These honey fermented cranberries are a healthy, colorful, and delicious fermented recipe that is perfect for your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. Fermented honey cranberries are made from nourishing real food ingredients, and are a wonderful recipe for gut health.
Fermenting Cranberries in Honey
It’s amazing to me how easy fermenting in honey is!
I’ve done all kinds of fermenting, and even have a recipe for fermented cranberries in a traditional brine. But for some reason, it took me a long time to ferment in honey. Well, I can tell you now that has changed and it’s one of my favorite cranberry recipes to make each year.
Here are more fermented honey recipes to try!
When I started my fermented honey garlic a while back, it got me thinking about what else I could ferment in honey.
I have seen recipes for berries in honey, and being that we’re coming up on the holiday season, fermenting cranberries in honey seemed like the natural thing to do.
I’m so glad I did because these fermented honey cranberries are awesome! This is probably how I will make my cranberries every year from now on.
Related: Canning Cranberry Sauce, Simple Spiced Cranberry Sauce, Quick Pickled Cranberries, Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
Fermented Honey Cranberries Recipe
Making these fermented honey cranberries is so easy that it hardly even needs a recipe!
The amounts are variable based on how much you want to make. I used a quart sized jar, and that seemed like a good amount to start with.
Prepare the Cranberries
The first step is to give the raw cranberries a little pop to break their skins and release some juices. Cranberries are tough to penetrate, so this will give the fermentation a bit of a head start.
I did this by poking them with a fork all over, but you could also give them a couple of pulses in a food processor.
Frozen cranberries can be used instead of fresh, but it is best to thaw them before adding the honey.
Add the Honey
Fill the jar with the cranberries, ginger slices, and cinnamon stick, leaving about an inch or so of head space.
Add in the orange juice (and the zest if you’d like as well), then cover the cranberries with raw honey.
It may take a while for the honey to make its way all down to the bottom of the jar, so you may need to wait a bit for it to settle, then add some more.
The cranberries will want to float to the top, but that’s ok.
Cover and Flip
Cover the jar tightly and give it a few turns to coat all of the cranberries in honey.
If you are using a metal canning lid, I recommend putting a piece of parchment paper in between the lid and and jar, as the metal can sometimes react with the fermentation process.
Then loosen the lid and put the jar in a dark corner somewhere. It would be wise to put it on a plate in case there is any honey overflow as it ferments, which is likely.
Every day or so tighten the lid and give the jar a few turns to coat the cranberries in honey again, then re-loosen the lid.
Within a few days to a week you will start to see bubbles forming in the jar! Sometimes the bubbles are very small or unnoticeable, but they usually do show up at some point.
The honey will turn a lovely red color and will become runnier as time goes on. The cranberries will start to lose some of their tartness and will become a bit more wrinkled.
These can be left to ferment for quite a while, several months even, and will be tastier as time goes on. I think the flavor even after just a few weeks was amazing!
Using Fermented Honey Cranberries
You can serve and eat these delicious fermented honey cranberries as is, or you can try putting them in a food processor to grind them up into more of a cranberry sauce.
I think I’m going to try that on Thanksgiving this year. It’s never a bad idea to get some fermented food in during a big meal!
If you are concerned about botulism, which is very rare in this type of ferment, use a pH test strip. Botulism spores can’t reproduce with a pH of less than 4.6. Honey is usually around 3.9, but that can vary between brands. Cranberries are also highly acidic.
If the pH is too high, add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar to add more acidity and retest. This is generally not needed, but I do want to mention it to ease any worries.
Honey cranberries should not be given to babies under one year of age.
Low on time and want an amazing, nonfermented, cranberry sauce recipe? This spiced cranberry sauce with orange and ginger is my favorite!
Have you ever fermented cranberries? What did you think of the result?
More Fermented and Infused Honey Recipes
Enjoy these other honey ferments and infusions!
