Candied Lemon Peel
Nothing like homemade candied lemon peel. These cut-up pieces are perfect for adding to your favorite lemon cookie recipe.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Total Bake Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Drying Time2 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course: Cookies, Filling
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 20 teaspoons
Calories: 60kcal
- 1 cup Lemon peel
- 1 cup Sugar white
- ½ cup Caster sugar
Start by cutting off the ends and then cut the lemon into quarters. Now, cut out the lemon flesh so all you have is the outside yellow peel and some white pith. I used a spoon to scrape some of the pith out. Next, cut the quarters into ¼" strips.
Take a small saucepan. and add water. Bring the water to a boil and add the lemon strips. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain. Repeat with fresh water each time for 4 or 5 boiling of the lemon peels. This depends on how much pith is still left on the lemon peel. If there is most of the pith, do it 5 times.
Add 1 cup of white sugar to 1 cup of warm or hot water in a bowl or measuring cup and stir to combine to make the simple syrup. After you have drained the lemon peel for the last time, add them back to the empty saucepan. Add the simple syrup to where it is just covering the lemon peel. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for up to an hour to reduce the syrup. Check and stir frequently.
You want the syrup to cook down and leave the lemon peel sticky. Drain the lemon peel. It may take a couple of minutes for the syrup to drain. Line the lemon peel strip single layer on parchment paper to dry for a couple of hours.
Place the fine sugar on a plate and dredge the lemon peel through the sugar to coat all sides. Lay them on a fresh piece of parchment paper for the final drying. Check them in an hour or two to see how firm they are before cutting them into small pieces for your cookies. Store them in an airtight container until you can make the cookies. They will last for a week or two. Refrigerate if it is a longer time frame.
Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.002g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.004g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.05mg