Cranberry Simple Syrup
Cranberry simple syrup is an easy homemade syrup that turns fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water into a vibrant, ruby-red sweetener with a bright, tart flavor. It’s perfect for cocktails, mocktails, coffee, tea, lemonade, pancakes, waffles, and holiday desserts, and comes together with just a few simple ingredients.
Tart sweet and vibrantly colored syrup
I love cranberries. Like, I really love them. When cranberry season rolls around, I make as many cranberry recipes as I can because fresh cranberries are only around for such a short time. They barely hit the grocery store shelves before they’re gone again until next year.
This cranberry syrup lets me enjoy that fresh cranberry flavor long after the holidays are over. I make a double batch every year, keep one in the refrigerator for the holiday season, and freeze the other to use throughout the winter. It adds bright, festive berry flavor to so many things and I never get tired of it.
Simple syrups are incredibly versatile and always worth keeping on hand. If you enjoy making them from scratch, be sure to try my fresh ginger simple syrup, easy vanilla simple syrup, and fresh pear syrup too.
Recipe ingredients
- Water: Because water makes up half of the syrup, its flavor matters more than you might expect. Use fresh, good-tasting water. If your tap water has a noticeable chlorine taste, bottled spring water will produce a cleaner, brighter syrup that lets the cranberry flavor shine.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is the standard for simple syrup because it dissolves completely, creates a crystal-clear syrup, and preserves the fresh, tart flavor of the cranberries. Alternative sweeteners will change both the flavor and consistency.
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are my first choice when they’re in season. Look for berries that are firm, glossy, and deep red, and avoid any that are soft, wrinkled, or discolored. Frozen cranberries are an excellent substitute and can be used straight from the freezer without thawing, making this syrup easy to prepare year-round.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cranberry simple syrup
Step 1: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Do not bring to a boil.
Step 2: Stir the fresh or frozen cranberries into the hot syrup and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Step 3: Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries will begin to pop and soften, releasing their juices and turning the syrup a deep ruby red.
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Step 4: Lightly crush the cranberries with a potato masher to release more juice, then remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the syrup steep for 15–30 minutes.
Step 5: Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or large measuring cup. Let it drain naturally, then gently press the cranberries with the back of a spoon to extract the remaining syrup without forcing excess pulp through the strainer.
Step 6: Allow the syrup to cool completely, then transfer it to a clean glass bottle or jar.
Step 7: Seal with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 6 months.
Top tips
- Don’t boil the syrup. Once the sugar has dissolved, keep the syrup at a gentle simmer. A vigorous boil isn’t necessary and can reduce the syrup more than intended, making it sweeter and thicker than a classic simple syrup.
- Steep to adjust the flavor. Taste the syrup after 15 minutes of steeping. For a brighter, lighter cranberry flavor, strain it then. If you’d like a bolder, more tart syrup, let the cranberries steep for up to 30 minutes before straining.
- Strain while the syrup is warm. Warm syrup flows more easily through a fine-mesh strainer than cold syrup. Allow it to drain naturally, then gently press the berries to extract the remaining syrup without forcing excess pulp through the strainer.
- Freeze extra syrup in small portions. Pour cooled syrup into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays so you can thaw only what you need. It’s an easy way to keep homemade cranberry syrup on hand long after fresh cranberry season ends.
Serve
Cranberry simple syrup adds sweet-tart cranberry flavor and beautiful ruby color to drinks, breakfast favorites, and desserts. Stir it into sparkling water, old-fashioned fresh squeezed lemonade, homemade iced tea, classic homemade orangeade, or an Arnold Palmer drink, or use it to sweeten cocktails and mocktails. It also works well in hot coffee, French press cold brew, lattes, and hot chocolate.
Drizzle it over homemade farmhouse pancakes, waffles, French toast, cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or fresh fruit. For baking, brush it lightly over rustic pumpkin cranberry scones when they come out of the oven. Or over cake layers before frosting them, such as homemade vanilla caramel cake, peppermint chocolate layer cake, lemon crumb cake from scratch, and homemade sweet potato cake to add moisture and cranberry flavor.
Cranberry pairs especially well with orange, apple, cinnamon, vanilla, and rosemary, so don’t be afraid to experiment by adding this syrup anywhere those flavors are already featured.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you love making from scratch condiments in your kitchen, give these other great condiment recipes a try too!
Grape Syrup Recipe
Lemon Syrup Recipe For Pancakes
Blueberry Compote From Scratch (4 Simple Ingredients)
Small Batch Strawberry Jalapeño Jam (Low Sugar Recipe)
Honey Whipped Cream Cheese Recipe (Smooth and Spreadable)
Farmhouse Ranch Dressing From Scratch (No Packet)
Cranberry Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh cranberries substitute frozen if necessary
Instructions
- Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Add the cranberries and bring the syrup to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Lightly crush the cranberries with a potato masher, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture steep for 15–30 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, pressing lightly on the solids to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids.
- Cool the syrup completely, then transfer it to a clean glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Steep the crushed cranberries for the full 30 minutes if you prefer a stronger cranberry flavor.
- Warm syrup flows more easily through a fine-mesh sieve, making it easier to extract as much syrup as possible.
- Refrigerate the syrup in a clean glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid for up to 1 month. Shake gently before using if any natural settling occurs.
- Freeze the syrup in an airtight freezer-safe container or ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
