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How to Dry Cranberries
We’ll show you step by step how to dry cranberries. It’s incredibly easy and they have a multitude of uses from sweets to savory.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
2 d
Total Time
2 d 5 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 40 kcal
Course:
Side Dish , Snacks
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 4 cups cranberries
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Wash berries well. Sort out any berries that are bruised or not yet ripe. Gently use a salad spinner to remove a lot of the water. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Arrange them in a single layer on racks of your dehydrator. To use your oven, arrange the berries on a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Slide the racks into the dehydrator. If using oven, heat to lowest heat setting, usually 155-175°F/ 90°C.
- For dehydrator, set temperature at 125°F / 52°C. Set time at 20 hours. Start machine. Check after 20 hours. If more time is needed, set timer for more time. It can take 36 hours to dry them or more.
- For oven, set timer to 2 hours. Prop door open with a heat resistant spatula or wooden spoon. Turn each berry after one hour. The oven gets much hotter than a dehydrator so keep a close eye that they don't burn.
Cup of Yum
Conditioning
- This is an important step for food safety, so don't skip!
- Once fully dry, and cooled, place berries in a glass or plastic jar. Place the jar in a dark area. Daily, for 7-10 days, shake the jar to break them apart. If you see any signs of moisture or condensation on inside of the jar, dehydrate them again.
- Once fully dry, condition them again.
- See notes for storage tips.
Notes
- 4 cups of cranberries yields about 1 pint of dried cranberries.
- How to Store
- The best way to store fully dried dehydrated foods is to vacuum pack single serve portions. Vacuum sealing larger portions exposes moisture to the product, from the air, every time the bag is opened.
- Food can also be packed tightly into jars or other airtight container. The addition of a food safe silica gel pack will help the foods stay moisture free.
- Shelf life of the cranberries is approximately one year.
- How to use them
- Dried cranberries are great to add to so many of your current recipes to give them a punch of cranberry flavor or just use them for snacking. Add them to;
- granola or trail mix
- cereals – they bump up the flavor and healthiness of everything from oatmeal and grits to cold cereals.
- Flavor vanilla pudding
- Ice cream for a cranberry flavored treat.
- Garnish cocktails and mocktails
- Muffins, cakes or quick bread
- Frostings
- Make cranberry powder to make it easier to incorporate them into some dishes.
Nutrition Information
Serving
0.5cup
Calories
40kcal
(2%)
Carbohydrates
10g
(3%)
Protein
0.2g
(0%)
Fat
0.1g
(0%)
Saturated Fat
0.004g
(0%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.03g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.01g
Sodium
1mg
(0%)
Potassium
40mg
(1%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
30IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
7mg
(8%)
Calcium
4mg
(0%)
Iron
0.1mg
(1%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 40
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.5cup | |
| Calories | 40kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 0.2g | 0% |
| Fat | 0.1g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.004g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.03g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.01g | 0% |
| Sodium | 1mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 40mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 30IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.