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An easy, 2-ingredient recipe for Lemon Sugar that’s perfectly sweet and tart. Great for rimming cocktails and more!
Craving something tart and sweet? I hope you just said “yes!” Lately, I’ve been enjoying sharing all the fun Cocktails… but one thing that’s been missing? A homemade lemon sugar!
We’re going to be making this deliciously sweet and wonderfully tart cocktail garnish with only 2 ingredients: fresh lemon and sugar!
What is Lemon Sugar?
Lemon sugar is a garnish for cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks that is made with two ingredients: lemon zest and sugar. Blended together, these two ingredients create a sweet and tart addition to any beverage.
Ingredients
All you need are two simple ingredients to make lemon sugar: granulated sugar and a fresh lemon.
How to Make Lemon Sugar
Lemon sugar is super simple to make! First, zest a lemon. You can use this lemon zester. Stick to zesting the yellow part which is tart and flavorful.
Next, add the lemon zest and sugar to a small food processor.
Pulse to blend the two ingredients together. Once it’s well mixed and you smell that bright lemon scent, it’s done.
How to Use Lemon Sugar
To use lemon sugar, simply pour into a shallow dish wide enough to fit the mouth of your glass.
Run a lemon wedge along the rim to wet it. Then, dip the rim into the dish of lemon sugar, twisting to coat.
I love to use it when making these crowd-pleasing Lemon Drop Shots and The Best Lemon Drop Martini Recipe.
If you love the ease of this cocktail garnish recipe, you’ll love these amazing cocktails… The tangy ‘n savory Salty Dog Cocktail (a vamped up Greyhound Drink), the sweetly smooth Toasted Almond Drink, the spicy Hot and Dirty Martini, and the luxurious Cadillac Margarita!
I can’t wait until our next shaken, not stirred journey! 😉 Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
Cocktail Recipes & More
- Honey Syrup Cocktails- another super easy cocktail essential used in making the Gold Rush Cocktail, Bee’s Knees Cocktail, and the Penicillin Cocktail.
- Dessert Drinks: Sugar Cookie Martini • Peppermint Martini • Birthday Cake Shot
- Classics: Dirty Martini • Extra Dirty Martini • Old Fashioned Drink • Gibson Cocktail
- Fun Drinks: Paper Plane Cocktail • Jungle Bird Cocktail • Last Word Cocktail
Lemon Sugar
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon, 2 tablespoons of zest
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Zest a lemon until you have 2 tablespoons—stick to the bright yellow skin, not the bitter white part.
- Add lemon zest and sugar to a small food processor.
- Pulse until thoroughly well mixed and the lemon oils have released into the sugar. The lemon sugar will be fragrant and yellow when finished.
So easy and quick to make, thank you! Will be using for cocktails!
You’re so welcome, Harriet!
Wow – I didn’t know what I was missing out on until I found your recipe for lemon sugar! There is no need for me to use regular sugar anymore!
Haha, once you try a lemon sugar cocktail, there’s definitely no going back!
Love the bright pop of flavor from this lemon sugar. It’s so easy to make, it’s versatile, and so delicious!
Yes! Glad you enjoy a bit of pop in your cocktails, too, Shelby! 🙂
This was great for our cocktail rims! So much better than salt.
Yes! Sometimes you just want a bit more sweetness for your drink.
This was fantastic with our cocktail! The drink looked so beautiful with the lemon sugar rim. Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Jamie! I know, there’s just something about a sugar rim that takes a drink to the next level.