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This sweet and tart snack is a TikTok sensation! The original recipe was good, but I set out to make an even better Candied Cranberry Poppers. And I did! Fun to eat and simple to make! Just four ingredients!

Candied Cranberry Poppers – A Tasty TikTok Trend

Let me start out by saying that I am not now, never have been, and have no plans to be on TikTok anytime in the future.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against TikTok. It’s just that my hands are full with Instagram and Facebook. But there are some very creative people on TikTok, and some really fun, tasty trends.

Cranberry poppers are one of them.

One of my book club members brought some to our monthly meeting. When my friend put down the bowl, I thought it might be some kind of candy. I popped one into my mouth.

My teeth crunched through a sweet outer layer of baked powder sugar and into the center of the popper. While the sweet sugar crust was still lingering on my tongue, my mouth was flooded with the bright, tart taste of cranberry.

It was surprising! And tasty. And a little bit addictive.

That burst of sweet and sour was just so good! And, compared to the many other sugar-laden, calorie-dense, holiday treats on the table – these cranberry poppers were a pretty healthy option.

Naturally, I asked my friend for the recipe.

Better Candied Cranberry Poppers – Making A Good Thing Even Better

I was surprised at how simple it was.

Basically, you soak fresh cranberries for twenty-four hours, using either prosecco or ginger ale and some orange juice. Then you dredge them in powdered sugar and bake briefly at a low temperature.

That was it. Simple, right?

Even so, I read the recipe a couple of times. Something didn’t sound quite right to me.

Fresh cranberry skins are pretty much impermeable. So, what good would soaking do? How was the flavor of the liquid going to infuse the cranberry? It didn’t make sense.

However, I went ahead and followed the directions. I figured there must be something I didn’t understand. Maybe fresh cranberries really could absorb liquid?

When I tasted them after 24 hours of soaking, they didn’t taste any different. The skins were possibly a little less firm, but that was all. It didn’t seem like they’d absorbed any flavor from the prosecco or the juice.

Now, I could have just gone ahead with the recipe and left well enough alone. After all, I really did like the cranberry poppers my friend brought to book club.

Instead, I started over. I felt certain that I could make them better.

Two Simple Techniques For A Better Cranberry Popper

As it turned out, the solution was as simple as the recipe. Just take a toothpick and poke a hole into every cranberry before soaking.

Yes, it did take a little time, but only a little. Poking holes into each cranberry took less than ten minutes. Easy peasy!

But there was one more problem I needed to solve.

Cranberries float. And if they’re just bobbing on the surface of the liquid, they’re not going to absorb it.

So I covered the cranberries and prosecco with plastic wrap, then placed ceramic pie weights on top of the plastic. That added weight pushed the berries down into the prosecco. If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans or rice will work just as well.

I decided to save a few cranberries from the first batch. That way, I could taste them side by side with the berries I’d poked with the toothpick after they finished soaking.

There was definitely a difference.

The first batch was very sour. The cranberries in the second batch were still sour but had a lovely little hint of bright, boozy flavor. It was subtle, but I could definitely taste the difference.

Once the soaking problem was solved, everything else was a snap.

Making Better Candied Cranberry Poppers

The full recipe is available below, so you can print it out easily. But let’s go over it quickly.

Step one is to rinse and sort the cranberries. Throw away any that are soft or discolored. Then, poke a hole in each cranberry with a wooden toothpick.

Next, put the cranberries into a good-sized bowl and pour in some prosecco and a little orange juice. Don’t fill the bowl to the brim; leave a couple of inches of space.

Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the cranberries. Make sure the plastic extends up the sides of the bowl. Don’t stretch the plastic completely taut. It needs to have just a little give.

Place pie weights or dried beans onto the plastic. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and soak the cranberries for twenty-four hours. Be sure to soak for the full twenty-four hours! After soaking, pour the liquid off the cranberries, then spread them out on a paper towel to dry.

Put the dried cranberries in a bowl and dredge with powdered sugar. Shake the bowl so all the berries are coated with sugar.

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment and spread the cranberries out in a single layer. Bake them at 200 degrees for five minutes. Don’t exceed that time, or the berries might burst. Remove the pan from the oven. Let the cranberry poppers cool before serving.

They’re best eaten on the same day you make them, or within twenty-four hours. But I really don’t think that will be a problem.

As I said before, these sweet and tart cranberry poppers are a little bit addictive. They’re also a terrific alternative to candy, cookies, and less healthy temptations we’re faced with during the holidays.

Bring some to your next party or potluck, or make some to enjoy at home. They’re a healthy, easy-to-make holiday treat!