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Candied Lemon Slices are an easy and photo-worthy way to take your favorite desserts and drinks to the next level. All you need are lemons, sugar, salt, and a few minutes of prep time to make these delicious lemon garnishes.
Have you been searching for the perfect garnishes for your next dessert? Perhaps you’ve been frantically Googling “cake decorations near me” without even realizing that those lemons in your fruit bowl would make the ultimate lemon cake decoration with a little bit of finesse.
When I first tried this candied lemon slices recipe, I knew it was a game-changer. Not only does it look amazing as an edible garnish, but it can turn any citrus fruit into candy and tastes delicious on its own as a snack! If you’ve got lemons, sugar, and salt, then you’ve got everything you need to make the best candied lemon slices or candied lemon peel ever.
By turning your fresh lemons into lemon candy, you’ve instantly got a beautiful and delicious way to enhance any of your favorite cakes, pies, cocktails, and iced tea pitchers. Trust me, if you want to impress a crowd—candied lemons are the way to do it.
Key Ingredients
To bring these candied lemon slices to life, you’re going to need the key ingredients listed below.
- Lemons: I love to use Meyer lemons when they’re in season. They’re a little sweeter than traditional lemons and have a blend of orange and lemon flavor. For the best results, make sure to keep your lemon slices thin.
- Granulated Sugar: This is what turns our naturally bitter lemons into delicious candied masterpieces.
- Salt: It might seem counterintuitive, but a little salt goes a long way in enhancing the flavors of sweet treats.
How to Make Candied Lemon Slices
To make this delicious homemade sugared candy, all you have to do is follow the simple steps below. Soon enough, you’ll have the ultimate lemon décor for all your favorite treats and cocktails!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes until the mixture has been reduced by half. Add lemons and cook for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the lemons one at a time and transfer them to a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 20 minutes until the lemons are no longer sticky and wet. If you do not have a wire rack, place the lemons on a lined baking sheet and flip them halfway through cooking.
Step 3: Allow the lemons to cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour uncovered before using. Store in an airtight container in a dark place for 1 month.
Candied Lemons Recipe Tips and Tricks
Here are some of my top tips to help you make the best candied lemons:
- You can swap out the granulated sugar and water for one cup of simple syrup if you prefer.
- Make sure you don’t cook the lemons for longer than 20 minutes; otherwise, they could disintegrate. You should be aiming for cooking them until just translucent.
- Feel free to try out this candied fruit recipe with other citrus fruits like limes, grapefruits, and oranges.
- To store candied lemons, leave them out at room temperature for 24 hours before transferring them to an airtight container. Then, you can store them in the fridge for up to 4-6 months or at room temperature in a dark place for 1 month.
Uses for Candied Lemon Slices
So, now you know how to make candied lemon slices. The question is—what do you do with them? Don’t worry. I’ve got a few tried and true ways that you can enjoy these bad boys. Here are some of my favorite uses for candied lemon:
- Garnish for pastries. You can use candied lemon slices as a stunning edible garnish for cakes, pies, cupcakes, or even this lavender sorbet. It’s an easy way of taking your presentation (and the flavor) up a few notches!
- Delicious snack. Pair your candied lemon with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy it as a delightfully refreshing snack.
- Garnish for beverages. Whether you’re hosting a party or looking to jazz up your next pitcher of homemade iced tea, you can’t go wrong with candied lemon as a garnish. Try topping off this French 75 with a lemon candy slice or stirring a few slices into a pitcher of Homemade Strawberry Ginger Lemonade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most popular questions about candied lemons:
Not usually, but sometimes it can still have slightly bitter notes in the flavor profile. If you’re worried about bitter candied lemon, you can blanch your sliced lemons before simmering them in the simple syrup, and this should eliminate the possibility of any remaining bitterness. Candied lemon should be sweet, chewy, and delicious!
If you’re not a fan of lemon or want to switch things up, candied lime would work great too. You could also try another bitter fruit like blood oranges, grapefruit, or ginger root.
Technically, yes. Candied lemon will stay good in the freezer for several months. That being said, I don’t find it necessary to freeze candied lemon slices because they already last for a long time in the fridge or at room temperature. Additionally, candied lemon is likely to get super sticky in the freezer and become difficult to work with.
To cut a lemon into slices, you should start by pressing it firmly against a cutting board with one hand. With your dominant hand, use a sharp knife to slice off the tail end of the lemon. Then, slice the lemon into ⅛” thick slices until the whole lemon has been sliced.
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More Delicious Dessert Ideas
If you liked this candied lemon recipe, try these awesome dessert recipes next:
- Blueberry Lemon Tart
- Southern Tea Cake Cookies
- Blueberry Lemon Lavender Sorbet
- Simple Fresh Fruit Tart with Lemon Pastry Cream
- Peach Cobbler Ice Cream
The candied lemon garnishes are a perfect addition to any citrus-themed party. They’re also great for topping off drinks or as an edible decoration on cakes and other desserts. Make the recipe and leave me a 5-star review so I can share it with your friends who love cooking too.
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Candied Lemon Slices
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium lemon sliced 1/8-inch thick, seeds removed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Turn the heat to medium, in a medium skillet combine water, sugar and salt, bring to a boil for 5 minutes the simple syrup should reduce by half. Add lemons and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove lemons one at a time to a wire rack baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 20 minutes until lemons are no longer sticky and wet. If you do not have a wire rack place on lined baking sheet and flip halfway.
- Allow lemons to cool for 30 minutes – 1 hour uncovered before using. Store in an airtight container in a dark place for 1 month.
Notes
- You can swap out the granulated sugar and water for one cup of simple syrup if you prefer.
- Make sure you don’t cook the lemons for longer than 20 minutes; otherwise, they could disintegrate. You should be aiming for cooking them until just translucent. Feel free to try out this candied fruit recipe with other citrus fruits like limes, grapefruits, and oranges.
- To store candied lemons, leave them out at room temperature for 24 hours before transferring them to an airtight container. Then, you can store them in the fridge for up to 4-6 months or at room temperature in a dark place for 1 month.
- Garnish for pastries. You can use candied lemon slices as a stunning edible garnish for cakes, pies, cupcakes, or even this lavender sorbet. It’s an easy way of taking your presentation (and the flavor) up a few notches!
- Delicious snack. Pair your candied lemon with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy it as a delightfully refreshing snack.
- Garnish for beverages. Whether you’re hosting a party or looking to jazz up your next pitcher of homemade iced tea, you can’t go wrong with candied lemon as a garnish. Try topping off this French 75 with a lemon candy slice or stirring a few slices into a pitcher of Homemade Strawberry Ginger Lemonade.
