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“Homemade Gift Idea: Cranberry Chews”

I’m at Bakerella‘s book signing in Austin! We’re about to embark on a fun Girl Hunter Weekend to celebrate outdoorsyness, togetherness and my upcoming Girl Hunter book release. Amazon just named it a “best book of the month,” which is pretty exciting.

But I want to talk about cranberries and another homemade holiday gift idea. I love homemade gifts, they’re so satisfying and thrifty and pioneering.

This one I call “cranberry chews.”

It’s super simple, you start with a bowl of cranberries and some sugar.

Toss the cranberries in a pot with water and turn on the flame.

Let them stew, giving them a stir every so often. They’ll start to burst and that’s A-Ok.

You’ll spread them out on a silpat or parchment….

There will be some jelly goo surrounding it but that’s okay. It will turn into the fruit roll-up type bites. But bite sizes.

Separate the cranberries as best you can with a fork so they have space to dry. You’ll dry these on low heat for a lot of hours.

They’re done when they’re just slightly tacky.

Peel them off a bit at a time and put them in festive gift bags.

I used simple plastic bags, but I bet you could find some better ones at a good craft store.

Sprinkle a little sugar in there too to help keep them from sticking together.

Then throw a bow on there to finish it off!

These are wonderfully delicious… they have a great tartness to them which make them rather addictive… like sour patch kids. And they make a great hostess gift.

Enjoy!

“Homemade Gift Idea: Cranberry Chews”

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours, 35 minutes

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups water

Instructions

  1. Combine cranberries, sugar and water in a medium sauce pan over low heat, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Gently simmer until the liquid foams and thickens and the cranberries burst.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment and lightly brush with oil. Alternatively, line the sheet pans with silpats.
  3. Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and spread them evenly over the pans. Separate the individual berries as best you can with a fork. Place in the oven and let dry about 8-10 hours or until only slightly tacky.
  4. Gently peel the cranberries off the parchment or silpats into bite-size pieces with your fingers. Roll the pieces in sugar to keep them from sticking together. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
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http://georgiapellegrini.com/2011/12/01/blog/homemade-gift-idea-cranberry-chews/

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Comments

  1. susan says:

    I am kind of loving this idea. I love to do homemade gifts for the holidays and it is kind of what I am known for! I need to add these to the holiday gift-giving list!
    susan recently posted..A Homemade “Scotch Kiss” + A Giveaway

  2. CK says:

    Do you have any ideas for other organic or natural sweeteners? We are trying to stay away from added sugar. Thank you so much!

    • Georgia says:

      Oh yes. I’m a big fan of agave, honey and my grandmother swears by Stevia. And of course if you do this with a sweet fruit unlike cranberries, you don’t need to add any sugar at all.

  3. Shaina says:

    Yum! It’s like fruit roll-ups for everyone. I love it.
    Shaina recently posted..Holiday Baking 101: Freezing, Including the Kids and More!

  4. Awesome idea!

    And I saw an instagram pic of you with my dear friend, Marla.

    Hope you girls are having FUN!!!

  5. Robin says:

    I’ll bet even my picky eater would like these.

  6. Amanda says:

    Congrats on Best Book of the month!! That is HUGE Georgia! Have fun this weekend!
    Amanda recently posted..Comment on Maple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Eleni Karastamati

  7. I have never heard of cranberry chews, but they look like a healthy and yummy snack! I’ll have to try these.
    Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] recently posted..Shop. Click. Submit. Repeat. #CyberMonday

  8. Lucy Lean says:

    so festive – LOVE!
    Lucy Lean recently posted..Unique Handmade Holiday Gifts – Your Perfect Offering

  9. Congrats on having the book of the month, that is so exciting!!
    Your cranberry chews look perfect for Christmas!
    Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen recently posted..The Treats Truck Baking Book Giveaway & Coconut Cupcakes

  10. Marly says:

    I LOVE it! Not just a home made present, but healthy too. I’ve got a bag of cranberries in the fridge just waiting to get all chewy. Thanks so much for the recipe…and hope you have a wonderful weekend!
    Marly recently posted..Red Beans and Rice

  11. That’s a fun and unique gift idea! I’ve got a bog of cranberries just waiting to be used too.
    Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen recently posted..Holiday Gift Guide 2011 | Part One

  12. These are beautiful Georgia! I love the tartness of Cranberry- I bet these are delicious!
    HeatherChristo recently posted..Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti

  13. Donna in Potomac says:

    Pretty, like rose petals! I just found you through Amazon’s Best Books list. I have a lot of catching up to do :)

  14. Oh my word! I can’t wait to make these, Georgia. I know my family will adore them!

    Congratulations on being named Best Book of the Month!!! I’m sure it’s just the first of many kudos and awards your book will receive!
    Robyn | Add a Pinch recently posted..Red Velvet Marble Cake Recipe

  15. what a great idea, georgia! congrats on the amazon recognition — it’s very well deserved!
    aida mollenkamp recently posted..Persimmon and Burrata Carpaccio

  16. Amy says:

    Such a great gift idea!

    And congratulations on your book! Well deserved.
    Amy recently posted..Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles

  17. marla says:

    I need to dash home and make these chews. After my massage. And the travel back to the OC.
    Sooooo proud of the Amazon “best book”
    You ROCK!!

    xxoo

  18. Bethany says:

    This sounds delicious, and since I still have a couple pounds of fresh organic cranberries in the freezer I’m in! I’m guessing frozen shouldn’t be a problem since they boil down anyway?
    Bethany recently posted..Drunken Cranberries

  19. MikeVFMK says:

    Book of the month? Dayum! Bet you’re pretty chuffed about that! This gift idea is quite genius. Simple and delicious, too!

  20. JenMarie says:

    I really love this. I love natural, old fashioned foods. This seems like one to me. Sounds heavenly, too.
    JenMarie recently posted..Hot Cocoa on the Stove