Easy Candied Cranberries with Powdered Sugar

Posted December 16, 2025 by Prairie Wife -

We recently had our annual Cookie Exchange Party, and Cowgirl G’s Easy Candied Cranberries with Powdered Sugar were a HUGE hit. Several people asked us for the recipe, and we are always happy to share, so here it is!

Cowgirl G first saw this recipe on Instagram, and we made it for the first time for Thanksgiving. We adjusted the recipe slightly, and the result is below. We called them “Polar Bear Balls,” but for obvious reasons, I didn’t feel comfortable posting a recipe with that title.

We served these in a bowl so people could pick out a few at a time as they wandered by, and we also had a large serving spoon so people who wanted more could load up their plates. These would make a lovely decoration on a holiday cake or pastry (and the flavor would be amazing with either vanilla or chocolate), so keep that in mind as an option.

You can find suggestions for add-ins to enhance the flavors and make it uniquely yours at the end of the recipe.

Easy Candied Cranberries with Powdered Sugar
Prep Time: 5 Minutes (Soak Overnight) Bake Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients
2 Bags of Fresh Cranberries
18 oz of Sprite
1 3/4 Cups Orange Juice
2 – 3 Cups of Powdered Sugar
Non-Stick Baking Spray

1. Take a large bowl and combine cranberries, Sprite, and Orange Juice.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Strain the Cranberries. You can use the liquid as a fancy holiday drink if you’d like, but the soda will be a bit flat.
4. Set the oven to 200 degrees.
5. Place cranberries into a large zip-lock bag with 2 cups of powdered sugar. Gently toss until the cranberries are evenly coated in sugar. You may need to add some more powdered sugar.
6. Spray a pan with nonstick baking spray, then evenly spread the powdered-sugar-coated cranberries.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cranberries are candied. You’ll know they are ready because when you eat one, it “pops” or “cracks.”
8. Let the cranberries cool and serve!
9. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Mix One of  the Ingredients Below into the Powdered Sugar to Add New Flavor:

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Cinnamon
2 Tbs Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tbs Gingerbread Spice

Are you looking for more Holiday Recipes?

Try our Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up or our Christmas Crack Recipe!

Categories: Life As It Happens

Tags: , candied cranberries, Christmas cranberries, cranberry dessert, easy candied cranberries, easy holiday recipes, festive desserts, holiday baking, holiday cranberry recipe, holiday garnishes, powdered sugar cranberries, sugared cranberries, sweet cranberries, winter desserts