Let's preserve cranberries! Keep reading to learn how to make dried cranberries in a food dehydrator.
Are you the type of person that loves to buy bulk when a fruit goes on sale, but isn't sure how to use it fast enough?
Late autumn is cranberry season and cranberries tend to go on sale around the holidays. Did you know that you can preserve your cranberries by dehydrating them so that you can use them throughout the rest of the year?
Dry cranberries are very valuable to home cooks like us because they can be used for so many baking recipes! And they are super easy to make!
The drying process will require no work from you, it is all done by the dehydrator. The prep will take a little work, but not much at all!
Your classic dried cranberry only requires cranberries, unless you choose to add some extra ingredients for flavor. Personally, the fresh cranberries are really tart, so I like to add a little squeeze of fresh citrus juice and a sprinkle of sugar.
Why this dried cranberry recipe works
Dehydrated cranberries can be used all year long, but are commonly used for baking during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.
Some of my favorite recipes to use these delicious cranberries is in cranberry orange cookies, sourdough batard, and sourdough bagels with dried fruit! You can also mix them with your homemade trail mix. I can't tell you how great it has been to have them in my pantry this time of year!
Ready? Let's learn how to make dried cranberries in a dehydrator!
Jump to:
- Why this dried cranberry recipe works
- Ingredients for dehydrating cranberries
- How to make dried cranberries in a dehydrator
- Variations of Dried Cranberry Recipes
- Helpful Equipment
- Tips and Troubleshooting
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage
- Top tip
- FAQ
- Recipe
- VARIATIONS OF DRIED CRANBERRY RECIPES
- TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Related
- More fresh recipes
- Comments
Ingredients for dehydrating cranberries
- Cranberries - Raw cranberries are required for this dehydration. A fresh bag of cranberries will result in the best flavor and yield the best result. You can use either commercial cranberries or homegrown cranberries, if you live in an area where you can grow them.
- Orange - The juice of one fresh orange will be the best, but if you do not have a fresh orange you can use orange juice. This is optional, but delicious!
- Sugar or honey - Also optional, but the cranberries are very tart without it.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make dried cranberries in a dehydrator
- Use your favorite fruit wash to soak and wash the whole cranberries. Pick out the bad and unripe berries.
- Once the cranberries are done soaking, be sure to rinse them and dry them thoroughly with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
- Chop the cranberries into smaller pieces. They need to be cut in half at minimum. **This is VERY important**
- Place cranberries in bowl and squeeze the juice of one orange over them and then toss them around.
- Place the orange tossed cranberries in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Then place the trays in the dehydrator.
- Turn on the dehydrator and let it run for 8 to 12 hours. Your dehydrating time will vary depending on the size of the chopped cranberries. Check the cranberries after 8 hours and see if they need more dehydration.
Hint: Cranberries dehydrate at the same temperature and length of time as orange slices, so I like to fill any remaining trays with oranges while I'm processing the cranberry pieces!
Variations of Dried Cranberry Recipes
- Unsweetened dried cranberries - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped, you can place them into your food dehydrator tray into the dehydrator without tossing them in anything and proceed with the dehydrating process.
- Lemon Sugar Dried cranberries - Once wash and slice cranberries, you can place them in a large bowl, sprinkle the juice of one lemon over them and then add ⅛-1/4 cup of sugar in it and toss them around to evenly coat the berries. Then proceed with dehydrating. The amount of sugar you use will depend on your taste preference. You can use honey or maple syrup as a sugar substitute, but keep in mind it will change the flavor some.
- Cranberry grape - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped you can toss them in a ¼ cup of grape juice. Then proceed to place them on the dehydrator tray using a slotted spoon, making sure you do not dump the excess grape juice onto the tray as well.
- Cranberry Apple - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped you can toss them in a ¼ cup of apple juice. Then proceed to place them on the dehydrator tray using a slotted spoon, making sure you do not dump the excess apple juice onto the tray as well.
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Helpful Equipment
- Dehydrator - I recommend the Excalibur 3900. It has 9 trays and is completely low-tech, but I think that's a very good thing. I am so tired of appliances with computerized parts that go out after a few years. This machine is super simple and will last forever.