- Fermented Elderberry Honey
- Herbal Infused Honey
- Fermented Honey Garlic
- Lilac Flower Infused Honey
- Fermented Ginger Honey
- Fermented Jalapeno Honey
- Fermented Honey Blueberries
Fermented Honey Cranberries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cranberries skins slightly crushed
- 1″ knob ginger sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange juiced
- 2 cups raw honey or enough to completely cover the cranberries
Instructions
- Break the skins of the cranberries to release some of their juices by either piercing the skins with the tines of a fork, or gently pulsing in a food processor.
- Place the bruised cranberries into a quart-sized mason jar. Add the ginger slices, cinnamon stick and orange juice and stir. Then pour in enough raw honey to cover the cranberries.
- Place the lid securely on the jar, then give it a few turns to coat all of the cranberries in the honey.
- Loosen the lid, then place the jar into a dark place to ferment. Every few days, tighten the lid, give the jar a few turns, then re-loosen the lid.
- Within a few days to a week you will begin to see small bubbles forming in the honey.
- The honey cranberries will ferment for a month or more, but you can eat them at any time. The honey will turn a red color, and will become more runny as time goes on. The cranberries will start to lose some of their tartness, and will become a bit more wrinkled.
- Store in a cool place for many months or even a year or more.
Notes
- It’s important to use raw honey for this recipe, as it has all of the bacteria and wild yeast that is necessary for fermentation.
- The small amount of orange juice will create just enough liquid for fermentation to happen.
- It’s a good idea to put a plate underneath the jar during fermentation, as it will likely bubble up and a little bit of honey could possibly drip out.
- If you are concerned about botulism, use a pH test strip. Botulism spores can’t reproduce with a pH of less than 4.6. Honey is usually around 3.9, but that can vary between brands. Cranberries are also highly acidic.
- If the pH is too high, add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar to add more acidity and retest. This is generally not needed, but I do want to mention it.
- Honey cranberries should not be given to babies under one year of age.
Is there a way to make this without honey? I don’t eat honey because I’m on a vegan diet. Would maple syrup work?
Hi Frances. I haven’t tried fermenting cranberries in maple syrup, but it would probably work.
I made these for the second time this year, and I will likely make them over and over. They are so simple, delicious and festive! They go well with holiday meals an make a lovely little gift. My favorite ways to use them are as a topping/drizzle atop baked brie and mixed into the filling of an apple crisp. I’d love to hear the creative ways others enjoy eating these tasty little treats!
Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy you liked the fermented cranberries, Jen! I’ll have to try them over baked brie, that’s such a great idea!
These are fantastic!!! I made a quart around thanksgiving, and we ate them All Up around Xmas, so now I have another gallon going!!
I love making cranberry “hot toddies” on these cold days, I do a generous pour of the cranberry syrup and cranberries, a good splash of ginger juice, a squeeze of Meyer lemon and hot water!
I’m Also going to try dehydrating the cranberries.
Oh, I love your play on a hot toddy, it sounds incredible with the fermented cranberries!
I made several jars of these last year and am about to make more. They are so good! My partner uses them to make manhattans instead of maraschino cherries. Fan Tastic.
Yum! I love the idea of using them instead of maraschino cherries! Happy holidays!
If I make these now and send out next week as gifts, will there be any issue with the lids being on tight for shipping?
Hi Kate. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s enough time for them to ferment completely and you’d risk the lids popping during shipping.
This sounds great. My cranberries never sank (i punctured them with a fork w few times when I started the ferment) and I missed 3 days of flipping and shaking the jar. Is it salvageable?
The honey has already started fermenting and is turning red.
As long as there isn’t any mold, it should be totally fine.
I can’t wait to try this! Can a bit of powdered cinnamon be used instead of the stick? If so, how much? Thank you!
Hi Shawna. Yes, you can use cinnamon powder. I would add only a sprinkle.
I used fresh-squeezed orange juice, raw local honey, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cranberries. I pierced my cranberries with a fork. The jars were cleaned before use. I turn the jars daily, and they are kept in a dark cupboard with a loose lid. But I never see little bubbles. They do not appear to be fermenting after almost two weeks. I’ve checked the ph, and it seems fine, but I wonder if any fermentation is happening? I’m ok with cranberry infused honey, but really wanted them fermented. Any ideas?
