Beautiful Dried Lemon Ornaments & Garland

Dried citrus is such a beautiful + affordable way to get festive during the holiday season. You can make little ornaments, use the dried fruit on top of gifts or weave it around strands of garland for decor that feels extra special.

All you need is:

• 1 or 2 large lemons
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• String

Here are the steps!

• Slice the lemons into thin slices.
• Pat each slice dry and set on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper.
• Use a sieve to dust them lightly with the powdered sugar on both sides. This makes them like glass once they’ve baked.
• Place the baking sheets in the oven at 200ºF  for 2 to 3 hours. You can turn every once in a while to help them dry out.
• Let them dry for about 30 mins and then string and hang!

Ours varied in color and size, because I really let the kids do just about everything- but I love how they turned out! If you use a mandolin and get a nice consistent size and also dust that powdered sugar evenly, you will have nice yellow slices with that beautiful glass effect.

The number 1 question I’ve gotten about this is: Do the lemons hold their fragrance? I was shocked that they really don’t! Obviously if you put them up to your nose you get a little whiff of citrus- but not enough to fill your home with a beautiful lemon smell. Darn! They sure are beautiful though- and such an eco-friendly activity in a season where so much waste is created.

Let us know if you end up making these too!