- Cutting board
- A knife, food processor or hand food chopper - it will save you a lot of time if you have a hand food chopper or food processor. Cutting the little round cranberries with a knife is doable, but can also be a somewhat dangerous challenge.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If you can control the temperature of your dehydrator, it is best to dehydrate them at the low temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If the cranberries seem to not be dehydrating, check that you cut them in half. If they stills seem to not be dehydrating, you may have to cut them even smaller and check the temperature of your dehydrator.
- You can rehydrate the cranberries by placing them in a microwave safe bowl with some water or another liquid of your choice. Cover the bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds, then let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend using your dehydrated cranberries in baking recipes, whether it be cookies or bread. You can rehydrate them and use them in place of raisins in the recipe.
Storage
An easy way to store dried cranberries is in an airtight container, such as a mason jar with an airtight lid. I keep mine in the pantry or inside the refrigerator. You will want to use them within 3 months.
If you are planning to store them in long term food storage for a later use you can place them in mylar bags with an oxygen absorber. It is very important to make sure they are completely dried for this. If they aren't, they will spoil and could mold.
Top tip
Share something here that you think is key to making this recipe well, such as: Don't overcook the burgers! Sear the outside and cook to a minimum internal temperature, but they should still be juicy for best results.
FAQ
The nutritional value of fresh cranberries and dehydrated cranberries is the same. Dehydrating a cranberry does not lower nutritional value.
You will know the cranberries are done being dehydrated when they are shriveled up and feel leathery.
No, you do not have to boil cranberries prior to dehydrating them.
A second method to dehydrating cranberries is in the oven. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can simply place the raw cranberries on a baking sheet that is lined with a piece of parchment paper. Preheat the oven temperature to 155 and then add the trays of cranberries.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
HOW TO MAKE DRIED CRANBERRIES IN A DEHYDRATOR
Equipment
- food dehydrator or see below for oven instructions
- knife, food processor or hand chopper
Ingredients
- 7 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 orange juiced
- ¼ cup sugar use as much or as little as desired
Instructions
- Use your favorite fruit wash to soak and wash the whole cranberries. Pick out the bad and unripe berries. Once the cranberries are done soaking, be sure to rinse them and dry them thoroughly with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
- Chop the cranberries into smaller pieces. They need to be cut in half at minimum. **This is VERY important** Place cranberries in bowl and squeeze the juice of one orange over them and then toss them around.
- Place the orange tossed cranberries in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Then place the trays in the dehydrator.
- Turn on the dehydrator and let it run for 8 to 12 hours. Your dehydrating time will vary depending on the size of the chopped cranberries. Check the cranberries after 8 hours and see if they need more dehydration.
Notes
VARIATIONS OF DRIED CRANBERRY RECIPES
- Unsweetened dried cranberries - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped, you can place them into your food dehydrator tray into the dehydrator without tossing them in anything and proceed with the dehydrating process.
- Lemon Sugar Dried cranberries - Once wash and slice cranberries, you can place them in a large bowl, sprinkle the juice of one lemon over them and then add ⅛-¼ cup of sugar in it and toss them around to evenly coat the berries. Then proceed with dehydrating. The amount of sugar you use will depend on your taste preference. You can use honey or maple syrup as a sugar substitute, but keep in mind it will change the flavor some.
- Cranberry grape - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped you can toss them in a ¼ cup of grape juice. Then proceed to place them on the dehydrator tray using a slotted spoon, making sure you do not dump the excess grape juice onto the tray as well.
- Cranberry Apple - Once the cranberries are washed and chopped you can toss them in a ¼ cup of apple juice. Then proceed to place them on the dehydrator tray using a slotted spoon, making sure you do not dump the excess apple juice onto the tray as well.
TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING
- If you can control the temperature of your dehydrator, it is best to dehydrate them at the low temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If the cranberries seem to not be dehydrating, check that you cut them in half. If they stills seem to not be dehydrating, you may have to cut them even smaller and check the temperature of your dehydrator.
- You can rehydrate the cranberries by placing them in a microwave safe bowl with some water or another liquid of your choice. Cover the bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds, then let it sit for about 5 minutes.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
I recommend using your dehydrated cranberries in baking recipes, whether it be cookies or bread. You can rehydrate them and use them in place of raisins in the recipe.Nutrition
Related
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More fresh recipes
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