thank you for clarification. The pictures look so pretty I want to make sure I get it right.
Dee Dine
I updated the ingredients to clarify! Thank you!
Jennifer Hewitt
Thank you. They came out perfect and look so nice decorating the tops of my cupcakes!
Dee Dine
That's the terrific, thanks for your comment!