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    Home » Dairy Free » How to Make Dried Cranberries – Sugar Free Recipe

    Published: Nov 11, 2018 · Modified: Apr 12, 2020 by Carolyn

    How to Make Dried Cranberries – Sugar Free Recipe

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    10.1K shares
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    How to make your own dried cranberries at home. An easy recipe for sugar free dried cranberries with your favorite low carb sweetener. Make them in the oven or in a dehydrator.

    Easy homemade dried cranberries spilling out from a jar

    This dried cranberries recipe has been on my blog since a gazillion years. Or, to be more precise, since November of 2012, which really amounts to the same thing. But it was combined with another post all about stocking your low carb pantry and I decided it needed its own stand alone post to make it easier to find.

    I’ve been making these sugar free dried cranberries almost every year since. It’s not easy to find this popular snack without huge amounts of added sugar. Even ones that claim no added sugar use things like apple juice to sweeten them. So I started making my own dried cranberries at home with my own sweeteners and I’ve learned a lot of good tricks about how to do it right.

    And there are so many delicious ways to use them, be sure to check out all of the keto recipes below!

    Low carb dried cranberries in a jar

    Making Sugar Free Dried Cranberries at Home

    Cranberries are pretty tart on their own – I’d almost go as far to say that they are unpalatable. So I’d suggest sweetening them with something but you can use any sweetener you like best. I usually use ½ cup confectioner’s Swerve but you can increase the sweetener if you like them sweeter. A powdered or liquid sweetener is going to work best because granular varieties will be gritty.

    You can make unsweetened dried cranberries as well. Once they are added to other recipes, you won’t notice the tartness as much.

    You can make this recipe in the oven or in a dehydrator. It works well both ways. For several years I made them in the oven at a low temperature. But my husband bought me a dehydrator a few years ago and I’ve also made them that way. The oven method is actually faster, as a dehydrator needs to run for 8 hours or so. But using an oven also uses significantly more energy. Your choice!

    Whole cranberries in a bowl with some chopped pieces

    You don’t need to boil them or any such thing. I used to do that but I found that they got quite mushy and it was hard to separate out the individual cranberries. It was a reader who suggested chopping them in half, and I once I tried it, I realized it worked perfectly. Simply cut each berry in half so that the moisture can escape more easily. Don’t try to do whole berries, as the tough skin of cranberries means they won’t lose moisture fast enough.

    Simply toss the halved cranberries with the sweetener and oil until they are all well coated. Don’t skip the oil or your dried cranberries will be tough and crispy. They get a little crispy as it is but the oil makes a huge difference.

    Store the cranberries in an airtight container. If they are well dried out, you can keep them on the counter for a few weeks. If they still have some moisture to them, they are best kept in the fridge.

    That’s it, friends. See how easy it is to make dried cranberries at home?

    Keto dried cranberries in a wooden bowl on a red plaid napkin

    Where can you buy unsweetened dried cranberries?

    Now if you’d prefer to buy unsweetened dried cranberries, there are actually a few brands out there. Back when I started making my own, there were none. Zero, Zip, Zilch. Nada! But I guess times have changed and the demand is there so a few companies make them now and you can get them on Amazon. That’s the only place I’ve seen them thus far.

    I’ve purchased these ones from Shoreline Fruits before but they come in a huge 1 pound bag. I recommend sharing with a friend!

    I haven’t tried these ones from Honestly Cranberry but some of my readers have ordered them and liked them.

    How to use your sugar free dried cranberries

    Now that you made a big batch of dried cranberries, you need keto recipes to use them. Not to worry, I have plenty of ideas for you…

    Cranberry Goat Cheese Log

    Low Carb Cranberry Muffins – this recipe uses fresh cranberries but it’s really good with the dried ones too!

