Name: Candied Lemons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Yield: 16 Slices
Ingredients: 2 lemons; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 cup water

Sliced of candied lemons in a small white bowl.

Easy Candied Lemons

Candied Citrus makes a wonderful garnish or sweet addition to Lemonade, Cake, and can even be packaged up as holiday treats! Making Candied Lemons at home might sound like a daunting process, but it’s actually quite simple.

Candied Lemons are perfect to add to desserts, they make a lovely garnish for cocktails, or you can eat them all by themselves (they are candy after all).

Candied Lemon slice on a glass of lemonade as a garnish.

Ingredients For Candied Lemon Slices

Lemons
Granulated Sugar
Lemon Juice
Water

I made them this morning and they turned out absolutely wonderful. Thank you for this recipe! I will be making these again.

– Christina J.

Overhead photo of candied lemon slices on a cutting board.

How To Make Candied Lemons

1. Slice lemons into 1/8-inch thin round slice and set the thinly sliced lemons aside.
2. In a large skillet, combine water, sugar, and lemon juice and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-low.
3. Add the lemon slices in a single layer and simmer for 15 minutes to 30 minutes, turning the lemons over gently with tongs halfway through. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn, turn to a lower heat if necessary.
4. Once the lemons are slightly translucent, remove them gently from the pan with tongs, keep liquid in pan, and lay on parchment paper and allow them to set for at least 4 hours to cool to room temperature.

Close up photo of candied lemon slices in a small white bowl.

More Lemon Recipes

Brown Sugar Lemonade – A cozy twist on a classic drink!
Lemon Raspberry Cake – Takes just 15 minutes to prep!
TikTok Lemon Pasta (Spaghetti al Limone) – Made with only 4 ingredients!
Best Lemon Curd Recipe – Easy to make and way better than store-bought!
Lemon Drizzle Cake (Mary Berry Tray Bake) – Tender, bright lemon cake!

This post was originally published in April 2014 and was updated in August 2019 with new photos and slight recipe adjustments.

Ingredients

16 Slices

2 lemons
1 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for coating, if desired)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup water

Steps

Slice lemons in 1/8-inch thin round slices and set aside.
In a large skillet, combine water, sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
Once sugar has dissolved, turn heat to medium-low.
Add lemons in a single layer on top of the liquid, simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, turning the lemons over gently with tongs halfway through.
Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn, turn to a lower heat if necessary.
Remove lemons gently from the pan with tongs, keep liquid in pan, place lemon slices on wax or parchment paper and allow them to sit for at least 4 hours.

Notes

Shelf Life: Candied Lemons should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or in a cool dry area for up to 6 months.
Lemon Simple Syrup Option: After making the candied lemons, you can make a lemon simple syrup. Simply add 1/2 cup of water to the existing liquid, stir and let cool. Transfer to a air tight container and store in the fridge for future use.
Sugared Lemons Option: Toss the candied lemons in granualted sugar for an even sweeter finish.