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.
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!
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!
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?
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…
Low Carb Cranberry Muffins – this recipe uses fresh cranberries but it’s really good with the dried ones too!
Cranberry Ginger Butter Cookies
Sugar Free Dried Cranberries
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
Josie Poland says
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.
Carolyn says
Excellent!
Wendy says
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.
Annemarie says
Quick question: I’m allergic to avocado so I’m always hesitant to try avocado oil. Is there another oil I could use?
Carolyn says
Any oil will do. Try melted coconut oil.
Marguerite Lindemann says
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.
Carolyn says
Yes, I am finding that many folks need to keep them in longer. Possibly depends on the brand of berries?
Laura Gill says
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
Susan says
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!
Carolyn says
It depends on your dehydrator. Mine says 125 to 135 for berries.
Susan says
Thank you! I’ll check my book.
Amy says
I’m wondering if these can be frozen after drying?
Carolyn says
Absolutely!
Dora says
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.
Julie says
Have you tried making these with liquid allulose?
Carolyn says
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!
MPG says
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.
Carolyn says
I am sorry it didn’t work for you but it absolutely does work because I just made them again this weekend. 🙂
Cindy says
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 😉
Carolyn says
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!
Wendy says
Can I use a different oil?
Carolyn says
Yes but you want a neutral flavor.
Sherry says
How long do you dry in a dehydrator? Do you put them on the fruit leather rack?
Thanks…have them in the dehydrator now!
Carolyn says
Depends on your dehydrator but I usually set mine so it’s running overnight.