Description
Capture the joy of the holidays with these homemade Cranberry Jelly Candies! Sweet-tart, chewy, and ruby-red, they’re perfect for gifting, decorating dessert platters, or enjoying with a warm mug of cocoa.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp unflavored gelatin (or 2 tsp agar-agar powder for vegan option)
- ¼ cup cold water (for blooming gelatin)
- Optional: ½ tsp vanilla extract or orange zest
- Additional sugar for coating (optional)
Makes about 40–50 small candies depending on mold size.
Instructions
- Prepare Cranberry Base: Combine cranberries, sugar, and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes until berries burst and soften.
- Blend and Strain: Purée with immersion blender and strain through a fine mesh sieve for a smooth mixture.
- Bloom Gelatin: Sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water and let sit 5 minutes to bloom.
- Combine: Return purée to saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and bloomed gelatin. Heat gently 2–3 minutes until dissolved (do not boil).
- Pour and Set: Pour mixture into silicone molds or parchment-lined pan. Chill 2–3 hours until firm.
- Cut and Coat: If using a pan, cut into squares. Optionally roll in sugar for sparkle.
- Store: Keep in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days or refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Vegan Option: Replace gelatin with 2 tsp agar-agar powder. Boil gently for 1–2 minutes before mixing with purée.
Notes
- Do not boil after adding gelatin — heat destroys its setting power.
- Strain purée thoroughly for a silky texture.
- Use silicone molds for easy release and festive shapes.
- Dust with powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking.
- Perfect for edible gifts, stocking stuffers, or Christmas dessert trays!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Candy, Dessert, Holiday Recipes
- Method: Stovetop, No-Bake
- Cuisine: American, Festive Treats
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 candies
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Cranberry Jelly Candy, Cranberry Gummies, Homemade Fruit Candy, Vegan Cranberry Candy, Holiday Treats, Christmas Candy