No dehydrator, no problem! You can make dried lemons right in your oven without any fancy equipment or tools. Plus this works to make dried limes, dried oranges, any citrus will work!

Have you ever wanted to dry lemons for a garnish on a cocktail or to include on gift wrap to make a gift extra special? Did you think you needed a dehydrator to do so? Not anymore! This oven drying method makes it super easy to make dried lemons at home without any fancy equipment or tools. I originally made these to go with my cranberry Tom Collins so be sure to go check that out if you want to make a delicious cocktail that looks fancy but is actually super easy. And then let me know what you use these for cause I’d love some new good ideas too!

Looking for more ways to use up leftover fruit? Learn how to make orange extract or use extra blueberries to make blueberry syrup!

Frequently Asked Questions For Oven Dried Lemons:

What tools do I need to make dried lemons? Just your oven, a baking sheet with a rack, and something to cut with!
How do I slice my lemons? You want to cut them all to the same width so that they bake evenly. I wouldn’t do any thicker than 1/4 of an inch if you want them to dry in a reasonable amount of time. You can do this with a knife if you are able to, or use a mandoline to help you out.
Do I need a cookie sheet with a rack? I highly recommend it. This way the heat is able to circulate to both sides of the citrus and bake it evenly. You could try these just on a cookie sheet, but I’d recommend flipping them every 30 minutes or so.
Does this work only for lemons? Not at all! You can oven dry limes, oranges, blood oranges, this method will work for any citrus fruit.
Can I eat oven dried lemon slices? Yes, you can! They are edible, they are just lemons that are dry. However, I don’t personally usually eat them, normally I just use them as a garnish. But maybe dipped in chocolate might be fun!

Do you have another question I didn’t address? Don’t hesitate to ask, that is what I am here for! You can leave it in a comment at the bottom of this post, or shoot me a message on Instagram.

How Do I Use Oven Dried Lemons?

You can really use these however you want, but here are some of my favorites:

A cocktail garnish – perfect for my cranberry Tom Collins if you need an idea.
Gift wrap – dried citrus attached to a string used as a ribbon on a gift makes for a great homemade touch.
Potpourri – dried citrus is a perfect item to include in a homemade potpourri.

Ready to go? Let’s do it!