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Home » Food » By Type of Dish » Gluten Free » How To Make Candied Ginger

How To Make Candied Ginger

June 5, 2015 by Kimberly Killebrew · 330 Comments

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Make your own homemade candied ginger!  The flavor is WAY better than store-bought, much fresher and more vibrant.  It will bring your baked goods to life, plus they’re fabulous just to snack on!   PLUS there’s the additional bonus of an amazing ginger simple syrup you’ll get at the end of the cooking process that is phenomenal in drinks!

candied ginger recipe easy best crystallized

Have you ever come across a recipe calling for candied ginger but passed because you didn’t have any, couldn’t find any in the store, or just didn’t want to bother trying to find it?  Or have you thought about making it yourself but weren’t sure how or figured it would be too much work?  Well this is for you!

If you like candied ginger just wait until you’ve tried homemade!  The flavor is worlds better – so much fresher with a stronger, more vibrant flavor. And if you don’t care for candied ginger, you’ll be converted once you’ve tried it in a few recipes (see ideas below).

Because it’s so fresh, and you know the source, you can also reap the health benefits of ginger.  Ginger has been used medicinally for centuries.  Ginger is an extremely healthy herb with a variety of benefits.  Research has shown it to be effective in treating upset stomachs, nausea, motion-sickness, pregnancy, lowering cholesterol and inflammation, preventing clogged arteries and may even kill cancer cells.

So while you obviously want to eat candied ginger in moderation because of its sugar content, ginger has some great health benefits and if you do have a sweet tooth this is arguably a much better alternative to straight up candy, right?

candied ginger recipe easy best crystallized

Health benefits of ginger aside, some of you may be asking “Why would I even want candied ginger?”  I’ll tell you!

Candied ginger (aka crystallized ginger) is not only a yummy snack on its own, it’s a versatile ingredient that will liven up so many dishes!

Bottom line:  This makes a large batch, keeps for months, and you will be so glad to have it on hand.

Here are just a few ideas of how you can use candied ginger:

Add it to the following:  Banana bread, sugar cookies, citrus salad, granola bars, cakes, pies, muffins, cupcakes, shortbread, pancakes, waffles, sprinkled over ice cream, lemon bread, pound cake (try my Preserved Lemon Ginger Pound Cake), ginger snaps, cranberry relish, pear or apple crisp, homemade jam, and the list goes on and on!

Or add it to this delicious Healthy Homemade Granola or this phenomenal Pineapple Mango Coconut Crumble with Candied Ginger.

1

These are just a few ideas and the sky’s the limit!

Leave a comment below:  What are some other ways you’ve used candied ginger?

candied ginger recipe easy best crystallized

Okay, are you ready to rock?

Then let’s get started!

Generally you want to use young, small ginger roots because they’re less woody/more tender.  But medium-sized will work just fine as well.  I recommend organic if possible.

Candied-Ginger-prep-1

Peel the ginger and slice it thinly and evenly.  You can either do it by hand or use a mandolin.  I highly recommend the Swissmar Borner Mandolin.

If you slice it paper thin the result will be crunchy crystallized ginger, but you also don’t want it too thick.  1/8 is thick is about right.  You’ll need about 1 pound of sliced ginger.

slicing ginger on mandolin

Place the sliced ginger in a medium-sized pot and cover with water and just a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the ginger water and then drain the sliced ginger (you can also keep the ginger water for tea or a tonic).

boiling sliced ginger

Place the reserved ginger water and sugar in the pot.

Add the sliced ginger, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

how to make candied ginger

The mixture will become somewhat thickened as the sugar turns to a syrup.

Simmer until a candy thermometer reads 225 degrees F.  You don’t have to use a candy thermometer but it sure makes it a lot easier than guesswork.

This thermometer is what I’m using now – it has great reviews and can be used for both candy and meats.  A thermometer, in my opinion, is an essential kitchen gadget.

