Growing up, Kissel was one of my favorite sweet treats – fruit in a sweet syrupy base. Unlike our Cherry Kissel, This one is great for the cold weather months because it uses dried fruit. You can also use frozen fruit if that is what you have on hand.
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Kissel (pronounced KEE-sell) is a fruit soup that is very popular in Europe, usually eaten as a dessert. This is a winter kissel that calls for dried fruit. You know what’s awesome? You can use any dried fruit you want because it’s always in season! 😉 The cinnamon stick takes this kissel over the top and reminds me of apple cider. And it will make your house smell Amazing!
Ingredients for Winter Kissel (kysil):
2 cups dried fruit (we used about 1/2 cup dried apples, 1/2 cup prunes, 1/2 cup apricots, 1/4 cup craisins)
6 cups boiling hot water
1/2 cup cold water
2 Tbsp potato starch
2-3 Tbsp honey
1 small cinnamon stick
How to make Winter Kissel
1. Rinse and drain the dry fruit then transfer it to a large soup pot along with the cinnamon stick.
2. Cover fruit with 6 cups boiling water. Cover with lid and let the pot sit off the heat for 30 minutes.
3. After the 30 minutes, add 2-3 Tbsp of honey to taste, and place the pot on the stove. Bring it to a boil over med/high heat then reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 – 7 minutes.
4. Mix 2 Tbsp of potato starch with 1/2 cup of cold water and slowly pour it into the soup pot while continuously stirring the soup.
5. Bring the pot back to a boil and immediately remove it from the heat. Serve warm or cold. You can strain the fruit through a sieve if you just want the juice, but we enjoy the fruit way too much to do that.
More Easter European Recipes
If you are looking for more Ukrainian, Russian, or Eastern European recipes, these are some of our favorites that remind me of my childhood.
Winter Kissel Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried fruit, we used 1/2 cup dried apples, 1/2 cup prunes, 1/2 cup apricots, 1/4 cup craisins
- 6 cups boiling hot water
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 Tbsp potato starch
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the dry fruit then transfer it to a large soup pot along with the cinnamon stick.
- Cover fruit with 6 cups boiling water. Cover with lid and let the pot sit off the heat for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, add 2-3 Tbsp of honey to taste, and place the pot on the stove. Bring it to a boil over med/high heat then reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Mix 2 Tbsp of potato starch with 1/2 cup of cold water and slowly pour it into the soup pot while continuously stirring the soup.
- Bring the pot back to a boil and immediately remove it from the heat. Serve warm or cold. You can strain the fruit through a sieve if you just want the juice, but we enjoy the fruit way too much to do that.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Very tasty! I used dried mango, pineapple and cranberries and am looking forward to trying out every other dried fruit I can get hold of as well. :p
I’m totally trying your version :D, and thank you for the great review.
Your recipes are great!!!!! I make the fruit soup too. Can I use cornstarch for the potato flour? I have also used instant tapioca. Keep up the good work.
I recommend potato starch. It seems like you can taste the starch more when you use corn starch and I had to use more of it.
OMG!!!!! My Grandmother and Aunt use to whip this up weekly in the winter time with the fruits they canned…..all my friends thought it tasted so good as they had never seen or heard of it before.
Yes this would be amazing with canned fruit! 🙂
Natasha, can I skip the honey? I recently discovered that you can’t put honey in hot water, it releases some kind of toxins… Thanks!
From my reading, there is no actual evidence that honey becomes toxic in hot water. It sounds like a myth that has been perpetuated. You can put the honey it at the end and just add it to taste after it’s just very warm if you are truly concerned. 🙂
Thanks Natasha! I hope it’s just a myth… cuz I made my tea with honey for the longest time ever and my mom recently told me that you can’t put honey in hot water…
I have searched for potato starch near and far, where did you find yours?
P.S. I’m local
Rosauers has it. That’s where we bought ours. Also, the European store on fairview and locust grove in Meridian.
I found it in Asian market and also saw at the Organic section at most grocery stores.
Oh that looks so yummy. I need one right now. Natasha, thank you for such inspirational ideas. I never used dried fruits for Kissel, from now on it will be my favorite recipe.
You are welcome Natalia :), let me know how you like it.
Yum! Great idea. I never thought to make kisel from dried fruits. My kids love milk kisel, so I just make it for them. 🙂
Thank you Lea, adding a cinnamon stick gives it that extra kick :). P.s. How do you make the milk version?
same way, Natasha – sweetened your milk, bring to scolding, pour in potato starch mix. Could be lightly thickened to drink or havier, then you eat it with the spoon, cold.
Wow that sounds interesting. My m just always made a fruit Kissel. Thanks for sharing!
When I was little, my mom used to make red one a little thicker and milk one and she would put it in the bowl red first and when it will cool off then milk one!!! I did few times for my hubby and he loved it!!! I have one suggestions , ladies, don’t ever do any Kisel with corn starch it will ruin color even the taste!!!(from my experience):) thank you Natasha for recepie, I will try your version!!:)
Tanya, I haven’t had good success with corn starch either. You can definitely taste the cornstarch and the color does change. Thanks for your input! You’re the second one to mention milk! It must be great! 🙂
Happy Monday, Natasha. Thank you for the nice recipe.
You are welcome Liz :).
I’ve never had this version of kisel, it sounds really good! but do remember when I was a kid they served strawberry or tart cherry kisel at our daycare 🙂
Looks like this brought back some memories from the childhood for you Marina :). You just might have to give this recipe a try.
Oh wow, you own a daycare? You are so awesome.
no))) I used to go to daycare when I was a kid lol
Two of my own kids are just fine for me lol
I was gonna say, wow you are a very busy gal! 🙂
Oh my goodness! I am totally going to make kisel with my frozen pie cherries from a local orchard.
Wow that sounds delicious. I’m at work reading your comment and you’re making me sooo hungry!!
Something I really hated in the day care in Ukraine when I was a child. My husband doesn’t understand how can one not like Kissel. I might make it for him. I love all of your recipes who knows maybe I will like this one too.
Maybe the texture didn’t mesh well with you? You can make this thinner or thicker to your liking. I think this one is just right 😉
Yummy! I’m starting to get nostalgic!
Thank you Anastasia :).