Candied rhubarb is a deceptively simple spring & summer treat to make. The peels of rhubarb are soaked in simple syrup, briefly baked in the oven, then curled into spirals. They look beautiful as a fancy garnish on baked treats like cake, festive mocktails, and as a pop of sweet flavor on salads!
My sister has been growing rhubarb for several years now. I absolutely love how giant the leaves get, and the stalks are such a gorgeous color! Every summer we try to find new ways to enjoy rhubarb's beloved flavor.
Making rhubarb candy is a super easy way to sweeten the naturally tart flavor. Usually rhubarb recipes are made with the addition of other sweet ingredients like berries to tamp down its sour flavor. But this simple candied rhubarb lets the flavor of rhubarb shine through, enhanced with just sugar!
Plus these beautiful bright pink and magenta swirls make the perfect easy garnish for desserts and drinks.
Use them to decorate desserts like lavender chocolate cake, pink strawberry crunch cupcakes, and creamy dairy free cheesecake. Or use them to garnish blueberry lavender lemonade, ice cream, or vegan frozen yogurt.
What is Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is a plant that grows in cooler regions of the world and is in season in spring through early summer. It sort of resembles chard, with thick, bright pink and red stalks and large green leaves.
The stalks are edible, but they have a really sour taste on their own. And rhubarb leaves are actually toxic, so only eat the stalks!
Ingredients
Candied rhubarb is insanely easy to make with just two ingredients plus water!
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Rhubarb stalks
How to Make Candied Rhubarb
Make the syrup: In a small sauce pan on medium heat, simmer the sugar and water for 10 minutes.
Peel the rhubarb: Wash the rhubarb stalks and peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler.
Soak the rhubarb: Soak the rhubarb peels in the cooled simple syrup for at least 10 minutes.
Bake the rhubarb: Dry out the rhubarb by baking the peels in the oven at 220°F on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Shape the swirls: Immediately wrap the baked rhubarb strips around large kitchen spoon handles to create the swirls. Let them dry completely for at least one hour before removing them.
Recipe Tips
- Get all your spoons and utensils ready before you start making your candied rhubarb. That way you can be sure you have enough.
- Only the peels of rhubarb are used. You can save the rest of the rhubarb stalks for rhubarb jam or rhubarb pie.
- If your rhubarb strips don't stay curled around the spoon, they need to dry out and bake longer. Put them back in the oven and check after a few minutes.
- The residue from the candied rhubarb might stick to your spoons. If that happens, just soak them in soapy hot water and then scrub them clean.
Variations
- You can also dry the rhubarb strands flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and eat it as a snack like fruit jerky.
- Use the leftover syrup after soaking the rhubarb in mocktails or lemonade.
- For tighter curls, spiral the rhubarb around chopsticks or wooden skewers.
Storing
Store your rhubarb candy ribbons at room temp in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Keep the layers of rhubarb separated by wax or parchment paper so they don't stick together.
How to Make Candied Rhubarb
Ingredients
Candied Rhubarb
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 large rhubarb stalks
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan on medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Let the mixture steam and barely simmer for 10 minutes, without boiling, until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside off the heat to cool.
- Wash the rhubarb stalks and peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the peels into about 6-inch strips.
- Submerge the rhubarb peels in the cooled simple syrup, and let them soak for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out at least 5 large mixing spoons or anything that has a similar shape and size.
- Spread the soaked rhubarb strips on the baking sheet so they are flat and not overlapping.
- Bake until the strips are dry. Start checking your strips after 15 minutes. Some strips will be done before others, depending on their size.
- Immediately wrap the baked rhubarb strips around your spoon handles to create the swirls. Let them dry completely for at least one hour before sliding them off the spoon handles.
Notes
- Drying: If your rhubarb strips don't stay curled around the spoon, they need to bake longer and dry out more. Put them back in the oven and check again after a few minutes.
- Stalks: Only the peels of rhubarb are used. You can save the rest of the rhubarb stalks for rhubarb jam or rhubarb pie.
- Flat: Instead of swirls, you can also dry the rhubarb strands flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and eat it as a snack like fruit jerky.
- Syrup: Use the leftover syrup after soaking the rhubarb in mocktails or lemonade.
- Storing: Store rhubarb candy ribbons at room temp in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Cleaning: The residue from the candied rhubarb might stick to your spoons. If that happens, just soak them in soapy hot water and then scrub them clean.
Katie
I looked everywhere for rhubarb and when I found it I didn't know what to make with it LOL! This recipe was a fun way to try it!
Carissa Erzen
Haha! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's kind of like playing with your food :p
Maria
I had some rhubarb left over and, not knowing what to do with it, came across this recipe! What a fun idea for a beautiful presentation. My husband and I both loved it in our salad and I will be saving this recipe for when rhubarb is in season again!
Carissa Erzen
We love it on salad too! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Deb
Wish I found this recipe sooner because it turned out great! I've been growing rhubarb for a while now, and will definitely be returning back to continue making it into candied rhubarb with this recipe. I didn't swirl them, i just let them dry flat and they turned out really great.
Carissa Erzen
Thanks so much! Yes sometimes I make them flat too, when I don't want to wash all those spoon handles!
Lola
I had a huge amount of rhubarb that I got from a friend and I turned some of it into candied rhubarb with this recipe, and it turned out so good! It's a little messy, but they're so pretty and it tastes really good.
Carissa Erzen
I'm so glad to hear that, Lola! Thanks!
Azilde
🤤 what a great idea! I'll have to try that. And I just found your rhubarb jam I also want to make!
Humbly Homemade
The swirls took some time to make, but they're so pretty! Ooh yay let me know if you make the jam! 😄💖
Alison
Sounds and looks delicious
Humbly Homemade
Thank you so much! The rhubarb swirls were fun to make 🙂
The Parmigiana Whisperer
Looks incredible!!
strawberryandcream
Thank you!! 🥰
strawberryandcream
Yum that sounds pretty good actually!! Like the OG candy!
Jim E.
The curled rhubarb looks very yummy and colorful. As a child I just took a stalk of rhubarb, cut off the end, dipped it into a bowl if sugar, chewed awhile then re-dipped.