Tanghulu is one of those snacks that looks almost too pretty to be real; fresh fruit sealed inside a thin, glass crisp sugar shell that cracks when you bite it. It’s sweet, crunchy, and weirdly satisfying in the simplest way: just fruit, hot sugar, and perfect timing. The key is getting the syrup hot enough so the coating sets hard (not sticky) because tanghulu is all about that clean snap.

What is the history of tanghulu?

Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese street snack that dates back centuries, most commonly traced to Northern China and often linked to the Song dynasty. The classic version was made with hawthorn berries skewered on sticks and coated in hardened sugar, creating that signature glossy shell and sharp, fruity bite. Over time it became a winter street food staple; the cold air helps the sugar set fast and stay crisp. You’ll still see it sold at night markets and festival streets, now made with everything from strawberries and grapes to mandarins. It’s basically the original candied fruit, but with a crunch that’s very specific and very addictive.

How to make tanghulu?

To start the recipe whisk together sugar and water in a small pot. Bring to boil and lower the heat to medium high. Then keep simmering until it reaches 300f. Meanwhile make the fruit skewers. Make sure all the fruit is patted completely dry and put 3-4 pieces of fruit on each bamboo stick. Set a large bowl of ice water next to the boiling sugar mixture and a large tray lined with parchment paper. Quickly dip each skewer in the hot sugar completely covering the fruit, then dunk it in the ice water. Set the finished tanghulus on the lined tray and serve immediately.

Tanghulu is supposed to have a hard sugar coating, if the texture is chewy it means that the temperature of the sugar isn’t high enough.

Tips

Make sure that the fruit is completely dry. Any moisture will make the sugar coating melt.
Dunk the fruit in quickly to avoid it from getting too hot and soggy.
If the sugar coating is chewy instead of crunchy the sugar temperature didn’t get high enough.