Hi Laura. I’m sorry, I understand how frustrating it must be to not see any bubbles! Did you use raw, unheated honey?
Hi, Colleen. I want to try this recipe but do not have access to raw honey. I understand that raw honey is superior nutrition-wise to “regular” honey, but would the ferment still occur if regular honey were used? Thanks!
Hi there. Unfortunately, the cranberries may not ferment without raw honey.
Thanks for your reply.
I chopped up my cranberries, as I didn’t want whole berries. But now I can’t keep it totally submerged under the honey.
Any advice? Or is it trash?
It’s not trash. Just be sure to flip your jar twice a day to keep the cranberries coated in honey.
I have a citrus allergy. Can I skip the orange juice?
Yes but I recommend that you replace it with another juice like apple juice. The cranberries need a bit of liquid to get fermentation going.
?do you have to do a whole month for fermentation..
You can do it as long or as short as you want! Worst case scenario is that you simply get cranberry infused honey, which still tastes incredible.
Hi..I really want to try this recipe…I don’t want to be worried about botulism or testing for it…I just want to do it.. as is stated this is rare.. can this be also done with blackberries? ? can the parchment paper stay on while fermenting in it’s dark place..? any ideas of places to store.. I thought about under bed..your thoughts will be appreciated.
Hi Norma. I store my honey in a cool, dark cabinet in my kitchen and yes, you can totally use blackberries and keep the parchment on.
Do you know if this works to ferment blueberries?
Definitely!
I just checked mine after a month. There is mold growing on some of the berries. What did I do wrong and do I need to throw it away?
It sounds like the berries weren’t completely submerged under the honey.
It’s totally up to you, but I’ve just picked it off. Mold cannot grow under the liquid, so it’s only the top you need worry about. Plus, if it’s white it might even be kahm yeast, which is even less of a problem. Just pick it off and refrigerate, or just use a spoon or fork to make sure the surface is disturbed daily. Mold grows in dark, undisturbed conditions. That’s my experience, anyway.
I have a question about storage and have been searching the internet for an answer and I just can’t seem to find any information. I hope you can help!
I see in a previous comment that you recommend storing in a cool dry place. What kind of lid can be put on the jar once it is ready for storage? Is it okay to put a regular mason jar lid on it at this point? Will the jar need to be “burped” if so? I ferment using fermentation lids and I have no idea if I have to store the items with that lid or switch to normal lids. Ha ha ha! I can’t find anyone who addresses that last step. Thank you!
Hi, Jessica! The cranberries will only ferment for about a month at which point you can safely store them in a cool dark place with a normal mason jar lid on.
Beautiful recipe! I wish I would have read this before I poured honey over my cranberries. I used raw ginger, turmeric, and some cinnamon as well. Buttttt I didn’t puncture the cranberries so they are real swollen. I ate one on pancakes a couple weeks ago and when it popped open in my mouth it was pretty sour and tasted quite fermented. I just scooped out all the berries and am popping them open in a giant bowl lol do you think they are bad because I didn’t do this sooner or do you think they will be ok? What are signs of botulism in it? I mean there was a lot of air in them but I didn’t see any mold or anything 😬.
I think they’re totally fine.
Hi Colleen :)
I made honey cranberries a year ago, them sooo delicious. I have to confess, it is first thing I have ever fermented and it encouraged me to do more fermented food.
Thank you for your recipe :)
I am wondering, is there any possible way to make them and store without a fridge? I wish I could do more, but my fridge is not too big for that to store it?
And could you, please write some more details how to make it with frozen cranberries?
Fermented honey doesn’t require refrigeration. It can sit in a cool pantry for many months, even a year with no ill effects. You can use frozen and thawed cranberries, but be aware that their texture may be on the mushier side.
How long would you say this should keep after it’s made if I kept it in a jar in the fridge?
