This Cranberry Simple Syrup is a vibrant, ruby-red syrup created from fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water. Its tart yet sweet flavor profile makes it the perfect addition for adding a festive touch to cocktails, mocktails, or desserts.
Cranberry simple syrup is an essential ingredient that infuses a burst of color and flavor into a wide range of culinary creations. Whether you want to elevate your holiday cocktails, add a tangy twist to your mocktails, or infuse your desserts with a hint of berry goodness, this homemade syrup is straightforward and exceptionally delicious. Its vibrant hue is an eye-catching addition to any dish or drink, making it indispensable for any home cook or mixologist.
If you prefer classic or autumn-vibe syrups, try this brown sugar simple syrup, demerara simple syrup, or apple brown sugar syrup.
For some unique fruity cocktails, try this strawberry martini, raspberry martini, raspberry mule, raspberry margarita, apple cider mule, blueberry gin cocktail, or skinny spicy margarita.
For non-alcoholic options, try this cranberry mule mocktail, blueberry matcha latte, blackberry mocktail, raspberry mocktail, peach mocktail, peach lemonade, or apple cider mocktail.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor: The syrup unquestionably delivers a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, making it a versatile addition to various culinary creations. The cranberries’ tartness is flawlessly complemented by the sweetness of the sugar, resulting in a distinctive flavor that significantly enhances beverages and desserts without dominating them.
- Versatility: Cranberry syrup is a versatile ingredient that brings elegance and flavor to cocktails, mocktails, lemonades, and teas. You can also drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or yogurt. Make it a staple in your kitchen for everyday meals and special occasions.
- Visual Appeal: Its striking ruby-red color adds a vibrant touch to any dish or drink, making it especially appealing for holiday gatherings, where presentation is just as crucial as taste. A splash of cranberry syrup can transform an ordinary cocktail into a holiday showstopper.
- Ease of Preparation: Creating cranberry simple syrup at home is effortless and requires only a few ingredients: cranberries, sugar, and water. The process is simple and quick, allowing even novice cooks to make a gourmet ingredient with minimal effort. Additionally, it can be prepared in advance and stored, making it a convenient addition to your culinary toolkit.
Ingredients
- Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. You don’t need to thaw them; just note that the cooking time will increase. On another note, I always wash the cranberries if I’m using fresh ones. Also, make sure there are no spoiled ones, and remove them if you find any.
- Sugar: I used organic cane sugar for this recipe, but you can use any other neutral sugar if preferred. Using light brown sugar will impart a touch of caramel flavors to the syrup, resulting in a slight darkening of its color.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cranberry Alternatives: Use other berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries, for a different berry flavor profile while maintaining the syrup’s vibrant color. Try other delicious syrups with vibrant colors, such as this blackberry simple syrup, blueberry simple syrup, peach simple syrup, raspberry simple syrup, blood orange syrup, or strawberry simple syrup.
- Use Another Sweetener: When sweetening your recipe, choose from honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. Please be aware that using these sweeteners may alter the flavor and texture of your dish. You can use the same amount as the sugar or adjust to taste when substituting honey or maple syrup. However, if using agave nectar, you should use slightly less since it is sweeter than sugar.
- Add Spices: To spice up the syrup, add spices like cinnamon, cloves, or ginger. The flavor notes pair very well together, and it would be perfect for winter beverages and desserts.
- Citrus-Infused Cranberry Syrup: While simmering the syrup, add a few wheels of lemon or orange for a bright, citrusy twist.
- Herbal Cranberry Syrup: Experiment with adding a sprig of rosemary or fresh mint leaves for an aromatic touch that will work well in cocktails.
How to Make Cranberry Simple Syrup
Step 1: Add washed cranberries, sugar, and water to a pot.
Step 2: Heat on medium-high heat.
Step 3: Lower the heat to low-medium once the syrup is simmering and cranberries pop.
Step 4: Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Strain the syrup into a measuring bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
Step 6: Press the cranberries gently to extract as much syrup as possible.
Step 7: Cool completely before transferring to a jar or syrup dispenser.
Step 8: Transfer the syrup to a jar or a syrup dispenser using a small funnel. Seal and store in a fridge for a few weeks.