    Low Carb Granola Bars

    Cranberry Bliss Cookies

    Cranberry Ginger Butter Cookies

    Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps

    Keto Cranberry Pecan Biscotti

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    Easy sugar free dried cranberries recipe

    Sugar Free Dried Cranberries

    Make your own sugar free dried cranberries at home! Perfect for holiday baking or anytime you want a healthy low carb sweet treat.
    4.93 from 39 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Appetizer
    Keyword: dried cranberries, sugar free dried cranberries
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours
    Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 38kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 12 oz package fresh cranberries
    • ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener (more if you like them sweeter)
    • 2 tablespoon avocado oil

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 200F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Cut cranberries in half and toss in a bowl with sweetener and oil (this recipe has been changed from boiling the berries until they pop because cutting them is easier and not nearly as messy!).
    • Spread on prepared baking pan and separate each individual berry as best you can.
    • Place baking sheet in oven and let dry, 3 hours or longer.
    • Remove, let cool and transfer to an airtight container. Store in refrigerator.

    Notes

    Makes 8 servings. Each serving has 5.1 g of carbs and 2.2 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.9 g.
    Nutrition Facts
    Sugar Free Dried Cranberries
    Amount Per Serving (3 tbsp)
    Calories 38 Calories from Fat 32
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3.5g5%
    Carbohydrates 5.2g2%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Protein 0.2g0%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. JudyC says

      May 20, 2022 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      I also keep these in a container in the freezer and use as needed. They last the entire year this way.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        May 20, 2022 at 1:01 pm

        So do I!!!

        Reply
    2. Kathy says

      March 19, 2022 at 1:04 pm

      im making unsweetened dried cranberries for the birds for the first time,,, should i use the confectioners type of sugar since its more of a fine powder instead of the regular? ive never used this type of sweetener before ,,, its safe for the birds?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 19, 2022 at 4:27 pm

        You’re making it for birds? If so… I wouldn’t be using any sweetener at all.

        Reply
    3. Cheryl Hughes says

      March 03, 2022 at 6:37 pm

      Hi Carolyn,
      I love cranberry orange biscotti and muffins. Since I was unable to find cranberries to try your recipe, I purchased a bag of unsweetened cranberries from Cherry Orchard. While they were beautiful and very fresh, they were as you said almost unpalatable. I tried boiling them by cooking them with a small amount of water and allulose and then straining them. I could make cranberry sauce that way but not biscotti. I’d be grateful for any suggestions that you might have. I’m anxious to try making your biscotti recipe before next year 🙂 I so appreciate your blog. In the past, I haven’t been able to remain on a keto diet for more than a week.

      Thank you,

      Cheryl

      Reply
    4. Cheryl Hughes says

      March 03, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Since they don’t have cranberries in the store now, I ordered one tha large bag that you recommended.

      Reply
    5. Shirley says

      January 31, 2022 at 12:46 pm

      Hi, I just found your site and am so happy. I have been using the 50% less sugar dried cranberries in recipes and love them, but still more sugar than I would like. Want to make your dried cranberries in the oven, but what do you use after holiday time when you can’t find fresh cranberries anymore? I have read in comments that you can’t use the frozen/fresh because they turn out mushy, but a couple of the comments said you could use the frozen if you mash them instead. Am afraid to try this as I don’t want to waste the frozen cranberries or my time. Thanks so much and am looking forward to trying a lot of your recipes!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 31, 2022 at 1:07 pm

        You can try frozen but I can’t guarantee the results.

        Reply
    6. Josie Poland says

      January 03, 2022 at 8:04 pm

      I made 2 packages today. They are delicious. Can’t wait to use on a recipe. I only paid 99 cents gor the berries. So much less expensive.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 04, 2022 at 5:09 pm

        Excellent!

        Reply
      • Shirley says

        January 31, 2022 at 12:48 pm

        Hi Josie, where did you find fresh cranberries at this time of year? Thanks.

        Reply
    7. Wendy says

      December 30, 2021 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      I love these! I’ve made them many times and keep them frozen for future use. They come out perfectly. I use a dehydrator and make them in large batches.

      Reply
    8. Annemarie says

      December 21, 2021 at 8:37 am

      Quick question: I’m allergic to avocado so I’m always hesitant to try avocado oil. Is there another oil I could use?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 21, 2021 at 9:14 am

        Any oil will do. Try melted coconut oil.