It can be stored in a cool place for up to a year.
Hello, I made these a couple years ago, and I remember they were very good. I just started another batch, and I don’t remember if this happened last time – The cranberries were covered in honey when I first made it, but now, a couple days later, they have floated up about an inch above the honey. Is this an issue if I keep turning it? Should I add more honey?
Also, I noticed in the comments that you advise turning the jar daily, but the recipe only says, “Every few days”. You may want to update that.
You can flip it daily or every few days. There is no set schedule. How often it’s flipped depends only on if you have cranberries floating to the top.
Thank you!
Is it possible to dry the cranberries after?
Dry as in dehydrate? You could, but it would destroy the good bacteria that you cultivated through fermentation.
Hi there, I’m a little worried my honey isn’t fermenting. It’s been a little over a week, and there’s no gas buildup- like when fermenting vegetables- so I never have to burp it. Is this normal? I’m not seeing any bubbles either. Any tips on how I can tell?
Are you using organic cranberries and raw (unpasteurized) honey? Depending on the temperature of your house, it may take longer to ferment if it’s cold.
Outstanding! Made a half gallon about two months ago, and have been nibbling on them – delicious! Started a 2nd half gallon, but had a couple questions. If I dehydrated the drained fermented cranberries at a low temp (under 95*f), will that destroy the benefits inherent in lacto fermented food? Also, I made some candied mandarin peels, and the sugar syrup seems to be a perfect match for the liquidified cran-honey. Thinking a jelly…or pouring over a cake…or added to a hot cuppa…your thoughts?
Hi Judi. I’d imagine that dehydrating it, even under 95℉ would still kill off some of the good lactobacillus bacteria, but maybe some will survive? I’m not entirely sure. All those ways to use your fermented cranberry honey sound wonderful!
Can it be used in cocktails? As a syrup or cordial?
Kind regards
Sure!
Is it normal for the thin honey at the bottom (the cranberries have floated to the top, so there’s a couple inches of just honey at bottom) to look cloudy?
That’s normal. Are you giving your fermented honey cranberries a shake daily?
I can’t wait to make this! I’m wondering if I have to add the ginger and cinnamon stick? I love the tart fresh cranberry flavor. Also is organic preferred? Thank you for sharing.
Nope, the ginger and cinnamon are both totally optional. And yes, organic is preferred as conventional ginger is stripped of its natural, good bacteria that causes it to ferment.
Hi! I loved your apple ginger beer and then gave these cranberries a try, but noticed mold accumulating on the edges of the ginger :( Is this because I didn’t roll it frequently enough. Toss, or can they be saved? Thank you!!
I’ve never seen mold on any of my honey ferments. If it’s not black mold, you can remove the piece of ginger it’s on. Be sure to flip your jar daily to resubmerge any cranberries/ginger/cinnamon that is poking out of the honey.
When do you add the splash of apple cider vinegar to cranberries?
The vinegar is optional. If you’re worried about the pH being too high in your fermented honey cranberries or you’ve tested it and it’s too high, you can equalize it with a splash of apple cider vinegar.
How else do you use this?
You can use them in a pie, over ice cream, puree them into a sauce, etc.
hello!
since mid-november i have been fermenting 12- half pint jars of this delicious cranberry honey! I am now prepping them for christmas gifts. I would love to attach a note with each jar of some uses, food / dish ideas, etc.
i’m what ways have you used this delicious item?!
thanks for your insight!!
Sorry for my delayed response. I usually eat them as is, but you can puree them into a sweet or savory sauce or add them over ice cream, to a pie, etc.
I made this up for Christmas. I just used an immersion blender to mix it up and left whole Cranberries as well. I have put in small jars and dropped a Star Anise on top. How would I store this now? In the fridge? Or still ok in a cupboard? And for how long do you think I could store it? I think this would go wonderfully over Old fashioned gingerbread cake..
Store in a cool place for many months or even a year or more. No refrigeration needed.
A delicious treat all around, definitely a new seasonal favorite!
So glad to hear you liked it!