In a medium saucepan, make a simple syrup by combining ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar.
Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
DIP CRANBERRIES:
Add 2 cups of fresh cranberries, 1 cup at a time, to the saucepan. Stir the cranberries to coat them in the simple syrup.
DRY CRANBERRIES:
Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the simple syrup.
Place the cranberries on a wire rack set over a foil-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cup of cranberries and allow them to dry for 1 hour.
COAT CRANBERRIES IN SUGAR:
Add ⅓ cup of sugar to a pie plate, then add ⅓ of the cranberries.
Shake the pie plate gently in a back-and-forth motion until the cranberries are coated in the sugar.
Scoop the cranberries up with a clean slotted spoon, shaking off the excess sugar, and place the cranberries back on the wire rack to set and dry for about 15 minutes.