If you’ve only ever bought candied lemon peel, you’re in for a bright surprise. This homemade from scratch version uses just two ingredients — lemons and sugar — and it delivers a softer, fresher citrus flavor that store-bought can’t match. I started making my own for a spring cookie I was creating, but now I like to prep a batch ahead to keep in my pantry for cookies and bars year-round.
Why Make It Yourself? When you make candied peel from scratch, you skip preservatives, dyes, and that too-sweet coating you sometimes find in store brands. Instead, you get full control over the texture and sweetness — perfect for baking.
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Ingredients You'll Need Just Two Things:
- Fresh lemons (the more vibrant the peel, the better)
- Two types of sugar: regular white sugar for the syrup and the fine or caster sugar for the coating
Quick Note: If you don't have caster sugar, you can pulse regular sugar in a food processor to make it finer.
Top Tip!
For the best flavor in cookies, keep the peel slightly soft so it doesn't become too chewy after baking. These candied lemon peel pieces are what I used in my Lemon With a Touch of Honey Cookies.
How to Make Candied Lemon Peel
Prep the Lemons
1. Cut the ends off the lemon and cut the lemon into quarters. Cut the lemon fruit out so you only have the pith and skin.
2. I took a spoon and scraped some of the pith and any lemon fruit left behind before cutting it into strips.
3. Cut the lemon skin into ¼-inch-wide strips. They should be thick enough to hold their shape, but not chunky.
4. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Add the lemon strips, and blanch (boil for 2–3 minutes, then drain).
Blanch the Strips
5. Repeat the blanching 4 or 5 times with new clean water each time. This process helps to get rid of most of the bitterness.
While the lemon strips are being blanched, you can make the simple syrup. Take 1 cup of warm or hot water and 1 cup of regular white sugar.
Mix the sugar water together and set it aside. After the last blanching of the lemon strips, add the strips back into the empty saucepan.
Simmer the Lemon Peel
6. Return the lemon strips to the saucepan and pour the syrup over them just until they’re covered.
7. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the peel looks soft and translucent.
8. Drain the lemon peel strips in a strainer.
9. Lay them in a single layer on parchment paper and let them sit for about 1–2 hours until they’re tacky but not wet.
10. Roll the sticky strips in fine sugar to coat them fully. Transfer to fresh parchment paper and let them dry completely — several hours or overnight.
Tip!
If you're using the peel for cookies or scones, try chopping it into small pieces when they have completely dried but slightly soft the next day. They will be easier to cut.
Cut and Store Peel
Once dry, slice them into smaller bits for baking or leave them whole for garnishing. Store in an airtight container. They’ll keep at room temp for a week or so or in the fridge for longer.
FAQ's
About a month in an airtight container. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze in a zip-lock bag.
Yes! Try oranges, limes, or grapefruit. For grapefruit, you may need extra blanching to reduce bitterness.
Yes, store in an airtight container or a freezer zip-lock bag for a few months.
You can, but if you're using the peel in cookies, the texture will be minimal. Thinner peels are great for decorating or cocktails.
Add it to lemon cookies, scones, shortbread, or citrus cakes for chewy, sweet-tart bursts of flavor.
Lemon Cookies to Try
Recipe
Candied Lemon Peel
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (96 g) Lemon peel
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
- ½ cup (62.5 g) Caster sugar
Instructions
- Cut off both ends of each lemon and quarter them. Remove the lemon fruit so only the peel and white pith remain. Scrape out excess pith with a spoon. Slice into ¼-inch wide strips.
- Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the lemon strips and boil for 3 minutes. Drain, refill with clean water, and repeat this blanching step 4–5 times depending on how much pith remains.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, mix 1 cup warm or hot water with 1 cup white sugar to make a simple syrup. Add the blanched lemon peels to an empty saucepan, pour in the syrup just to cover the peels, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour or until the peels are soft and translucent.
- Pour the peels into a strainer to drain the syrup. Spread them in a single layer on parchment paper and let dry for 2 hours. They should be tacky but not wet.
- Pour caster sugar onto a plate. Roll each lemon strip in the sugar to coat. Lay coated peels on clean parchment in a single layer and let dry for another 1–2 hours, depending on desired firmness.
- Once firm, cut the strips into small pieces to use in cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Elaine D says
I used a serrated grapefruit spoon to peel off (scrape) the excess white pith. Used both sugar & coconut sugar (ran out of regular sugar) fine ground in a mortar pestle to coat the final product. Great project to have kids participate.
Barbara says
Hi Elaine, thank you for sharing this really clever idea for getting the white pith off of the outer skin. And of course, using a mortar and pestle to make a fine sugar for the final sweetener of the lemon peel. - Barbara
Melodie says
I use a peeler to peel the lemon skins as it takes most of the pith off
Barbara says
Hi Melodie, I have never had much luck with peelers, and maybe it is the peeler I have. Thanks for the tip! I will have to look around for a better one than the one I have. - Barbara