Simmering sliced kumquats in a syrup made with sugar, vanilla bean, and honey makes them tender and sweet-tart. Use these candied kumquats as a baking component or garnish for all kinds of baked goods including muffins, cakes, scones, and yogurt bowls.
It took me a while to warm to kumquats. I remember being handed one as a kid and told, “You can eat the whole thing, peel and all—they’re sweet!” I then got a mouthful of heinously tart, bitter fruit, and I steered clear of the little buggers for years.
Luckily my good friend Amelia is a kumquat fiend and convinced me to give them another shot as an adult. I found that simmering the slices briefly in a syrup of sugar, water, honey and vanilla bean means that a bitter, tart mouthful is the last thing you’ll get when you bite into one.
I developed this recipe for my cookbook Alternative Baker where I used the candied kumquats to top fromage blanc tartlets baked in my signature gluten-free oat flour tart crust. I also love folding them into a batch of less-sweet cream cheese frosting, which is delicious piped over vanilla cupcakes for a treat that tastes like a creamsicle.
Here's what you'll need to make them
- Kumquats come into season in California in February through April. The earlier ones tend to be more bitter, sour, and small, but later in the season they get bigger and more sweet. Any will work here since the sweet syrup tames even the sourest of kumquats.
- Vanilla bean if you're feeling fancy, or a spoonful of vanilla paste perfumes the syrup with its floral flavor.
- Honey adds richness and body to the syrup, playing up the floral notes of vanilla and citrus. You can use additional sugar if you don't have any honey on hand or if you want to make this vegan.
- Sugar adds additional sweetness, but if you wanted to use only honey you could.
Cooking Method: 20 minutes on the stovetop
This recipe makes about 2 cups of candied kumquats, so feel free to double or triple the recipe if you've got lots of kumquats to use up. These are made on the stovetop in about 20 minutes of cooking time.
Simply slice the kumquats crosswise (try saying that three times fast!) and remove the seeds. Make the syrup by bringing the sugar, vanilla, honey, and water to a boil. Add the kumquats and simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 15 minutes. Remove the kumquats and then simmer the syrup until thick.
Storage: These will keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.
My favorite ways to use them
These candied kumquats turned me into a kumquat fiend as well! Here are some favorite uses for the tender little fruits:
- Baked into a batch of almond flour cream scones
- Spread on crostini spread with goat cheese and topped with chopped pistachios
- Spooned on top of cheesecake, like this gluten-free burnt Basque cheesecake
- Served with yogurt or chia pudding and granola for breakfast
However you use them, I hope you love them!
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30-Minute Candied Kumquats with Vanilla & Honey
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 8 oz (225 g) kumquats (2 cups)
- ½ cup (100 g) organic granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) mild honey
- ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste, added at the end)
Instructions
- Trim the ends off the kumquats and slice them 1⁄8-inch (3-mm) thick, removing the seeds as you go.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, honey and vanilla pod and scrapings. Bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the sliced kumquats, and shuffle the pan to submerge them; there will barely be enough liquid to cover them at this point. Return the mixture to a simmer, simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain the kumquats, reserving their syrup, and place the fruit in a heatproof bowl or jar. Return the syrup to the pot and simmer over medium heat, swirling frequently, until it bubbles thickly and measures about 1⁄2 cup (120 ml), 10–15 minutes.
- Pour the syrup over the drained kumquats, and chill until cold.
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 months, or freeze for longer storage.
Sally Jane Weed says
I’m so excited to try this recipe. My 15 year old kumquat tree (Sonoma County/Norcal) normally produces only 1 snacksworth of fruit, but 2025 has been a bountiful harvest!! A friend of mine said her tree went wild this year as well. So here’s hoping everyone can get some good fruit this year. ♥️
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Very envious of your kumquat bounty. I hope you love the candied kumquats too!