Pro Tip
The ingredients used for this recipe will make 1 ⅓ of a cup of syrup.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are perfect, but frozen cranberries also work well. You don’t need to thaw them before using them; just add them directly to the pot.
- Simmer, Don’t Boil: Ensure that the mixture simmers gently and avoids bringing it to a full boil. Boiling can cause the cranberries to break down too quickly, resulting in syrup with an overly cooked taste.
- Strain Well: After simmering, it is essential to strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the cranberry solids effectively. To ensure a clearer syrup, refrain from pressing down on the solids; simply allow the liquid to drain naturally.
- Avoid Overcooking: Do not overcook the mixture. Simmer until the cranberries start to burst and the sugar is completely dissolved. Overcooking can cause the syrup to thicken as it cools.
- Test for Thickness: Let a small spoonful cool on a plate to achieve the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, simmer for a bit longer, and add a little water if it’s too thick.
- Use a Small Funnel for Transfer: To avoid spilling, pour the syrup into a jar or dispenser using a small funnel.
How to Use Cranberry Syrup
- Beverages: Add cranberry syrup to your favorite cocktails, mocktails, and more, like margaritas, mojitos, martinis, lemonade, iced tea, or even hot drinks like mulled wine or apple cider.
- Breakfast and Brunch: If you make a thicker syrup, you can drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, yogurt granola, or oatmeal.
- Desserts: Pour the syrup over ice cream, cakes, pies, or fruit salads.
- Savory Dishes: This syrup is perfect as a glaze for roasted meats like turkey or ham. You can also mix it into sauces to add a sweet and tangy flavor.
- Gift: This cranberry syrup makes the perfect holiday season gift. Pour the syrup into decorative jars and give it to your friends and family.
Recipe FAQs
Store the cranberry simple syrup in a labeled, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. If you need to store it longer, freeze the syrup in ice cube trays.
Adjust the syrup by adding more sugar if it’s too tart while still warm. Stir until dissolved. If it’s too sweet, balance it out by adding a splash of lemon juice.
Absolutely! You must maintain the 1:1:2 ratio of sugar, water, and cranberries to achieve consistent results when scaling the recipe up or down to suit your needs. A batch of cranberry syrup would be perfect during the holiday season.
Repurpose the leftover cranberry solids in various ways. Spread them on toast or bagels, mix them into yogurt or oatmeal, bake them into muffins or bread, or blend them into smoothies for added flavor and nutrition.
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Recipe
Cranberry Simple Syrup
Equipment
- medium-size pot
- measuring cups
- mesh strainer
- spoon
- Small funnel
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Wash and prepare the cranberries, ensuring there are no spoiled ones.
- Add water, sugar, and cranberries to a medium-sized pot and heat on medium-high until the cranberries start to pop and burst.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer. The total cooking time is 12 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the syrup into a measuring bowl. Press the cooked cranberries slightly with a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. Let cool completely.
- Transfer the cooled syrup into a jar or syrup dispenser using a small funnel. Seal and store in a fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.
Notes
- Cranberry Alternatives: Use other berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries, for a different berry flavor profile while maintaining the syrup’s vibrant color. Try other delicious syrups with vibrant colors, such as this blackberry simple syrup, blueberry simple syrup, peach simple syrup, raspberry simple syrup, or strawberry simple syrup.
- Use Another Sweetener: When adding sweetness to your recipe, opt for honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. Keep in mind that these sweeteners can change the flavor and texture of your dish. You can use them in equal measure to sugar or modify the amount based on your taste when replacing them with honey or maple syrup. However, if you choose agave nectar, use a little less, as it is sweeter than sugar.
- Add Spices: To spice up the syrup, add spices like cinnamon, cloves, or ginger. The flavor notes pair very well, making it perfect for winter beverages and desserts.
- Use Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are perfect, but frozen cranberries also work well. You don’t need to thaw them before using them; just add them directly to the pot.
- Simmer, Don’t Boil: Ensure the mixture simmers gently and avoids bringing it to a full boil. Boiling can cause the cranberries to break down too quickly, resulting in syrup with an overly cooked taste.
- Use a Small Funnel for Transfer: To avoid spilling, pour the syrup into a jar or dispenser using a small funnel.
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