13 Of The Best Fruits To Candy

Fruit is nature's candy that comes in a miraculous array of colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. But what if we can make that sweet treat ... sweeter? Well, you're in luck because that's where candied fruit comes in. It's the ultra-sugary answer to your big question. Candying fruit usually involves covering and gently simmering it in a sugar-water syrup as a way to preserve it for a longer period. After all, sliced kiwi or pineapple would turn to rotten mush if you left them in the fridge for weeks.

Now, if you want to understand the best fruits to candy, then we have some answers for you. Some are more common than others, but all are incredibly mouth-watering. We'll cover why each fruit is a great option to give a sugary coating to, what textures or flavors it offers, and if there's anything you can pair it with or use it in (besides just gobbling it down).  

Unless you're confident in your candying abilities, you should find and follow a specific candying recipe, and even those will vary since each fruit has a different texture and water content. When making it, don't forget to save the leftover syrup; you can get creative with how to use it, such as adding it to mocktails or baked goods. Eat candied fruit by itself as a delectable dessert or combine it with other items or candied fruit. You'll be drooling by the time you're done reading all the options.

Let's start with one of the most well-known candied fruits: the orange. You may be familiar with candied peels, those curlicue pieces, brittle pieces of sugary, tangy goodness often used in cocktails. But we want to draw attention to candying the fruit itself. In this case, you can pick a desired orange, whether that's a navel, tangerine, mandarin, blood orange, or something else, allowing you to pull from the nuanced flavors of each. 

If you want perfectly candied orange pieces, the thin slices should be boiled in a scrumptious yet easy, simple syrup at 235 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. You may leave them like that or dust them in sugar for an attractive, almost frosted look — perfect for winter celebrations. We could eat these all day long just by themselves, but this candied fruit is excellent in baked goods. Include them in an olive oil cake or a chocolate tart for a sophisticated touch. Or cut a slit halfway through the orange and place it on the rim of a cocktail or refreshing summer beverage as an edible garnish.

This tart, acidic fruit is yet another popular candied citrus option often seen as candied peel. Again, we want to highlight why candying the fruit slices makes for a powerful, delicious snack. You only need lemon, sugar, and water to achieve the candying. Although it's made like any candied fruit, it brings a brightness that you wouldn't get from sweeter fruits. However, you could double up on the lemony tartness by including a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice as you make the syrup.

Try making these sweet-tart bites with a regular or Meyer lemon. After candying, these almost look like stained glass, with a thin, barely-there fleshy inside. Decorate your favorite lemony baked goods with the candied fruit, like lemon cupcakes or a loaf. They bring a nice crunch to your dessert without being too overwhelming. Or, for something savory, add them to a risotto or salad and pair them with swordfish. We love how versatile they are.

A juicy pineapple can make you feel better on any given day. It has a hefty sweetness, but there's a bit of acidity in there, too. When you want to mix it up, try a candied version of the fruit using fresh or canned pineapple. This candy treat establishes that sugary exterior for a more sweet-forward profile with just a touch of tanginess. These are incredibly easy to eat by themselves, but there are other ways to enjoy them, if you can hold off finishing them, that is. 

Adding them to your pineapple upside-down cake or cookies is a no-brainer; we recommend trying them on a pineapple upside-down loaf cake to go with your morning cup of coffee. But you could also add it to fruit salad or trail mix as a way to incorporate more textures or use it in a meat-based dish, like pork, which often uses pineapple.

Cherries are the epitome of summer. If you can't seem to find the fruit other than in the summertime, then making a candied version might be your solution to enjoying them for a longer period. For cherries, you will use a glacé technique, which is another method of candying. Here, the fruit has a shinier, glossy appearance rather than a firm, crunchy exterior. A glacé uses the same ingredients as your standard candying (sugar and water, sometimes lemon juice), but you leave the fruit in the liquid.

This iteration of candied cherry and its syrup can stay good for about a year when refrigerated and properly stored, solving the problem of not having the fruit all year long. Give your fruity creation an added dimension by adding almond extract, making it ultra scrumptious and fragrant in baked goods. Place a spoonful of the candied delight onto vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a memorable after-dinner dessert or mix the fruit directly in your ice cream.

