8 Interesting and Useful Things to Do with Leftover Lemon Peels

People seem to have a hard time parting with the peels of their citrus.  I’m not sure why…maybe because they smell so nice?  Or because they cost so much?  We don’t think twice about tossing an onion peel in the compost bin, but a lemon rind?  Well those things are worth their weight in gold. 

If I spend the money on a fresh lemon or lime for a recipe, I want to use every last bit of it, including the zest.  And judging by all the Pinterest posts with titles like “65 Mind Blowing Ways to Use Lemon Peels” I’m not the only one who feels this way. 

I love a list of lemon rind uses as much as the next person (you’re reading this, aren’t you?) but most of them just aren’t that useful.

Many of the lists are carbon copies of each other, sharing the same boring ideas over and over again.  And honestly, most of the ideas don’t work (dried lemon fire starters?), make health claims with no proof behind them (I’m pretty positive lemons do not cure osteoporosis), or are so complicated that I would never actually do it in real life.

So here is a list of things that I, a real human being, actually do with my lemon peels. It’s not impressively long, but they’re all things that actually work, and that will satisfy you when that little voice in your head tries to tell you not to compost them. 

Just a note, since you’re using the peel, it’s always best to use organic lemons if you can, since all the pesticides used are going to be concentrated on/in the peel.  And always wash your lemons well in hot water with vinegar or some sort of produce wash to remove the waxy film.

8 Things to Do with Leftover Lemon Peels

1.       Just Compost Them…It’s Ok.

Save yourself the trouble and just compost it.  I don’t know where this idea came from that we have to ‘do’ something with the lemon rind.  Its purpose was to give us juice, and zest if the recipe called for it.  It has fulfilled its purpose and can be laid to rest.

Personally, I don’t think composted food is a waste; it’s going back to the earth to do something good.  We can’t drive ourselves crazy trying to use every single scrap of everything all the time.  There are other more important things to focus our energy on. 

Contrary to popular opinion, citrus can be composted (with the exception of vermicompost systems).  Just don’t go overboard.  A few citrus peels here and there won’t do any harm to a compost heap, so throw them in and be free of citrus guilt.

2.       Zest and Freeze

Feeling too much lemon guilt to just compost it?  Zest it and save the zest for later.  The zest can be frozen in a small airtight container and used as needed.  I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for more than a month or two, as it gets freezer burnt very quickly.  You could also freeze it in blocks with a little juice, and it may keep better. 

The zest adds a great fresh flavor to recipes when all you have is bottled lemon juice.  I’ll often add some to blueberry muffins for a little extra flavor and freshness. 

Many people say you can dry your lemon zest, but I think this really changes the flavor (and not in a good way).  The essential oils are what give the zest its flavor, and drying (especially with heat) destroys these oils and can give the zest an unpleasant cooked taste.

3.       Freshen Up Your Cutting Boards

Have a cutting board that smells like onions or garlic?  Use your leftover lemon rind to freshen it up.

Rub the cut side of the lemon plus some salt onto the cutting board.  Let it sit for 5 minutes and then wash well.  The acidity of the lemon and abrasiveness of the salt will help to remove odors and grime on the surface of the board.

4.       Clean Your Copper Pans

Half a lemon can also brighten up your copper pans, if you care about that sort of thing.  I just like to think of it as patina and roll with it.  The acidity in the juice cleans the corrosion and staining off the copper making it nice and shiny again.  A little salt can also help for stubborn stains.   

5.       Make Amazingly Easy Lemon Extract

Have lemons and cheap vodka?  Then you have everything you need to make really good, really cheap lemon extract.  See our lemon extract recipe for details, but it’s just lemon zest in vodka.  That’s it. 

6.       Squeeze Them Into Syrup

Feeling a little more motivated and have a giant pile of lemon rinds hanging around for some reason?  Then make this Lemon Syrup from Seriouseats.com.  Serious Eats is amazing, and so is this recipe.  It’s the most creative way to use up lemon rinds I’ve ever seen.  Make it, and get something entirely new and exciting out of your leftovers. 

7.       Turn Them Into Candy

Without a doubt the most complicated thing on this list, Candied Lemon Peel is not for the faint of heart.  It can be eaten on its own, or chopped and added to ice cream, breads, cakes, cookies, or as a garnish for whatever you’re making.  It tastes like lemon drop candy and it goes particularly well with vanilla and gingerbread. 

I like this recipe in particular; it’s a little different than most of the other candied lemon peel recipes you’ll find, and I think it results in better flavor.  It makes an impressive gift, and can be a fun activity to do around the holidays.

8.       Drink Them…in Limoncello

A classic Italian drink, Limoncello is easy to make and a fun way to use up lemon peels.  Only a little harder to make than Lemon Extract, it’s really not as difficult as it might appear.

Use Your Peels…Or Not

Feeling creative? Use up those lemon peels and make something delicious. Not feeling into it? Just compost them. It’s ok.