How to make the perfect dessert topping for Christmas cakes and pastries: sugared cranberries and rosemary!
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For bakers and kitchen creatives like myself, it is always important that my homemade treats and desserts come out looking flawless and show-stopping. I want my homemade sweets to come out looking so good that no one could pass them up after taking even just one glance at them. This is how I found myself making my own cupcake and cake toppers for most of my dessert recipes.
I find this to be even more true when I’m baking for the holidays. I want my Christmas cakes to not only be satisfyingly scrumptious, but also sparkling and dazzling with holiday flair! But, amidst the holiday chaos, I also like to be able to make this eye-catching effect quickly, easily, and in the most hassle-free way possible. My favorite way to accomplish this is with these Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary.
These sugared natural cake toppers are absolutely perfect for easily adding that sparkling holiday flair to any Christmas cake! These are super simple to make and don’t take up very much time at all. It’s like adding an edible Christmas wreath to any holiday treat that’s almost too cute to eat!
Simple Sugaring Equipment
Let me start by going over my short and simple equipment list for this recipe. I just use a few common kitchen tools to get the job done, nothing fancy is required. Here are the tools I use to make a batch of these sugared cranberries and rosemary:
Sweet and Fresh Ingredients
Next, I’ll go over my sweet and simple ingredient list. I only use 4 simple ingredients for this easy cake topping recipe! Here’s what to get:
- 1/2 cup Fresh cranberries – washed
- 1 package Fresh rosemary – washed
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ cup Sugar – for the final coat
How to Make Dazzling Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
It’s showtime! Well, almost… First, I need to break down my simple method into a few easy steps that you can follow along with. Then you can be on your way to creating your own show-stopping dessert! Here’s how to make dazzling sugared cranberries and rosemary:
- First, line a baking sheet with some paper towels.
- Next, pour ½ cup of sugar into a glass mixing bowl and set aside. This will be for the final coat.
- Then, combine the water and ¼ cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat and stir the mixture with a silicone spatula until the ingredients are completely combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Then, let the sugar syrup cool entirely.
- Next, dip the cranberries and rosemary into the sugar syrup and then transfer them to the lined baking sheet.
- Finally, roll the cranberries and rosemary around, a few at a time, in the mixing bowl with the remaining sugar to completely coat them. Once they are fully coated, let the sugared toppings dry on the baking sheet, lined with dry paper towels, before using them as a pastry decoration.
Storing Leftover Sugared Cranberries
You only need half a cup of cranberries for this recipe, but I like to make extra and save them either to use on another holiday treat or to enjoy as a naturally sweet snack all on their own! Here’s how to store them for later enjoyment:
To store sugared cranberries: transfer the coated berries to an airtight container lined with dry paper towels. Keep the berries in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Always label the date on the outside of the container to keep up with freshness.
More Christmas Recipes
Topping Off Homemade Treats with Even Tastier Sweets
As I mentioned, I absolutely love making my own cupcake and cake toppers to really add that wow factor to my homemade treats! I do it as often as I can, always trying to figure out how to make simple treat toppers that don’t take up a lot of extra time. Here are some of my favorite homemade sweet treat toppings:
- Homemade Lollipops
- Toasted Pecans
- Toasted Coconut Flakes
- Homemade Mini Chocolate Bars
- Mini Chocolate Bars with Sprinkles
- Mini Mermaid Chocolate Bars
- Chocolate Mermaid Tails
- Homemade Star-Shaped Chocolates
- Chocolate Hearts and Lips
- Chocolate Seashells
Sugared cranberries and rosemary
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Fresh cranberries washed
- 1 package Fresh rosemary washed
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ cup Sugar for the final coat
Instructions
- First, line a baking sheet with some paper towels.
- Next, pour ½ cup of sugar into a glass mixing bowl and set aside. This will be for the final coat.
- Then, combine the water and ¼ cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat and stir the mixture with a silicone spatula until the ingredients are completely combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Then, let the sugar syrup cool entirely.
- Next, dip the cranberries and rosemary into the sugar syrup and then transfer them to the lined baking sheet.
- Finally, roll the cranberries and rosemary around, a few at a time, in the mixing bowl with the remaining sugar to completely coat them. Once they are fully coated, let the sugared toppings dry on the baking sheet, lined with dry paper towels, before using them as a pastry decoration.
Video
Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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