Sugared Rosemary

My sugared rosemary recipe is a festive way to “dress up” seasonal drinks and desserts with a frosted, wintry look. To make it, simmer sprigs of fresh rosemary in simple syrup, then tossed them in granulated sugar. Once dry, these cruncy, sugar-coated sprigs make a versatile garnish for everything from cakes, tarts, and Christmas puddings to holiday cocktails and cheese boards. And as a bonus, you can save the rosemary-infused syrup and repurpose it for cocktails, so it’s almost like getting two recipes in one!

Key Ingredients

• Rosemary – Start with about 12-15 sprigs of fresh rosemary, each roughly six inches in length. If you have a very productive rosemary plant, this is a great way to use the cuttings. (And if you buy a big bunch, save the extra sprigs and turn them into rosemary sea salt caramels!)
• Granulated Sugar – While I often use caster sugar for baking, it doesn’t work well for making sugared rosemary. Granulated sugar’s larger crystals are better-suited for coating the sprigs to make the signature “frosted” look.

Tips, Tricks, and Variations

• Plan ahead. And pack your patience! It takes at least 4-6 hours for the sprigs to dry before they’re ready to use.
• Save the syrup. As I mentioned above, you’ll start by simmering the sprigs in a sugar syrup. However, you won’t need the actual syrup for this recipe. After straining out the whole herbs, reserve the rosemary-infused simple syrup and use it for cocktails, like this rosemary bourbon cocktail with lemon, or a rosemary gin fizz.
• Grab a strainer. This recipe does not require much in the way of fancy tools, but you will need a fine mesh strainer to separate the rosemary from the syrup.
• Don’t crowd the sprigs. While drying, spread the sprigs as far apart as possible—the more space in between, the faster they’ll dry. I also recommend turning each sprig periodically to make sure they dry on all sides. If you’ve lined your tray with parchment you might also want to swap it out for a fresh sheet halfway through.

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Sugared Rosemary

Recipe by becky

• Total Time0 hours
• Yield15 rosemary sprigs 1x

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This sugared rosemary adds a frosted, wintry finishing touch to desserts, drinks, and seasonal dishes.

Ingredients

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15 6-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
240 milliliters water (1 cup)
350 grams granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups), divided

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Instructions

Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir together water and half of the granulated sugar.

Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the rosemary sprigs and toss to combine. Cover and allow rosemary to steep in the syrup for 10 minutes.

Pass through a fine mesh strainer. (If desired, reserve the syrup for cocktails or to sweeten tea or coffee.)

Arrange rosemary sprigs on prepared tray. Set aside and allow to rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour, turning sprigs halfway through.

Toss sprigs in remaining sugar, shaking off any excess.

Arrange on a clean sheet of parchment or a clean silicone mat and allow to dry at room temperature, turning periodically, for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.

Use as desired. Store leftover sugared rosemary in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

Equipment

fine mesh strainer

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granulated sugar

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medium saucepan

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Resting Time: 5-6 hours
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Miscellaneous
• Method: Stovetop

How To Use Sugared Rosemary

• Cakes and Tarts – Garnish a yule log, cranberry curd tart, pumpkin pie, or a batch of brie and cranberry brownies.
• Photography – I recently added sprigs of homemade rosemary to a shoot I styled for Vitacost.com. It looks so pretty and sparkly, even in photographs!

• Christmas Puddings – One of my favorite ways to use sugared rosemary is to garnish a Christmas pudding.
• Cheese Boards – Garnish a holiday cheese platter, or use the sprigs to accompany baked brie.
• Drinks – Sugared rosemary works great for garnishing hot chocolate, mulled wine, or festive mixed drinks.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Make the rosemary the day before you plan to use it. Drying time can vary (you’ll need at least 4-6 hours, but I prefer to let mine dry overnight) so waiting until day-of might cut things a bit close. However, I don’t recommend preparing sugared rosemary too far in advance, as it will start to lose its sparkle after a couple of days.

Other Garnish Recipes You Might Enjoy

Sugared Cranberries
Dried Citrus Peels

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!