Drying Cranberries – How it Works

Dry your own cranberries

Before you start drying the ripe, fresh berries, check the individual fruits for damage.

1. If berries are damaged or rotten, discard them.
2. Wash the remaining cranberries thoroughly.
3. Boil water in a saucepan and add the berries to the water for about a minute. This causes the shell to burst, which shortens the drying time afterward.
4. Place the fruit on paper towels to dry.
5. In the meantime, place parchment paper or a suitable substitute on a baking sheet and then spread the berries on it. It is important that the berries do not lie on top of each other, but are distributed next to each other.
6. Preheat the oven to 60 degrees Celsius with convection and slide in the baking tray. Do not close the oven door completely to allow moisture to escape. It is enough if you put a cooking spoon between the oven and the oven door.
7. The cranberries are ready when they have shriveled up. This can take 12 to 18 hours. It is normal for the dried berries to feel sticky.
8. Tip: If you dry fruit or herbs more often, it may be worth buying a dehydrator.

Advantages of drying the berries yourself

There are health benefits to drying the fresh fruit yourself rather than buying it pre-dried.

• Dried cranberries from the supermarket usually have added sugar.
• Chemicals are also used to make the fruit last longer. This is necessary because the berries from the trade are only partially dried. Without the additives, they would mold quickly.
• None of this matters if you dry yourself. Place the dried fruit in an airtight container. This will keep for up to two years at normal room temperature. Alternatively, freeze the cranberries. Then you can benefit from it for up to five years.