First place the cranberries in a colander and wash them thoroughly. Then place them on a towel or paper towels and dry. Make sure they are all dried before starting on the next step. As you are washing and drying the berries take any soft ones and discard them.
Next, set the cranberries aside. Take a small saucepan and heat ½ cup sugar and the water on low heat. Heat until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture has slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir the cranberries into the simple syrup mixture. Make sure to fully coat all of the berries with the warm sugar syrup.
Using a slotted spoon transfer the cranberries out of the pan, into a single layer, onto a wire rack that is placed on top of a sided baking sheet. (This helps some of the mess be contained.)
Let the cranberries dry for 15-45 minutes. Place 1 cup of remaining sugar in a bowl. Then working with a few cranberries at a time roll them in the bowl of sugar.
Place the sugared cranberries on a serving plate, large bowl or in an airtight container. Leave them uncovered for around 30 minutes or until fully dry.
Good for around a week at room temperature.
