How to make Candied Lemon Slices

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

Candied lemon is one of the simplest and tastiest homemade candies I know of. I used to make them as garnishes every week when I was a pastry chef! These delightful rounds are perfectly chewy and tender, loaded with citrusy flavor, and pretty to look at, making them one of my favorite ways to garnish cakes, confections, and cocktails of all sorts.

Aside from being flavorful and festive, these lemon candy slices are also:

• Quick & Easy - You’ll only need to spend about 20 active minutes in the kitchen to make a whole tray full of these sugared lemon slices.
• Made With Only 3 Simple Ingredients - All you need are lemons, sugar, and water!
• Allergen-Friendly - Naturally vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, these brightly flavored treats are safe for just about any diet.
• Budget-Friendly - A whole batch costs just a couple of dollars to make, so they’re a great rent-week project!

🍴Ingredients

As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy candied lemon recipe, a new favorite dessert. Here’s what to grab:

• Large Lemons - Regular lemons, sliced are the most traditional, but you’re welcome to swap in any type of citrus you prefer.
• Water & Ice - You’ll need to boil the lemon slices first to remove the bitterness from the pith in a pot of water, then submerge the slices in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
• Granulated Sugar - Plain white sugar is neutrally-flavored, making it the preferred option for most candy-making. If you are making these for a vegan, opt for organic cane sugar, as many white sugars are purified using bone ash.
• Melted Chocolate - Making chocolate-covered lemon slices is totally optional but absolutely delicious as a great flavor boost. Feel free to use dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate. Chili-flavored chocolate is also a delight!

Interested in making more garnishes for your desserts and cocktails at home? Try this recipe for sugared flowers, candied rose petals and candied orange slices!

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations

While I love making plain candy lemon slices, there is always room for you to play in the kitchen. Here are a few different variations you can try:

• Try A Different Citrus - Candied blood oranges, meyer lemons, oranges, limes, lemon peel, pomelos, tangerines, or grapefruits are all great options - candied peels work well too! An orange peel that is candied (or any citrus peel really) is such a great addition to a cocktail.
• Dip Them In Chocolate - The only thing better than candied lemon slices? Candied lemon slices dipped in chocolate. YUM! Chocolate lemon slices are delightful on their own, too, so don’t feel like you need to save them for a garnish. 
• Try Different Shape Cuts - Candied lemon wedges or lemon peels work better than slices for some garnishes. A candied lemon peel a great way to decorate a lemon drop shot, bourbon sidecar or mini lemon bundt cakes!

⚒️ Equipment

You’ll need a few pieces of specialty equipment to make this lemon slices candy snack, but you likely already own them. Here’s what to grab:

• Knife & Cutting Board - I find that a very sharp knife, and a serrated knife at that, makes easy work of slicing through thick citrus rinds, but a regular chef’s knife can also be used. Cut thicker slices or thin slices depending on your preferences or the kinds of lemons you use. Some people prefer to use a mandoline, but a sharp knife will do the trick in my book.
• Large Saucepan - Choose one with a heavy bottom to prevent the candy syrup from scorching.
• Candy Thermometer - Temperature is extremely important when you’re working with sugar. Do yourself a favor and invest in a candy thermometer to help you know when your lemon slices are ready.
• Cooling Rack - The larger, the better! If you don’t have a dedicated cooling rack, use the wire insert from your rimmed sheet pans or the rack from your toaster oven.
• Parchment Paper - The sugar syrup is VERY sticky, so make your life easier by lining your counter (under the cooling rack) with parchment.
• Food Tweezers or Tongs - You can also use a fork or even chopsticks if you don’t have tongs! I just find that gripping the slices from both sides is easier than trying to stab them with a fork.

📖 Step by Step Instructions

This candied lemon recipe is quick and simple to execute and a delicious treat during the holiday season. Here’s how they’re made with this simple process:

Step 1: Prep. Slice lemons into thin, uniform slices. Boil a few cups of water in a saucepan or large pot. While your water is heating, prepare an ice bath by mixing water and lots of ice in a medium-sized bowl. Prepare a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath the rack to catch any syrup drippings. 

Step 2: Boil. Drop the relatively thin slices of lemon citrus fruit into the rolling boil of water in a large skillet and allow them to boil for 2 minutes before removing them and placing them into your prepared ice bath. This blanching process prevents a bitter taste from occurring (more on that below!).

Step 3: Make Sugar Syrup. Meanwhile, to start the candying process place the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan, mix to combine, and bring to a simmer and then a boil. Make sure not to mix the syrup after the initial stir of the cooking process, otherwise, the syrup could crystallize and seize. 

Step 4: Candy Lemons. Once the syrup has reached a temperature of 225F, place the citrus slices in the syrup. 

Step 5: Cook. Continue to heat the syrup and lemon slices until it reaches 245F, then turn off the heat. Remove the lemon slices one by one from the lemon sugar syrup using a fork, food tweezers or a utensil that feels natural to you and place each slice in a single layer on the prepared wire rack layered on a baking sheet for best results. 

Step 6: Cool. Let the lemons cool for 2 hours until they are room temperature before enjoying, adding to ice cream, a lemon drop martini, lemon bars, lemon cake, chocolate pudding, or dipping them in melted dark chocolate for a sweet treat! 

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Mind your thermometer! Sugar goes through several stages during the candy-making process. You don’t want to add the lemons to the syrup until it hits 225F (the thread stage), and you want to heat the candied citrus slices until they hit 245F (the firm ball stage). If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you’ll need a bowl of cold water.
• Prevent crystalization in the sugar syrup by leaving it alone. After the initial stir to incorporate the sugar and water, don’t stir it any further.

💭 Recipe FAQs

More Cake & Cocktail Garnish Recipes