Sugar-Free Candied Cranberries for Holiday Desserts

With the holidays approaching, it’s time to bring out the cranberries. These sugar-free candied cranberries brighten holiday desserts and add a festive touch to cocktails.

They’re simple to make, though they do require an overnight soak. Don’t be deterred — the hands-on time is brief, and the results are beautiful (they look especially lovely on cakes).

Cranberries: are they keto?

Fresh or frozen cranberries are compatible with a low-carb or keto approach. A cup contains relatively few carbohydrates, making them a reasonable choice in moderation.

Be aware that commercially dried cranberries are typically packed with sugar and are not keto-friendly. A small serving of dried cranberries can contain more sugar than a soda.

This sugar-free candied cranberry recipe, however, is designed to be keto-friendly when made with the recommended sugar substitutes.

Best sweeteners for this recipe

For the syrup, use granular allulose. Allulose produces a sticky syrup that remains tacky after cooling, allowing the cranberries to absorb it overnight. If you used erythritol or another sugar alcohol for the syrup, it would crystallize too soon and wouldn’t soak into the berries.

For the outer coating, granular erythritol works well. Once it adheres to the allulose-soaked cranberries, it gives a pretty, crunchy crystallized finish. You can use any granular sweetener you prefer for taste, but the classic sparkling look is easiest to achieve with erythritol.

Tips to get the syrup right

Allulose behaves differently than sugar, so follow these tips:

• Stir the allulose and water gently and avoid splashing syrup up the sides of the pan. Allulose can burn easily; burned bits that fall back into the syrup will add bitterness.
• Cook on medium to medium-low heat rather than high heat to prevent a bitter aftertaste.
• Heat until bubbles form in the center of the pan, then add the cranberries. If using a thermometer, cook the syrup to about 220°F (104°C).
• The syrup may look like it won’t cover the berries, but it’s sufficient once the berries absorb it during the overnight soak.

Cooking cranberries to the right point

• Aim not to overcook the cranberries; you want structure to remain.
• Cook in the syrup only until a few berries begin to burst — usually just a few signs of cracking are enough.
• Remove the pan from heat and transfer the berries and syrup to a flat-bottomed pan (a 9×9 square pan works well).
• Stir gently, cover, and let sit overnight. By morning the cranberries will have absorbed much of the syrup.

How to coat the candied cranberries

In the morning, drain the cranberries in a sieve and reserve the syrup — it’s delicious in cocktails, sodas, or over pancakes.

Pour about 3/4 cup of granular erythritol onto a plate. Gently roll the drained, syrup-soaked cranberries in the erythritol so each berry gets a light, sparkly coating. Place coated berries on a separate plate to dry for a few hours, or use them right away as garnish.

Storage & Serving Suggestions

Store candied cranberries in the refrigerator for up to a week.

They make an attractive garnish for low-carb cookies, cakes, cheesecakes, and other holiday desserts, and they also add a festive touch when skewered on cocktail stirrers.

Tip: Don’t discard the leftover syrup — it’s great in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and makes a tasty topping for low-carb pancakes.

Looking for more holiday dessert ideas?

Here are a few low-carb dessert ideas that pair well with candied cranberries:

• Low Carb Raspberry Cheesecake
• Keto-Friendly Millionaire Bars
• Homemade Sugar-Free Marshmallows
• Low Carb Vintage Cherry Chip Cake
• Soft Keto Gingerbread Cookies
• Delicious Keto Pumpkin Pie
• Gooey Sweet Low Carb Pecan Pie

Sugar Free Candied Cranberries

Yield:
3 cups

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
5 minutes

Additional Time:
12 hours

Total Time:
12 hours 10 minutes

Easy low carb sugared cranberries perfect for holiday desserts and low carb cocktails.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup allulose
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup granular erythritol

Instructions

1. Wash cranberries and remove any debris and any unripe or overripe berries.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup allulose and 1 cup water. Cook on medium-low for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is clear.
3. Add the washed cranberries and cook on medium-low until a few berries begin to crack — only a few should burst. Avoid overcooking.
4. Transfer the berries and syrup to a flat, shallow pan (a 9×9 cake pan works well). The syrup need not fully cover the berries; it should reach about half the height of each berry.
5. Cover and let the cranberries sit overnight so they can absorb the syrup.
6. Drain the berries in a sieve and reserve the syrup for drinks or pancakes.
7. Roll each berry in granular erythritol and place them on a plate to dry. They’ll firm up in a few hours but can be used immediately as decoration.

Notes

Do not cook allulose on high heat; high heat can cause a bitter aftertaste. Cook the syrup and berries on medium-low and stop cooking when only a few berries crack.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24
Serving Size: 2 TBS

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 9
Total Fat: 0g
Sodium: 5mg
Carbohydrates: 1g
Net Carbohydrates: .5g
Fiber: .5g
Sugar: 1g

Nutritional information is approximate. Erythritol and other sugar alcohols are typically excluded from carb counts as they do not impact blood sugar for many people. Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber.