If you’ve tried to find all-natural, sugar-free cranberries at the store, you know that store-bought cranberries that are HEALTHY are about as real as Santa Clause.
However, as we were searching our health food stores and internet resources for options recently, we found cranberries sweetened with apple juice. Yes, a Christmas miracle! You can even buy these healthy craisins here! We were so pleased to find this option in time for our holiday baking!
Even thought store-bought is often the most convenient, sometimes we need a backup plan. Products can be expensive or may not get to us in time. So let’s make our own. You can actually make these like the store version, sweetened with apple juice.
Not only are these cranberries sweetened with healthy sweeteners, but they are totally raw! Dehydrating them keeps their nutritional value intact – making them the healthiest craisins around. They add the perfect burst of flavor to any holiday recipe. Enjoy these healthy cranberries in baked goodies or right on their own!
Homemade Dried Cranberries
2 cups Frozen Cranberries
1/2 cup Natural Apple Juice
3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup or Raw Honey
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
Cut cranberries in half. Marinate the berries with the other ingredients for 7-8 hours or overnight. Spread berries on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 115* for 20-22 hours. Transfer to an airtight container and then use in all your favorite recipes! Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
** We use frozen berries because they are accessible all the time, but also because they produce a beautiful richer red color! You can use fresh if you’d like.
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Julie says
Hi,
I am curious as to what the Coconut oils purpose is in this recpie? Also can you soak solely in the apple juice? Would it make that big of a difference to omit the honey?
Melody Kear-DeBoer says
Do you marinate them in the fridge or on the counter? If in the fridge I would think the coconut oil would become solid.
Natural Sweet Recipes says
On the counter, at room temperature! Thanks!
Sandy says
My husband is allergic to coconut in all forms. Do you have a recipe replacement for the coconut oil?
Natural Sweet Recipes says
Sandy, sorry for the late response to your comment. Yes, grape seed oil or another neutral oil should work fine! Thanks!
Kelli H (made in sonoma) says
Great post! I was so sad I couldn’t find no sugar added dried cranberries. My Whole Foods finally started carrying the sweetened with apple juice so I went ahead and bought them. I hadn’t had them in so long! Yours look amazing!
Annie says
Thanks, Kelli! Whole Foods is awesome!! It seems like it’s a hit and miss to find them at ours, but we will have to keep our eyes open there for them. Thanks for the tip!