Dried cranberries

Fresh cranberries are very tart, so most dried cranberries are soaked in sugar syrup or juice before drying, which makes them sweet-tart. Their bright red color makes them popular in cookies, scones, muffins, granola bars, holiday breads and white chocolate bark.

They can replace raisins or dried cherries in most recipes. If they seem hard, soaking them briefly in warm water or juice softens them. Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, they keep for months.