It's really easy to make sugar free dried cranberries - or sugar free craisins, if you prefer to call them that - at home. I sprinkle them over salads and use them in muffins, granola and cookies. They're also delicious as a fruity, juicy snack all on their own.
When you think of the holiday season, which berry springs to mind? Cranberries, of course.
Each year, I look forward to the moment cranberries pop up in the supermarket. Then, I make a batch of my sugar free cranberry sauce - and these sugar free dried cranberries.
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Regular dried cranberries recipes are made with a sugar syrup or concentrated fruit juice. Really, they are no better than raisins or dates.
Instead of making a (sugar free) syrup, I simply coat the cranberries with a mix of coconut oil and powdered sweetener.
This recipe is a hit in our house every year. Here's why:
🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Juicy, soft and chewy texture.
- So much flavor! Tart and sweet taste.
- Easy to make. 3 ingredients only.
- Versatile. Use in muffins, cookies, granola and more
- Healthy. Packed with vitamin C and minerals, high in antioxidants.
- Keto friendly. 1 tablespoon is only 1.4g net carbs.
Ingredients
Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen.
Powdered sweetener. I have made the recipe with both powdered erythritol and powdered allulose. I'd say that allulose is the better option if you can get hold of it. It melts like sugar and gives a smoother result.
Coconut oil. You need a little oil so the sweetener sticks better. Avocado oil or a light olive oil also works. Avoid vegetable or canola oil, they are not good for you.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Step 1: Blanch the cranberries.
If using frozen cranberries - Pour boiling water over them and leave them to thaw. Drain and squeeze out the liquid with kitchen paper. They don't need to be bone dry, just the excess taken out.
If using fresh cranberries - Put them in a saucepan with boiling water and simmer until the cranberries start to soften and the skin splits open. Drain and then press between kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture.
Step 2: Toss the berries in a bowl with coconut oil and low carb sweetener. Then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Let the cranberries slowly dehydrate in the oven. Check regularly to ensure they don't over-brown - all ovens are different.
Expert Tips
#1 If not all berries pop in the hot water, pierce the skins with a fork or a toothpick. If you pierce them or the skin has popped, they will dry quicker and the sweetener can enter the berries.
#2 You can make the sweetener stick even better by adding ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum or 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder. It's not essential to the recipe, but more similar to original (sugary) version which uses sugar syrups.
Recipe FAQs
I set my oven to 100 Celsius / 210 Fahrenheit electric, which turned out to be the perfect temperature to speed up the drying process as much as possible without risking the cranberries to brown. For fan assisted ovens, set to 80C / 175F.
4 ½ hours seems to be the perfect time. If your cranberries are VERY small (like red currants), about 4 hours may be sufficient. After this you NEED to turn off the oven and leave the berries inside overnight. Prop the door open with a wooden spoon. During this time they will dry out more and gain that raisin-like texture - juicy inside, but dry on the outside.
Yes. In my first try, I put them straight into the oven without blanching them first. This increased the oven time to 7 hours. I know you don't have time for that!
Yes, but they will be VERY tart. However, if you add unsweetened dried cranberries to muffins or other sweet dishes, you won't notice the difference. I used unsweetened cranberries in these orange cranberry scones and they worked really well.
Absolutely, but it will take much longer - between 12 and 14 hours. I don't own a food dehydrator, so please follow the manufacturer's instructions. The great thing about a dehydrator is that it uses less energy than an oven.
Uses
I love sugar-free dried cranberries as a simple juicy snack all on their own. Here are more ideas where they work:
Muffins. Add them into any muffin recipe to give them a festive, wintery flair. Try these keto blueberry muffins or these dairy-free coconut flour muffins and just replace the blueberries with cranberries.
Salads. Sprinkle over winter salads such as kale or chicory salad.
Granola. Add to keto granola, in low carb porridge or to keto granola bars.
Christmas baking. Use them in low carb Christmas pudding, stollen, mince pies or gluten-free panettone.
Storage
Kitchen cupboard: Store the cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature. If they are well-dried, you can keep them for a couple of months.
Fridge: If they are still very moist, you may prefer to store them in the fridge.
Freezer: It's possible to freeze them for up to 1 year.
More Keto Holiday Recipes
- Keto Candied Pecans10 Minutes
- Sugar Free Peanut Brittle (Keto)22 Minutes
- Keto Marzipan (Sugar Free)5 Minutes
- Homemade Ferrero Rocher Recipe25 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Sugar Free Dried Cranberries
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz cranberries fresh or defrosted, 300g
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup powdered sweetener erythritol or allulose, 100g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 100C / 210 F electric (or 80C fan).
- If using frozen cranberries, place in a bowl of boiled water to defrost. If using fresh cranberries, place in a pan with a little boiling water and simmer for 2 - 4 minutes on a low heat or until they soften slightly and the skin pops open. Drain and place on kitchen paper and press to remove the moisture.
- Pierce any berries that haven't popped with a fork. Put them in a bowl and toss them in the coconut oil and powdered sweetener.
- Pour cranberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dehydrate in the oven for 4 ½ hours. Then, turn off the oven, prop the door open with a wooden spoon and leave the cranberries inside overnight.
Swanna Hughes
I wonder if cherries would also work? It's summer here in Australia & cherries are in abundance. Obviously they have a pip but that could be a job to do while watching TV!
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, I guess it would be the same principle. Low and slow, until they are dried!
Ellen
Hallo Katrin, I really enjoy your recipes, especially the German ones!
Made these yesterday with allulose using frozen berries that were thawed and I cut each in half. Mixed with the oil and allulose and spread out on sheet with parchment at 210F, after 2 hrs they were crispy and dry. I will try again with the boiling water method as want to make your Keto Stollen (German girl living in Nova Scotia). I am also looking forward to making the keto marzipan! I plan to make Marzipan Kartoffeln / potatoes by rolling it into little balls and then in a little cocoa or maybe cinnamon or pumpkin spice as a treat. Also plan to dip others in 90% melted Lindt chocolate.
Catherine
Hi Katrin, I’ve tried to find allulose but I’m having no luck. Could you recommend where to buy it please?
Catherine Pitts
I'm in Washington State and I buy it at Safeway. Amazon also has it. I like the Splenda allulose, as it's finer by than others, almost powdered.
Patti
I made your cranberry sauce for Thanksgivivng, so good!!! I think I will use the left overs to make some ice cream,!! I hope to try this recipe soon. Thank you!!!
Sharon
Made your low carb brownies last night and they are so yummy. I can’t tell the difference between these and normal brownies! Will definitely be making them again and will be trying the mince pies next!
Jane Webb
If you are dehydrating without the sweetener do you still use the coconut oil?
Katrin Nürnberger
No, I don't think you need it. I used it so the sweetener would stick.
Deborah
Thank you for working out all the pesky details of getting this right. Thanks so much....loved them!
EAT CHIMAC
What wonderful food!
Elizabeth M Chambers
I wonder if liquid Allulose would work?
Katrin Nürnberger
I have never tried it. But there are dried cranberry recipes with maple syrup out there, so a syrup should work. Be sure to use the arrowroot or xanthan to coat the berries.
Suzanne
I have bags of black currants and blackberries in freezer and would love to dry some and free up freezer space. Do you think these berries would work the same way? Also raspberries or are they too juicy
Katrin Nürnberger
I think the black currants and red currants would both work really well. Blueberries as well. You wouldn't have to cook or blanch them beforehand. And probably they would dry out faster too because they are much smaller.
Blackberries may taste funny because you have that fibrous bit in the middle. Raspberries may disintegrate because they are so delicate, but it's worth a try!