Description
Bright, citrusy, and perfectly sweet-tart, these homemade lemon drops are an old-fashioned hard candy favorite made with real lemon juice and simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with powdered sugar.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream of tartar.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Stop stirring and let the mixture boil until it reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage).
- Remove from heat and carefully spoon small rounds onto the prepared parchment.
- Let the lemon drops cool and harden completely, about 20 minutes.
- Toss lightly in powdered sugar to prevent sticking before storing.
Notes
Strain lemon juice for a smoother finish. For extra zing, add a pinch of citric acid after removing from heat. You can also pour the mixture into silicone molds for different shapes or add a drop of yellow food coloring for a bolder hue.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Candy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 pieces
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: lemon drops, hard candy, old-fashioned candy, lemon candy, homemade sweets