When you’re looking for something fun, festive and not totally unhealthy to bring to a holiday gathering or to set out at your own party, Sugared Cranberries are the perfect thing! I have been making these for a few years, ever since I saw the recipe in Cooking Light (photo: courtesy of Cooking Light). They also make a great gift. They literally sparkle and look like little gems if you put them in a candy dish. Plus they are always a huge hit – they are delicious and intriguing.

The recipe is easy – you just need to remember to soak them the night before you need them.

Sugared Cranberries

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked through (remove soft ones)
• 1 cup superfine sugar (if you can’t find it, you can put regular sugar in the food processor)

Step 1: Combine the 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve. Bring to a simmer (do not boil) and remove from heat.

Step 2: Add the cranberries and stir. Pour into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours). I actually just leave them in the saucepan, put the lid on, and put them in the fridge.

Step 3: Drain the cranberries (you can reserve the pretty pink sugar water and – in theory – make some kind of cocktail from the syrup if you’re really crafty). Put the superfine sugar in a bowl. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Step 4: In small batches, drop cranberries into the sugar and roll them around until they are completely covered. Remove the cranberries from the sugar and put them on the lined cookie sheet to dry. Continue until all the cranberries are sugared. Let dry 1 hour. They say store in an airtight container, however I have found that they get squishy if you do that. I prefer just to leave them out in a bowl.

Note: You can play around with the recipe by adding cinnamon sticks and cloves, lemon peels or orange peels to the sugar water.

Sweet, tart and packed with Vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Not bad for a fun, festive snack!