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!
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?
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.
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
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 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!
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.
Enjoy!
PIN ME!
Be sure to also try our Homemade Candied Orange Peel (or lemon, grapefruit and lime)!
How To Make Candied Ginger
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
Pat porubsky says
Sorry, forgot to add my rating🤭. Again thank you for sharing this recipe.
Pat Porubsky says
Hi, just tried this recipe. I made a small amount for the first batch. I adjusted the ingredients to fit the amount of ginger I had. It was really easy and tastes wonderful. I plan on making more next time. The simple syrup is great too. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try some of the other recipes you have provided also.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Pat, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Gail says
I order some crystallizer ginger gingembre by accident and I can’t return the bag back $7 for net at 3.5 oz.
So I have no ideal what to do with it.
Can ginger candy be made out this?
Gail
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gail, candied ginger and crystallized ginger are both the same thing.
Esther Habif says
I make ginger icecream to serve after any Asian meal…. sushi, Korean beef tacos, Curry, etc. I soften a half gallon Breyers Natural Vanilla Bean ice cream, add it to a food processor with candied ginger, pulse until combined, and refreeze in a beautiful serving dish! ALWAYS a favorite with company, and something you can’t find in the grocery stores or Asian markets where I live(Asheville, NC). Thanks for your recipe!! Used the ginger simple syrup for bourbon and ginger cocktails!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds fabulous, Esther, thanks for sharing! Incidentally we were just in Asheville last week – took the Blue Ridge Parkway down from Virginia :)
Suzy Palma says
Would it work to sub brown sugar for the white?
Kim says
I use brown sugar. It works fine for me.
Renee says
I made this but my ginger did not candy. It remained hard even after following all of the steps. There did not seem to be enough water (1/2 cup) in the second boiling step. Now I have hard ginger pieces which aren’t very appetizing:(
Rachael W says
I had to boil the ginger in high for an additional 30 minutes. I think this recipe is for baby ginger root. I couldn’t find any of that, which is fine, but you have to boil for longer. Like a lot longer. How this helps.
Kittie says
She absolutely dropped the ball on that step. Don’t discard any of the water. Maybe you didn’t see my reply earlier when someone else was asking about how she ended up with more liquid than she started with. I will repost it here for you. HTH. 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.
Shari Weaver says
Do you have to peel the ginger or can you leave the skin on?
Kittie says
I gently peel the skin off by using the edge of a spoon because it’s easier for me to slice. I have not explored leaving the skin on because of how thin I like my slices. I think the skin would just slip off the slices during cooking and add an extra step to strain the floaty bits out.
Karen Cimo says
I am in the midst of making a batch for the second time. I eat the candied ginger for indigestion. Came out perfect with 1s try. No more having to search stores for it, plus I made it! Just wish I could find ginger that isn’t from China. I also used the simple syrup and drank the tonic. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Karen, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Kim Montaño says
I want to double the recipe, should I double the sugar too?
What do you suggest?
So good. Plain and added to bakes goods!
I’ve made it several times and have added to my banana bread,
chopped added to the mix and sprinkled on top before baking. Everyone loves it!
Thanks Kim
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Kim, thanks so much for the feedback! Yes, I would double everything otherwise the syrup will be too diluted.
Amy says
I use the ginger in old fashioned pumpkin bread as a replacement for the raisins and OMG the flavor is much better.
Anonymous says
Great recipe! More sugar than anticipated was needed to coat the ginger.
Julie says
How long in oven on a soggy south Louisiana day?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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 :)
Kittie says
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.
Joyce says
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.
Gemini Coward says
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)
Mariella says
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.
Barbara says
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!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Kittie says
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.)
Rob MacGregor says
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.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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.
Kittie says
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.
Anonymous says
She said start with one gallon water, than save 3/4cup don’t rhrow any liquid away!! Re read her recipe