In a small saucepan, heat ½-cup sugar, ¼-cup water, cinnamon sticks, star anise, sliced ginger, and whole cloves over medium until it comes to a boil.
Reduce heat to low-low and barely simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until it reaches 230°–234°F (106°–112° C) on a candy thermometer (i.e., thread stage); about 10-12 minutes.
Remove syrup from heat, and use a fork to remove the solids.
Coating Cranberries
Line a baking pan with parchment or a silicone mat, aluminum foil or plastic wrap and set a wire cooling rack on top.
Pour one cup of cranberries directly into the prepared syrup in the saucepan and use a wooden spoon to gently toss them, coating evenly.
Use a fork or small slotted spoon to remove the syrup-coated cranberries from the saucepan, placing them directly on a wire rack.Let the cranberries cure on the wire rack for at least an hour.
Pour the remaining cup of sugar onto a dinner-size plate. Roll the cranberries a handful at a time in the sugar until well-coated.
Place the sugared cranberries in a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least an hour before using. Sugared cranberries can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
You can use ground spices in place of any or all of the whole spices; however, the syrup will be much murkier, and the spices can create a slight gritty texture on the cranberries.For the purposes of this recipe:
1 4-inch cinnamon stick = ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon