How To Dehydrate Lemons
Here is how to dehydrate and preserve lemons. Dehydrated lemons bring bright citrus flavor to everyday cooking and drinks and they are a simple way to keep lemon slices ready for baking, tea, and water infusion. This recipe blog guide shows how lemon slices slowly dry until they turn crisp and full of concentrated flavor. The process works with just fresh lemons and steady low heat or air drying until the moisture is gone. Once ready, dehydrated lemons can be stored for long use in jars and added to both sweet and savory dishes.
If you have ever bought a bag of lemons and watched a few go soft before you used them, this idea fits right into your kitchen. Slicing and drying lemons gives you ready to use citrus that works well in hot tea, homemade drinks, and baking when you want a little brightness without squeezing fresh fruit each time. It also works nicely for adding citrus flavor to water, desserts, and simple homemade treats.
How To Dehydrate Lemons
Why you will love this recipe
You get long lasting lemon slices that are ready to use without needing fresh fruit every time you cook or make drinks. The flavor becomes more concentrated as the slices dry, giving a stronger citrus taste in tea, baked goods, and infused water. It also helps you use up extra lemons so nothing goes to waste when you have more than you can use right away.
What you need to dehydrate lemons
The good news is you don’t need much to get started with dehydrating and drying out lemons. Any kind of lemon will work, so you can use what you already have or mix different varieties for fun flavors.
I currently use a Cosori food dehydrator, but any one will work for this dried lemon recipe. Here’s the full review of the Cosori food dehydrator if you would like to learn more about this dehydrator.
Ingredients For This Recipe
- 12 Lemons
How To Make Dehydrated Lemons
Step 1: Wash the lemons well and dry them fully so the surface is clean and ready for slicing.
Step 2: Cut the lemons into thin, even slices so each piece dries at the same pace. Remove the seeds.
Place the slices in a single layer on your dehydrator tray so air can move around each piece. With lemons, you can have them touching a bit because they are going to shrink down as they dry.
Dry the lemon slices at 130F in a dehydrator for about 10-12 hours or until they feel crisp and no moisture remains in the center. You will need a longer dry if they are cut thicker.
Let the slices cool fully before storing them in a sealed jar or container.
Condition The Lemons Before Storing
After the lemons are fully dried, let them sit in a clean jar for a few days before sealing for long term storage. This resting time helps any hidden moisture spread out evenly across the slices so the texture stays steady. Give the jar a gentle shake once a day during this time so everything settles in a balanced way and stays ready for use.
Tips For Making Dehydrated Lemons
Keeping the slices evenly cut makes a big difference in how they dry, since similar thickness helps everything finish at the same time. Turning the tray partway through drying helps the heat reach all sides so the texture stays consistent. If you want stronger citrus flavor in drinks or baking, leave the slices a little longer until they feel fully crisp with no soft spots in the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know the lemons are fully dried?
The lemon slices should feel crisp all the way through with no soft or bendy spots in the center. When you break a piece, it should snap cleanly instead of feeling chewy. Fully dried slices also look lighter in color and feel dry to the touch on both sides.
Can I dry lemons without a dehydrator?
Yes, you can use a low oven setting instead of a dehydrator. Place the slices on a lined baking tray and keep the heat low so they dry slowly and evenly. It may take longer than a dehydrator, but the result is still the same crisp citrus slices.
How should dehydrated lemons be stored?
Keep the slices in a clean, dry glass jar with a tight lid once they are fully cooled. Store them in a cool, dry spot away from moisture so they stay crisp. If stored well, they hold their flavor for a long time and stay ready for tea, baking, or drinks.
Ways To Use Dehydrated Lemons
- Add a slice to hot tea for a gentle citrus flavor
- Drop a slice into water for a light lemon taste
- Add to simmering soups or broths
- Make lemon powder to use in recipes
Recipe Variations
A light dusting of sugar sprinkled on the lemon slices before drying for a gentle sweet citrus finish.
A pinch of cinnamon added on top of the lemon slices for a warm spiced flavor once they are dried.
Thin slices of ginger placed alongside the lemons so the flavors infuse together while they dry.
A small sprinkle of sea salt over the lemon slices to bring out a brighter, more bold citrus taste.
More recipes and preservation articles
- How to keep parsley crisp in the fridge
- Dehydrated apple recipe
- Cayenne pepper banana chips
- Best at home freeze dryer
How To Dehydrate Lemons
Twelve medium lemons usually give about 2 to 3 cups of dehydrated lemon slices once they are fully dried. That typically works out to around 12 to 18 servings if you use 2 to 3 slices per drink or recipe. If you are adding them more lightly, like 1 slice at a time in tea or water, it can stretch a bit further depending on how you use them.
12
servings10
minutes15
kcalIngredients
12 large lemons
Directions
- Wash the lemons well and dry them fully so the surface is clean and ready for slicing.
- Cut the lemons into thin, even slices so each piece dries at a similar pace and keeps a steady texture.
- Place the slices in a single layer on a lined baking tray or dehydrator tray so air can move around each piece.
- Dry the lemon slices at 130F in a dehydrator for about 10-12 hours or until they feel crisp and no moisture remains in the center. You will need a longer dry if they are cut thicker.
- Let the slices cool fully before storing them in a sealed jar or container.
Kitchen Favorites
Cosori Food DehydratorCheck Price On Amazon- Harvest Right Freeze DryerCheck Price On Amazon
- Nutrichef Air FryerCheck Price On Amazon
Notes
- Dehydrated lemons are very light in calories since most of the water is removed and you are left with mostly peel and a little fruit. One dried lemon slice usually has about 3 to 5 calories depending on size and thickness. If you use about 2 to 3 slices in a drink or recipe, that is roughly 6 to 15 calories total.
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