My candied lemon peel is a sugary, sweet treat made from lemon peel that has been simmered in a simple syrup and coated with sugar! These little snacks are great for cocktail garnishes, dessert toppers, or just to eat as candy! They’re so good, you’re going to need to make a bunch!
Best Candied Lemon Peel Recipe
This candied lemon peel recipe is easy to follow and makes a fun and tasty dessert! The hardest part about this recipe is having to wait 24 hours for them to dry!
You can use these little lemon peels for practically anything you can think of! I love to put some on top of my ice cream or use them as a beautiful and delicious cupcake topper!
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🥘 Candied Lemon Peel Ingredients
With only 5 simple ingredients, this recipe is perfect for a beginner cook! Just grab some fresh lemons and you’re ready to get started!
- Lemons – 5 large lemons, thoroughly cleaned.
- Water – 2 cups of water.
- Sugar – 1½ cups of granulated sugar (plus more to coat the candied lemon peel if desired).
- Salt – ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts, & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Candied Lemon Peel
These candied lemon peels are fool-proof! You’ll need a vegetable peeler, saucepan, and a wire cooling rack.
This recipe makes 20 servings. You can share them with your friends, use them as beautiful cake toppers, or just keep them all for yourself!
Simmer The Lemon Peels
- Peel. To get started, wash and scrub your 5 large lemons gently with a vegetable brush. Afterward, peel them from top to bottom into roughly 2-4” segments using a vegetable peeler (be sure to press firmly so you get an even segment of peel). You can candy the large segments, or you can slice them into thinner strips of about ¼ inch thick if desired.
- Simmer. Pour 2 cups of water, 1½ cup of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the lemon peel. Next, add your lemon peels. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent a rolling boil. You want to simmer the lemon peels long enough that they lose their bright yellow color (but without turning dark). Stir them occasionally to ensure all pieces are exposed to the simple syrup.
Add The Finishing Touches
- Remove from heat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Give it a quick stir to combine and then let the lemon peels sit in the syrup for 5 minutes to absorb all of the flavors. Meanwhile, put a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Dry. Finally, transfer the lemon peels to the wire rack to dry for 20-30 minutes. (Optional) Then toss them in ½ cup of sugar to coat. Afterward, put the sugar-covered lemon peels back onto the cooling rack and let them dry at room temperature for up to 24 hours (until they are no longer sticky to the touch). Once they have dried, store or serve them as desired.
This sweet and sugary little treat is tasty as a snack by itself. Of course, it would also be a perfect garnish for a pink vodka lemonade, cosmopolitan, or a royal Hawaiian cocktail!
💭 Candied Lemon Peel Tips & Recipe Notes
- Washing your fruit and scrubbing it lightly with a vegetable brush is very important. During the growing process, many fruits and vegetables are exposed to chemicals and pesticides that you don't want to eat!
- A vegetable peeler is the best tool for peeling lemons. With a knife, you may want to go back and remove the white and spongy underside of the lemon peel called the 'pith'. It is very bitter and too much of it might ruin the recipe.
- If you are not a fan of lemons, you can also try this recipe with other citruses like oranges, tangerines, limes, or grapefruit!
- To store: Keep candied lemon peels in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark such as a cabinet or pantry. Use within 1 month. *Use a mason jar with oxygen absorbers, seal in a mylar bag, or seal with a foodsaver to remove as much air as possible for longer term storage.
❓ Can You Freeze Candied Lemon Peel?
Candied lemon peel can be frozen. Place them into an airtight container or freezer bag and they can be frozen for 1 month.
❓ Are Candied Lemon Peels Bitter?
They are not bitter when made correctly. If you are having issues with your lemon peels being bitter, make sure you scrape off the white “pith” (white inner part of the peel) from the peel as it has the most bitter taste.
❓ What Can I Do With Candied Lemon Peel?
Candied lemon peel can be used for salads, trail mix, dessert toppers, cocktail garnishes, or you can just eat them as a snack! The possibilities are endless!
🍭 Best Sweet Treats!
- Crack Grapes
- Chocolate Frosting Fudge
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- Pecan Tartlets
- Fudge Covered Oreos
- Peanut Butter Cookies
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📖 Recipe Card
Candied Lemon Peel
Ingredients
- 5 large lemons
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (divided into 1 cup and ½ cup portions)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Start by washing and scrubbing your lemons gently with a vegetable brush. Then, peel them from top to bottom into roughly 2-4" segments with a vegetable peeler (be sure to press firmly so you get an even segment of peel). You can candy the large segments, or slice them into thinner strips about ¼" thick, if desired.
- Pour the water, 1 cup of sugar, and salt into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- Next, add the lemon peels. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, reducing heat as needed to prevent a rolling boil. You want to simmer them long enough that they become tender but not so long that they lose their bright yellow color. Give them a stir occasionally to make sure all pieces are exposed to the simple syrup.
- Remove the pan from heat and pour in the vanilla. Give it a quick stir to combine, then let the lemon peels sit in the syrup for 5 minutes to absorb all the flavor. Meanwhile, put a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, transfer the lemon peels to the wire rack to dry for 20-30 minutes. Then toss them in sugar to coat.
- Put the sugar-covered lemon peels back on the cooling rack and let them dry at room temperature for up to 24 hours (until they are no longer sticky to the touch). Once they have dried, store or serve them as desired.
Notes
- Washing your fruit and scrubbing it lightly with a vegetable brush is very important. During the growing process, many fruits and vegetables are exposed to chemicals and pesticides that you don't want to eat!
- A vegetable peeler is the best tool for peeling lemons. With a knife, you may want to go back and remove the white and spongy underside of the lemon peel called the 'pith'. It is very bitter and too much of it might ruin the recipe.
- If you are not a fan of lemons, you can also try this recipe with another citrus like oranges, tangerines, limes, or grapefruit!
- To store: Keep candied lemon peels in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark such as a cabinet or pantry. Use within 1 month.
Marilyn says
This was the first time I’ve made these. Great and easy!!!