        Reply
    9. Marguerite Lindemann says

      December 19, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      I loved it as I love cranberries and am diabetic. 3 house wasn’t enough time in my oven. I ended up leaving them for 6 hours. I used these for a low-carb cheese ball and in a low-carb stuffing. Also for snaking and on top of a salad.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 19, 2021 at 2:36 pm

        Yes, I am finding that many folks need to keep them in longer. Possibly depends on the brand of berries?

        Reply
    10. Laura Gill says

      December 15, 2021 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      The first time I made these was a disaster!
      Well that was becauseI used frozen cranberries, please don’t do that…
      I licked my wounds and waited couple of weeks and decided to give this recipe another chance. Well let me say, first of all I purchased fresh cranberries and repeated the recipe. WOW!!! my cranberries came out fabulous. It took much longer than 3 hrs., actually in my oven on 200 degrees it was 5 hrs. Well worth it!
      I’m ready for my favorite holiday recipes. Thank you Carolyn! You are truly my new favorite Keto inspiration, what a vision! Merry Baking to all

      Reply
    11. Susan says

      December 06, 2021 at 6:52 pm

      I would love to know the temperature you use for drying cranberries in a dehydrator, since I have one, and using it would leave my oven free for other things. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 06, 2021 at 7:24 pm

        It depends on your dehydrator. Mine says 125 to 135 for berries.

        Reply
        • Susan says

          December 06, 2021 at 9:00 pm

          Thank you! I’ll check my book.

          Reply
    12. Amy says

      December 06, 2021 at 6:33 am

      I’m wondering if these can be frozen after drying?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 06, 2021 at 9:25 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    13. Dora says

      December 02, 2021 at 11:58 am

      I just went and checked the settings for my dehydrator for this.
      Place cranberries in a single layer on Excalibur Dehydrator tray lined with parchment paper to prevent staining.

      Dry cranberries at 135°F for 20-24 hours or until dry.

      Reply
    14. Julie says

      December 01, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      Have you tried making these with liquid allulose?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 01, 2021 at 6:34 pm

        Not with liquid, no. But I did them just this past weekend and used half Swerve and half granular allulose and they were really good. No re-crystallization!

        Reply
    15. MPG says

      November 30, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      This didn’t work. I went through all the prep work, followed the directions precisely, and then after 3 hours, the cranberries were not even close to being dry. The oven tray with the parchment paper was full of juice. I checked the oven temp with a thermometer to make sure, and it was exactly 200 degrees. So then I tried turning up the heat, and the cranberries immediately burned. I will not be wasting any more fruit attempting this.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 30, 2021 at 10:41 pm

        I am sorry it didn’t work for you but it absolutely does work because I just made them again this weekend. 🙂

        Reply
      • Cindy says

        December 13, 2021 at 3:41 pm

        5 stars
        Hi,
        The cooking time was also not enough for me so I let the cranberries for another hour still at 200°. They still weren’t as I expected.
        But I had to cook dinner (Keto lasagna stuffed peppers). So after the dinner was cooked I putted the cranberries again in the oven (not turn on, just the warmth of the previous preparation) until the oven was cold again.
        And OMG! The cranberries are crispy without being too hard and I cannot stop to go to the kitchen to eat a few 🙈
        So don’t give up 😉

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          December 13, 2021 at 4:57 pm

          It’s so hard to judge ovens… they seem to vary so wildly. Also the moisture content of the original cranberries varies as well. 🙂 Glad they worked out!

          Reply
    16. Wendy says

      November 27, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Can I use a different oil?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 27, 2021 at 6:36 pm

        Yes but you want a neutral flavor.

        Reply
    17. Sherry says

      November 10, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      How long do you dry in a dehydrator? Do you put them on the fruit leather rack?
      Thanks…have them in the dehydrator now!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 10, 2021 at 6:59 pm

        Depends on your dehydrator but I usually set mine so it’s running overnight.

        Reply
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