Candied Ginger
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Make your own homemade candied ginger, also known as crystallized ginger! The flavor is WAY better than store-bought, much fresher and more vibrant. It will bring your baked goods to life, plus it’s fabulous just to snack on!
Homemade Candied Ginger
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. It adds such a great to a variety of baked goods.
Because it’s so fresh, and you know the source, you can also reap the health benefits of ginger, something that’s been used medicinally for centuries. And while you obviously want to eat candied ginger in moderation because of its sugar content, if you’re going to indulge your sweet tooth this is a much better alternative than straight up candy, right?
Candied Ginger Recipe
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.
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.
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).
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.
The mixture will become somewhat thickened as the sugar turns to a syrup. Simmer until a candy thermometer or instant read thermometer reads 225 degrees F. You don’t have to use a candy thermometer but it sure makes it a lot easier than guesswork.
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!
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).
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.
This makes roughly 2 cups of homemade candied ginger.
Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed.
How to Use Crystallized Ginger
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. Here are just a few ways that you can use your homemade crystallized ginger:
- Added to banana bread, and Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Baked into cakes, cupcakes and muffins (see my Preserved Lemon Ginger Pound Cake)
- Added to Scottish Shortbread, ginger snaps, sugar cookies, Whole Grain Molasses Cookies, and Cornish Fairings
- Added to pear, apple, and other crisps (see my Pineapple Mango Coconut Crumble with Candied Ginger, Rhubarb Crisp and Peach Crisp)
- Baked into waffles and pancakes (see my Whole Wheat Sourdough Waffles)
- Stirred into Healthy Homemade Granola
- Stirred into Homemade Greek Yogurt
- Sprinkled over ice cream
Enjoy!
Be sure to also try my Homemade Candied Orange Peel (or lemon, grapefruit and lime)!
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Candied Ginger
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ginger root , 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. It can also be frozen for at least 6 months.This makes roughly 2 cups of candied ginger.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet June 5, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Great recipe! More sugar than anticipated was needed to coat the ginger.
How long in oven on a soggy south Louisiana day?
Hi Julie, it depends on several factors like the thickness of the ginger, the oven temp, the humidity level….you’ve just got to keep it in the oven until it’s done :)
I’ve been making candied ginger root for 35 years or so. Living in in southeast Texas near Galveston, it’s pretty humid year-round, so I slice the root as thin as a potato chip (see-through but not unmanageable). I then lay my ginger slices out on those OscarWare disposable grill toppers turned upside down over foil-lined cookie sheets until they are only slightly moist. If I am needing cabinet space, I place the cookie sheets in an unheated oven. Just periodically (once or twice an hour) go test coat a slice or two. If the sugar wants to get moist rather than coat with crystals, wait a little longer, as it will result in you needing far more sugar for the candies. This can take sometimes overnight due to high humidity, so be patient. If you’re like me and like them really crystally, coat them heavily and don’t shake off as much sugar.
You can grow your ginger. You buy one piece of ginger from your grocery store or Asian Market. You plant it in your landscaping and it will produce new shoots and pretty greenery.
I have been “searching” for such a delicious recipe headed to the store TODAY!!! Shall keep you posted hopefully my lil peeps won’t snatch them all(trying candy alternatives)
I really want to make it!
But I went to the supermarket and it’s $25 per pound of ginger **gulps**
I will check it later on when I get to go to the market instead.
Cheers!
J love snacking on ginger and it’s great when I’m feeling nauseous.
Good morning! I made the candied ginger, and is so delicious and less expensive than buying it.
I did save the simple syrup, and put it in jars, and it, too, is delicious. However, by the next morning, it had separated. I’ve just brought it back to the 225 degrees and I’m waiting for it to cool.
Do you know what I did wrong to cause the separation? I did bring the temperature to the 225 degrees when I
initially made it.
Also, do you have an idea how long it will last in the fridge?
Thank you!
Wonderful, Barbara, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! By separated do you mean the simple syrup crystallized? That’s very common and the solution is to do exactly what you did – just reheat it. Flavored simple syrup like this one generally keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Don’t worry about reheating. Just shake it to re-mix it. Don’t need to refrigerate it. It is safe to store in your pantry like honey. Just keep it in a tightly closed container in a cool, dark, dry place (like the back of your pantry.)
I tried this and i am still waiting for it to cool, but I am not sure about the amount of water or reserved ginger water that you used. You say to use 3/4 of a cup for 1lb ginger. My water ran out after about 25 minutes on a low simmer and very nearly burnt the whole lot. Also in your pics, you end up with about 1 and 1/4 cups of liquid left after only using 3/4 cup….it doesnt make sense.
Hi Rob, you initially boil the sliced ginger in a pot of water. Then you drain the water but reserve 1/2 cup of it. You then put the drained ginger slices in a pot, add that 1/2 cup of “ginger water” and the 2 cups of sugar. The sugar will dissolve to liquid and you’ll simmer the mixture until it reaches 225 degrees F. The length of the simmering time will vary depending on the pot and the cooktop so the most accurate way to gauge it is by using a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
Use enough water to thoroughly cover your ginger slices. I generally like to use about a gallon of water to a pound of slices. After the initial boil, strain out the slices, measure the remaining liquid but don’t discard any!!!! Use equal amounts of sugar to water. Melt the sugar completely in the hot ginger water THEN return your ginger to the water. Continue to follow the recipe as above. After you strain the slices out of the syrup, store it in your pantry. Sip the syrup for indigestion, use over pancakes and waffles, stir it into tea, add to recipes…endless ideas and uses.
She said start with one gallon water, than save 3/4cup don’t rhrow any liquid away!! Re read her recipe
Worked perfectly!! Delicious :) humid here so I put them in the oven with just the oven light on. Dried nicely.
Awesome, Bonnie, I’m so glad they were a success, thanks for the feedback!