The yellow-orange hue and ripe sweetness of mangoes make it a memorable, delicious fruit to candy. Try a little something different on your candying journey and give the fruit a sweet and crunchy tanghulu upgrade, a technique developed in China and served on a bamboo skewer. This candying method envelopes the fruit in a sugary syrup that hardens into a crackling shell similar to hard candy, much firmer and crisper than your standard candying technique. If you crave a truly sweet and snappy treat, then this is the way to go. 

For a simple yet scrumptious option, follow a basic tanghulu recipe, adding your diced mango to a skewer, dunking it, and following the rest of the steps to ensure the tanghulu is done. You could sprinkle on a bit of Tajín to give the candied fruit a tangy, lightly spicy flair, especially since mango and Tajín are already an epic combination, the candied version brings more texture to the equation. Use your crunchy skewered creation as a cocktail, mocktail, or smoothie garnish — perfect when you want to bring a crisp texture into the mix.

Figs have an earthy, honeyed sweetness and soft texture when ripe. If you're a fan of the fruit, then you should consider candying it to give it new textures and flavors. Again, we're utilizing the glacé method, which lets the fruit sit in the delightful syrup past the initial boil. In standard candying, the syrup is usually stored separately, but the glacé offers added moisture to the fruit. This works to the advantage of the fig, which, while succulent, has more of a jammy texture than a liquid one (than, say, watermelon).

When you want to go beyond the basics, elevate your glacé figs by simmering them with added warming spices. Whether you opt for powdered or whole spices is up to you. You could do cinnamon, clove, cardamom, or star anise. The plain version is delicious year-round, but the spiced version brings a warmth that's perfect for autumn and winter desserts. Serve with ricotta, yogurt, or ice cream for a sweet and creamy dessert, or place the delectable bites on a grazing board. We recommend adding a fig atop a mini cheesecake with fig caramel sauce that will have everybody drooling.

What's better than an already-sweet grape? An even more sugary one! You could even coat the candied grapes in crushed Jolly Ranchers, Jell-O mix, or Kool-Aid mix. But we recommend starting with a simple candying to get an idea of how the texture and sweetness change. Unlike a lot of other fruits mentioned so far, you don't want the grapes to sit in the boiling hot syrup mixture, or you risk popping or cooking them. The syrup should be warm but not scalding. For a frosty appearance, as well as another layer of sweetness, roll the candied grapes in granulated sugar after candying.

However, you could make a crunchy grape tanghulu, in which case, you'll want to add the grapes to the bamboo skewer and pop them in the fridge so they're cool. Then, proceed with coating the fruits. No matter which method you pick, use seedless grapes for best results; this way, you're not interrupting your sensory experience with a random seed. Green or red grapes (or both) work too. Candied grapes are the perfect snack to eat by themselves.

The sweet yet mildly tart notes of kiwi make it a great option for candy when you want some fruit with a bit of dimension. A ripe kiwi is juicy yet still firm and can hold up well during the candying process. A mushy, overly ripe kiwi, however, wouldn't be a good candying candidate unless you want something that turns out more like a jam. You can cut the peeled kiwi fruit into large chunks or slices, whichever you prefer. 

The chunks would make a marvelous addition to top a yogurt or açaí bowl, bringing color and flavor to your breakfast. The slices are a fantastic topping for fruit tarts or baked delights. Either way, it's a scrumptious fruit to candy. Don't be alarmed if the kiwi turns yellow in color, that's normal after cooking for a long period. Sometimes, green food coloring is added, but it isn't necessary. You could pour in a small amount of lemon juice to further enhance the tangy notes and preserve the color. For a touch of texture, sprinkle granulated sugar on the final product.

Pick strawberries when you want a bold-colored and delicious candied fruit. The vibrant red lures you in, and then the crunchy sweetness keeps you satisfied. If you've made jam before, you understand how fragile strawberries are when heated. That's why the tanghulu candying method works beautifully for this fruit. The sugar dissolves into the hot water, reaching the ideal temperature needed to ensure you get the desired firm, crackling results, but the fruit isn't directly simmered in it, like in traditional candying.

