Sugared Rosemary – Kitchen Treaty Recipes

Sparkling Sugared Rosemary adds a festive touch to your holidays; and it’s so easy to make!

My kid thinks that frost is the most magical thing. Pre-parenting, I’d look out and think it just got really cold out there. But to her, everything down to the smallest blade of grass is sparkling, ethereal. And so now, I see it too. Like many things in life, she inspires me to see the magic in everyday things. 

Sugared Rosemary is sparkly, frosty, and looks a little bit magical … perfect winter holiday garnish. It looks kind of like icy pine branches and – especially along with sugared cranberries – it’s such a pretty touch.

I use Sugared Rosemary to decorate charcuterie platters and desserts, and I think it looks so cute plopped into festive mulled drinks. I’ve even seen Sugared Rosemary sprigs plopped upside down on cakes to look like trees. SO CUTE.

How to Make Sugared Rosemary

Sugared Rosemary is super simple to make, and the list of ingredients is about as intuitive as it gets: Rosemary and sugar, plus water.

Ingredients

• Rosemary – Fresh sprigs; I cut ’em right off the plant in my garden. I like to start with 5-inch sprigs or thereabouts, but that’s an extremely inexact thing and comes down to preference and what you’re garnishing.
• Simple syrup made with granulated sugar and water – Super easy to make; this is the “glue” that adheres the sugar to your rosemary
• More granulated sugar – To roll your rosemary in for its frosty sparkle!

First, you cook up your simple syrup and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, you dip your fresh rosemary into the simple syrup, then set the sprigs on a baking rack for about 45 minutes. The excess syrup drips off and the simple syrup thickens up for a sticky glue that the sugar will adhere to. Then, roll the rosemary around in more granulated sugar, tapping off any excess. Sparkly! Let dry completely and then garnish to your holiday heart’s desire.

Here’s the full, printable recipe. I hope you enjoy adding this little bit of sparkly winter magic to all of the culinary goodness that comes out of your kitchen this holiday season!

Sugared Rosemary

Sparkly and festive, sugared rosemary dresses up every holiday thing from charcuterie boards to cakes to cocktails. And it’s so easy to make!

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Sugared Rosemary

• 20 sprigs fresh rosemary (washed and dried; I go for around 5-inch sprigs but you can use whatever size you’d like)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Make Simple Syrup

• Set a saute pan or medium saucepan large enough to accommodate the rosemary on the stove.

• Add water and 1/2 cup sugar. Turn heat to medium. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make Sugared Rosemary

• Set a cookie rack in a baking sheet to catch the drips. Working with a few sprigs at a time, roll rosemary in cooled simple syrup mixture. Lift and let excess drip off, then transfer to the cookie rack. Let sit on your kitchen counter for 45 minutes so excess drips off and simple syrup thickens a bit.

• Spread 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a platter. Working 3-4 sprigs at a time, roll and toss rosemary in sugar to coat completely. Set on a clean cookie sheet to let the sugar harden; about another 45 minutes.

• Use as a garnish on cakes, decorate your holiday charcuterie boards, and plop in cocktails.

• Sugared rosemary keeps for about 5 days. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Full, printable instructions right here. Here’s to finding everyday bits of magic in your holidays this season!