Candied Lemon Peel

5 from 5 votes

Make your own candied lemon peel with just lemons and sugar — perfect for cookies, scones, or gifting. Brighter, fresher, and preservative-free.

Prep Time30

Total Bake Time1 15

Drying Time2

Total Time3 45

Course: Cookies, Filling

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: teaspoons

Calories: 60kcal

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.