Once the ginger mixture has reached 225 F drain the ginger immediately while hot.  Use a colander over a bowl so you can collect the drained syrup.  Don’t discard that syrup.  This recipe produces a delicious by product: GINGER SIMPLE SYRUP!  Add a teaspoon or two to your drinks for a refreshing ZING!

how to make candied ginger

Lay the ginger slices out on a large cooling rack over a cookie sheet, separating the individual slices the best you can (this is the more tedious part of the process).

Let the ginger sit for 2 hours so they’re sticky but not wet (you want the sugar to be able to adhere without dissolving).

Toss the pieces in a bowl of sugar to coat all sides.

Lay the crystallized ginger back on the cooling rack to sit overnight to dry.  Note:  If you’re in a place with high humidity you can also dry these in a food dehydrator or in the oven on the very lowest temperature setting (you may need to keep the oven door cracked open).

candied ginger recipe homemade crystallized ginger easy best

Store the crystallized ginger in an airtight container in a dark, cool place.  Because it’s cooked and sugar and then coated with sugar, it will keep for several months.

Enjoy!

candied ginger recipe easy best crystallized

candied ginger recipe easy best crystallized

 

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candied ginger recipe easy best homemade crystallized

Be sure to also try our Homemade Candied Orange Peel (or lemon, grapefruit and lime)!

candied orange peel how to make candied lemon peel

How To Make Candied Ginger

Kimberly Killebrew
Homemade has a MUCH fresher, more vibrant flavor than store-bought. This candied ginger will bring your baking to life and it's fabulous just to snack on!
Print Recipe
4.94 from 72 votes
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins
Air Drying Time 10 hrs
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course Candy, condiment, Snack
Cuisine All

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound peeled and sliced ginger ,preferably young/smaller roots, sliced about 1/8 inch thick (by hand or use a mandolin - it's much easier)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • Extra sugar for coating

Instructions
 

  • Place the sliced ginger in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the ginger water and then drain the ginger slices.
  • Place the sliced ginger back in the pot with the reserved ginger water, sugar and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until the temperature on a candy thermometer reads 225 degrees F.
  • Drain the ginger in a colander over a bowl to catch the syrup (see Note).
  • Lay out the ginger slices on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet, separating the slices the best you can. Let cool for 2 hours (you want them sticky but not wet so that the sugar will adhere without dissolving).
  • Toss the ginger slices in a bowl of sugar so they are coated all over. Place the ginger slices back on the cooling rack to sit overnight.
    Note: If you're in a very humid area you can dry the candied ginger in a food dehydrator or in the oven set to the lowest temperature (you may need to crack the oven door open.)
  • Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Will keep for several months.

Notes

This recipe makes a delicious byproduct: Ginger Simple Syrup! Add a teaspoon or two to your drinks for a refreshing ZING!
Keyword Candied Ginger
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

 

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330 Comments →

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330 Responses

  1. Jenny says

    December 24, 2021 at 10:26 am

    Do you mean a pound or unpeeled ginger, or a pound of peeled ginger?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 25, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Jenny, it’s a pound of ginger before it’s peeled.

      Reply
  2. Jeffrey P Voeks says

    December 13, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    I’m surprised that a half-cup of the ginger water is enough to boil the sugar and ginger slices for that long – especially uncovered. Seems to me that liquid would be gone pretty fast. Maybe the 1/2 cup is a misprint??

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      December 19, 2021 at 5:12 am

      Sugar melts, thus becoming liquid.

      Reply
  3. Teresa says

    November 28, 2021 at 11:38 am

    This recipe is good!

    Can I reuse the ginger syrup to make another batch? Do I need to add more sugar?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      November 28, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Teresa, thank you! The longer you cook a sugar syrup the harder it will become, to the point where it’s rock candy, so I don’t recommend reusing the syrup from the previous batch or you may end up with ginger that’s shatteringly hard!

