Homemade Dried Sweetened Cranberries

Cranberries become deep red as they ripen.

Late autumn is the best time to stock up on delicious and healthful cranberries. Cranberries are versatile; you can serve them with turkey, make them into muffins, or dry and snack on them as you would raisins. The price of store-bought dried cranberries, if you can find them, can be high. However, the cost of fresh cranberries, especially in late autumn, is very reasonable.

Things You'll Need

• Sugar
• Water
• Saucepan
• 12 ounces of fresh cranberries
• Sharp knife
• Bowl
• Greased baking sheet
• Plate

Instructions

1. Boil ½ cup sugar and 2/3 cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

2. Clean the cranberries under running water. Split the berries in half with a sharp knife.

3. Toss the halved berries with the syrup in a bowl. Leave the berries in the syrup overnight.

4. Remove the berries from the syrup and spread them out over the greased baking sheet. Bake the cranberries at 175 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.

5. Pour the syrup you soaked the berries in over the baked berried and mix them to thoroughly coat each berry. Put the berries back in the oven for two hours or until they are shrunken and dried.

6. Scrape the berries off the sheet and onto a plate. Let the berries stand for 12 hours before wrapping them up for storage.

Tips & Warnings

• Dried cranberries can last for two months in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Do not let the berries cook too long or they will become hard and tough.

References

• Lost Surprise: Making Sweetened Dried Cranberries
• How to Do Stuff: How to Dry Cranberries
• Recipe Link: Homemade Dried Cranberries