Description
Bright, tangy, and oh-so-satisfying, these homemade lemon drops bring a burst of citrusy goodness to your taste buds. Perfect as a treat for yourself or a thoughtful homemade gift, these candies are fun to make and even more delightful to eat!
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
- Yellow food coloring
- 1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Butter a plastic scraper and kitchen scissors, and set up a Silpat or marble slab for pouring the candy mixture. Preheat oven to “warm.”
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, cream of tartar, and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring.
- Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and let the mixture boil until it reaches 300°F (hard ball stage).
- Pour the hot mixture onto the Silpat and immediately sprinkle with citric acid, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring.
- Using the buttered scraper, fold the mixture until combined into a cohesive lump.
- Cut or pull small pieces from the mixture with buttered scissors, and roll into spheres or egg shapes with your hands.
- Coat the lemon drops with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Let them cool completely before serving.
Notes
- If the mixture hardens too quickly while shaping, place it in the oven on “warm” to soften.
- Adjust the tanginess by adding more citric acid if desired.
- Store in an airtight container with a light dusting of powdered sugar to keep them fresh and prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lemon drop
- Calories: 25
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0