1. In a bowl, pour boiling water over the cranberries or submerge them in a pot of boiling water with the heat turned off. Let them sit in the water until the skin pops. Do not let the berries boil or the flesh will turn mushy.
2. Drain well.
3. If desired, coat the berries with either a light corn syrup or granulated sugar.
4. Transfer the berries to a cooking sheet and place them in a freezer for 2 hours. Freezing the berries helps in breaking down the cell structure promoting faster drying.
5. If you have a dehydrator: Put the berries on a mesh sheet in the dehydrator and dry for 10 to 16 hours, depending on the make of the dehydrator, until chewy and with no pockets of moisture.
If you don't have a dehydrator: Another method of drying is to turn on the oven for 10 minutes at 350 F. Then place the cranberries on a cookie sheet in the oven, turn off the oven, and let them sit overnight.
6. Store dried cranberries in the freezer. Keep in mind that dried cranberries can be used in place of raisins in recipes!