Opt for small strawberries or slice larger ones in half, place them on the skewers, and then dip them into the prepared syrup. The sugar should harden in about 10 minutes, so you don't have to wait as long as some of the other candied fruit options that take over 30 minutes to simmer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (the hard crack stage). This alone makes it one of the best fruits to candy when you want a dessert with quicker turnaround. Tanghulu strawberries are fantastic as a stand-alone snack or confection, wonderfully easy to grab, and so satisfying to bite into.

Unless your grocery store is on another level, you likely don't see kumquats all that often. You may find it at a specialty store, but it's not as easy to locate as other common fruits like oranges. We love the tartness of the fruit and that distinct snap as you bite into the skin and sink your teeth into the flesh. Candying the fruit gives it a whole new flavor profile and texture, allowing you to see the kumquats from a new lens. You get to use the entire fruit, skin and all, which results in a chewy, tender candy that you can't help but annihilate.

You could candy them whole or slice them like you would other citrus fruits, like an orange or lemon. This diverse candied fruit is a scrumptious addition to savory and sweet dishes, whether that's a protein like chicken, a leafy green salad, or a treat like cheesecake or pancakes. These bite-sized marvels are so moreish that you might not have any left after making them.

As we've seen from fruits like lemons and kumquats, the tangy and sweet combination makes for a memorable candied treat — and now we add cranberries to the list. Fresh cranberries alone are sour with that sharp, acidic bite once you pop them in your mouth. Candied cranberries, however, are surprisingly crunchy and chewy, with that sweet-tart flavor that we love so much. Unlike most of the candied fruits we mentioned, this one should cook in the candying syrup and then sit in it overnight, somewhat similar to a glacé, except they are ultimately drained until the syrup dries.

This berry is a top pick for candying when you want to eat the fruit in something other than cranberry sauce. It brings new life to the fruit, which is often associated as an accompaniment to turkey. But candying them brings them to the forefront, shining a light on just how delicious and versatile they can be. Place the candied cranberries on a classic pumpkin pie or add them to your holiday cookie box as a fun new treat.

Candy apples remind us of Halloween and those whimsical, spooky times as a kid. Continue the tradition by making them at home for your family. If you want whole apples for that crisp, snappy bite, then follow an easy candy apple recipe using sugar, water, lemon juice, and, of course, your apple. Granny Smiths work nicely because they stay firm and crisp, so you get that crunchy, sugared exterior with the juicy fruit interior. If you plan to eat them right away, you can dust them with chopped nuts or sprinkles for added pizzazz and texture. These are so satisfying and perfect when you want a larger treat that preserves the essence of the fruit.

For something more bite-sized, make candied apple slices; this version also gives you a bit more flexibility on what apple variety to use. For flavor enhancement, try adding a dusting of finishing salt after the slices are coated in the syrup. To give the apples a thoroughly autumnal vibe, add cinnamon candies into the syrup mixture until they fully melt; this will harden over the slices to create a satisfying crackling bite with that warming spice aftertaste. Candied apples or slices are delicious and thoroughly impressive, and apple-flavored syrup can be used to sweeten other fall recipes (like cocktails or cakes).

We thought we would round out our list of the best fruits to candy with another citrus option: the pinkish-hued grapefruit. Citrus fruits work so well for candying because they have a rind that offers a fantastic crisp texture change compared to the chewiness of the fleshy interior of the fruit. You could choose to remove the peel if you like; this might be preferred if the grapefruit has an especially thick peel. If you go that route, make sure to candy the peels separately. 

Candying grapefruit totally alters the way the fruit feels in your mouth as you chew. It's no longer juicy and overly tangy and instead is sweet with a mild tartness and a chewy texture. If you find fresh grapefruit too astringent, then you may want to eat them candied instead. Create a mixed batch of candied citrus, including grapefruit, lemon, and oranges, for the most incredible, colorful candy that you can use as a drink garnish all summer long. Aside from eating it by itself, place candied grapefruit atop a grapefruit cake, posset, or your favorite baked goods.