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If you’re looking to add a burst of citrusy sunshine to your baked goods, beverages, or even skin care routine, lemon sugar is the secret ingredient you didn’t know you needed. It is simple, fragrant, and so versatile.
Whether sprinkled on cookies, stirred into tea, or used as a sweet rim for cocktail glasses, lemon sugar brings a pop of flavour that elevates the everyday.
Today I am sharing a quick and easy recipe for homemade lemon sugar that you can whip up in under 5 minutes. It is also a wonderful DIY gift- Especially when stored in a cute glass mason jar!
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This post is all about a lemon sugar recipe
Table of Contents
What is lemon sugar?
Lemon sugar is exactly how it sounds! Lemon zest infused granulated sugar, combined to create a citrusy-sweet sugar. The oils in the lemon zest give the sugar a fragrant citrus flavour without adding moisture, making it perfect for baking and garnishing.
What materials do you need?
You will need a couple materials.
- A lemon zester (or the small holes in a cheese grater. I prefer a zester for more even lemon zesting.
- Mini mason jars or other airtight containers to store the sugar.
What are the ingredients?
All you need are 2 simple ingredients! This will make enough to fill one small (125ml) mason jar.
- The zest of 1 lemon (around 0.5-1 tbsp)
- 1/3 cup of sugar
Instructions
Zest the Lemons: Wash and dry your lemons thoroughly. Using a microplane or fine grater, zest the lemons carefully—avoid the bitter white pith.
Mix: In a bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps release the natural oils and fully infuses the sugar.
Dry (Optional): If you plan to store the lemon sugar long-term, spread the mixture on a baking sheet and let it air dry for 1–2 hours. This prevents clumping.
Store: Transfer to an airtight jar or container. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 2–3 weeks for the freshest flavor.
How to use lemon sugar
Baking: Substitute lemon sugar for regular sugar in cookies, muffins, scones, or shortbread.
Beverages: Stir into tea, lemonade, or cocktails for a subtle citrusy kick.
Garnishing: Sprinkle on top of muffins, sugar cookies, or toast.
Gifting: Package in small jars with a ribbon and a tag—perfect for homemade holiday or hostess gifts.
Tips & variations
- Try it with lime, orange or grapefruit zest for different citrusy zest!
- Mix in a pinch of vanilla bean seeds for a gourmet finish!
- For a spa-like body scrub, combine the lemon sugar with some melted coconut oil. To find other body scrub ideas, check out this post!
What if I have extra lemon zest?
Usually I buy my lemons in bulk from Costco so I have more than 1 lemon to deal with. I will use one lemons worth of zest for this lemon sugar and the rest gets zested onto a paper towel and then dried on the counter for a few days. Once it is dry, I store it airtight.
The zest adds a pop of flavour to lemon loaf, lemon popsicles, lemon icing and any other lemon recipe you make!
Finally, you could use the zest to make a delicious lemon extract. If you want to have this recipe, check it out in my baking mix ebook down below.
What do I do with the lemon juice?
You can use it fresh in your recipes to make lemon loaf, lemonade and a variety of other recipes with lemon but I like to squeeze the juice into a small ice cube tray. I then put it in the freezer until solid and transfer it to a freezer ziploc bag for its final storage. This makes it so easy to pop out and use in tea, garlic mayo or any recipe you’d like!
Closing thoughts
There you have it! a super easy way to add a burst of bright flavour to your recipes! Lemon sugar is proof that something simple can be absolutely delightful! Try it once and you will wonder how you ever lived without it!
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