Sugared Rosemary Garnish

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Make this easy Sugared Rosemary garnish to give your cocktails and cheeseboards a festive and fun seasonal upgrade! This sugar-coated herb idea adds sparkle, flair and holiday cheer to everything it graces. And you can make it in just minutes!

Sugared rosemary garnish on a red drink in a glass. — Doesn’t this sugared rosemary make the drink sparkle?

Why you’ll love sugared rosemary sprigs

These pretty sugared rosemary sprigs add a pretty pop to anything you put them on. It may look elegant, but trust me, it’s so easy to make even if you aren’t crafty!

The coated sprigs look like they’ve been dusted with last night’s fresh fallen snow!

It’s a great festive garnish to your cocktails and looks perfect on any holiday charcuterie board.

Related Post: Citrus Twist Cocktail Garnish

The steps on how to make sugared rosemary are all easy to follow. You will use only 3 simple ingredients and there’s no need to use special tools.

Check them on a super simple Vodka Cranberry to see how they instantly turn anything into the perfect winter cocktail! And the idea works for sugared cranberries too (you can see how to make them in my Cranberry Jello Shot post).

Ingredients

Granulated sugar
Water or simple syrup
Fresh rosemary sprigs

I recommend using granulated sugar because the crystals look prettier than when you use fine sugar. They are what add the sparkle!

You want to use the freshest rosemary sprigs you can find. This will give you a longer shelf life for your garnishes. Also, look for ones with hearty stalks. Sometimes they can be super flimsy but a thick stalk will make them resemble Christmas trees.

You can use store-bought simple syrup or homemade simple syrup to make the sugar stick. Or just use water!

See the printable recipe card for quantities and full recipe.

Instructions

Dipping rosemary sprig into white granulated sugar.

Step 1

Dip the rosemary sprigs in a bowl with simple syrup or water to moisten them slightly.

Step 2

Roll the wet rosemary sprigs in granulated sugar poured onto a small plate to coat them completely.

Step 3

Gently shake off any excess sugar.

Close up image of sugared rosemary sprigs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 4

Lay the sugared rosemary sprigs on a wire rack or waxed paper to dry completely.

To Use

To use sugared rosemary as a garnish, simply place it into the cocktail (the sugar will dissolve wherever it hits the liquid). You can also lay it across the top or even skewer a few fresh cranberries as I’ve shown here.

Variations

Sugar – Use different colors of sanding sugar to get a different look. While I think white sugar makes it look like the rosemary are flocked with snow, colorful sugar could be fun too.
Decoration – Want to be a little extra? Dust your rosemary sprigs with edible glitter or even gold dust! This will make them look even more fabulous.
More tree-like – add small red sugar candies to make the sugared rosemary look more like Christmas trees.

Top tips

Wash and dry the rosemary sprigs clean before beginning the recipe.
Shake off excess water and sugar. Otherwise, the coating will be sticky and the rosemary sprigs might turn soggy.
The sugar will fall off the rosemary if moved around too much. If transporting these to another location, consider layering them gently in paper towels in a Tupperware container to keep them from sliding around too much.
This garnish is great for cocktails and desserts. You can use them on cheese boards where you often find regular rosemary as a garnish, but keep in mind these are dusted with sugar and are more of a decoration than something you would want to eat. It’s definitely not going to taste like candy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you eat sugared rosemary?

Yes, you can eat sugared rosemary. It has a sweet aromatic taste that will refresh your palate. Keep in mind that fresh rosemary is pretty tough so it’s not my first choice to eat it without being chopped and removed from it’s stalk first.

How do you store sugared rosemary?

Store your sugared rosemary in a sealed airtight container at room temperature. It will stay good for one week. Layer a few pieces of paper towel in between layers to catch any condensation.

A couple of drinks garnished with sugared rosemary sprigs.

This sugared rosemary garnish idea is perfect for all your holiday and winter parties!

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