Place the water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring till the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries, coating as completely as possible. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Place a parchment sheet over a wire cooling rack.
Strain the cranberries (reserve the syrup to use in cocktails, tea or lemonade!) and spread in a single layer on your lined cooling rack. Let sit for one hour.
Pour the remaining ½ cup of sugar into a shallow bowl or plate and toss the cranberries in till they're well coated. Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 - 5 days. If they start to "weep", simply toss in some more sugar.