      Reply
  4. Kia says

    November 17, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    So many people graciously take the time to share their recipes and I just want to say thank you for this INCREDIBLE recipe. This crystalized ginger is crazy good.
    Folks if you think you don’t like store bought ginger just try this. We can’t stop eating it. So delicious, its definitely a new family staple. My only other comment is just be careful, sugar gets so hot so quickly its easy to burn the dish or worse burn yourself by accident. Thank you Kimberly, such a yummy delicious recipe!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      November 20, 2021 at 7:53 pm

      Wonderful, Kia, thank you so much! :)

      Reply
  5. Peter says

    November 2, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    My wife and I have done this recipe a couple of times. We use a mix of Raw sugar and White. The larger crystals of raw sugar seems to speed up the drying process. Always have a bag of ginger in my pocket.

    Reply
    • Christine Rader says

      November 18, 2021 at 4:16 am

      This recipe is perfect. Made it once and it came out amazing, now making a second time!

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        November 18, 2021 at 5:02 pm

        Thank you so much, Christine!

        Reply
  6. Vic says

    October 22, 2021 at 5:02 pm

    can this be made with 1/4 or 1/2 the amount of sugar? I need to keep sugar to a minimum in my diet. Also, has anyone chocolate coated the ginger afterwards?

    Reply
  7. Laurie says

    October 19, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    Excellent recipe. I do recommend the baby or very young ginger, early fall was when I found it in NYc Chinatown.
    $9 a pound, but more delicate, not so peppery,
    extra push to 225 degrees. Needs the right amount of sugar to get there.
    Did not use enough sugar the first time around.

    Reply
    • Patty says

      January 20, 2022 at 6:31 am

      The spicier the better, I say! Yummy 😋

      Reply
  8. Anonymous says

    September 26, 2021 at 2:07 am

    Great result from this recipe.thanks

    Reply
  9. Estee says

    September 22, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    I used candied ginger in apple crisp. You can add it in before cooking or sprinkle it over the top before eating a slice. It is also tasty in oatmeal. I use baby ginger from my local farmer’s market, which requires no peeling and is as fresh and delicious as one can get. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Val says

    May 20, 2021 at 7:19 pm

    Hi is it possible to use honey instead of sugar?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 20, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      Hi Val, that will result in an incredibly sticky mess, I don’t recommend it.

      Reply
  11. Sz says

    May 16, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    I have a ton of frozen ginger. Will thst work for this?

    Reply
  12. Nancy Lombardo says

    April 11, 2021 at 4:45 pm

    I want the ginger to go with my sushi. If I omit the sugar, will that work?

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      April 24, 2021 at 2:42 pm

      You’re looking for pickled ginger instead.

      Reply
  13. Susie says

    April 7, 2021 at 9:51 am

    Glad I found this, I’m opting out on the sugar coating at the end. Any advice to storing it that way?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      April 7, 2021 at 12:18 pm

      Hi Susie, you can store it in a ziplock bag in the fridge or the freezer.

      Reply
  14. Don p says

    March 12, 2021 at 7:01 pm

    This is third time
    It takes a bit of time
    However I am retired

    Couple of small slices before bed and
    Zzzzz time
    Read about this in health something
    Check with my Dr
    And some thing in ginger is relaxing and sleep inducing
    Much better than sleeping pill

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 20, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      I’m so glad it’s been a help, Don, thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  15. Jo says

    February 25, 2021 at 1:03 pm

    Anyone tried switching white sugar for brown? Or coconut? Molasses?

    Reply
    • Judy says

      April 16, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      I used brown Swerve the 1st time, white Swerve the 2nd time. They are both very good. Brown does have a bit of the molassesy taste & the color was much darker as you might expect. Loved them both.

      Reply
    • Jay Kay says

      September 14, 2021 at 12:45 pm

      The sugar is for keeping the surface “dry” so the pieces don’t stick together. Molasses, brown or demerara sugar will therefore not be suitable for the job.

      Reply
      • Judy says

        January 7, 2022 at 8:24 am

        No sticking for me with brown or white swerve. Making this again, 3rd time. So delish! Thanks for the recipe!

        Reply
      • Judy says

        January 7, 2022 at 8:42 am

        Clarification: I used brown Swerve to boil ( sometimes white Swerve or both) but white to dust. Turned out great each time.

        Reply
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