Cranberry Syrup (Printable)

A vibrant, tangy-sweet syrup made from fresh cranberries, ready in 25 minutes. Perfect for drizzling over breakfast treats or mixing into festive drinks.

# What You Need:

→ Fruits

01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

→ Sweetener

02 - 1 cup granulated sugar

→ Liquid

03 - 1 cup water

→ Citrus

04 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional, adds depth of flavor)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, and water.
02 - Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves.
03 - Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened to a syrupy consistency.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice until evenly incorporated.
05 - Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl. Press the solids firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
06 - Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a clean glass bottle or jar. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It turns three basic grocery store ingredients into something that looks and tastes like a specialty product you would pay twelve dollars for at a farmers market.
  • The color alone is worth making it, that deep jewel tone makes everything you pour it over instantly more beautiful.
02 -
  • The syrup will seem thin while it is hot but it thickens considerably as it cools, so resist the urge to cook it down further or you will end up with cranberry jelly instead of pourable syrup.
  • Straining while still warm makes the process much easier because the liquid flows freely through the sieve once it cools and thickens it becomes stubborn and slow.
03 -
  • Taste your cranberries before you start because their tartness can vary wildly depending on the batch and season, and you may want to adjust the sugar up or down by a couple of tablespoons accordingly.
  • Do not skip pressing the solids through the sieve because that is where a surprising amount of concentrated flavor and color is hiding.

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