Cranberry Syrup (Printable)

Bright, tangy cranberry syrup from berries, sugar, and water — ideal for pancakes, desserts, and cocktails.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 2 cups (200 g) fresh or frozen cranberries

02 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

03 - 1 cup (240 ml) water

04 - 1 strip orange peel (optional)

05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

01 - Place cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Add the orange peel if using.

02 - Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until most berries burst and the sauce thickens.

03 - Remove from heat. For a smooth syrup, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the berries to extract all liquid. Discard the solids.

04 - Stir in vanilla extract if using. Let cool completely. Transfer to a sealed bottle or jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

01 -

It turns a humble bag of cranberries into the most jewel toned syrup you have ever seen, and people will genuinely ask what restaurant you ordered it from.
The whole thing comes together in under twenty minutes with ingredients you probably already have.
It stores beautifully in the fridge for two weeks, which means breakfast feels fancy with zero extra effort on groggy mornings.

02 -

Do not walk away from the simmering pot for too long because cranberries can go from gently popping to foaming over the edge in what feels like seconds.
Pressing firmly through the sieve is the key to getting a genuinely smooth syrup rather than something that feels like thin jam.

03 -

Taste the syrup before you strain it and adjust the sugar if your cranberries are particularly tart or particularly sweet, since fruit can vary wildly.
A funnel makes transferring the strained syrup into bottles much less messy and honestly saves a lot of sticky countertop frustration.