How to Make Lavender Sugar (From Fresh or Dried Lavender)
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One great way to preserve your lavender flowers is to process them into lavender sugar! You’ll have fun playing with that subtle lavender flavor and sweet fragrance in baking, teas, and more. The process is very simple, and I’ll break down how to make lavender sugar with both fresh and dried lavender in this post!
Many love the smell of lavender for cleaning products and body care, but did you know the taste of lavender is just as pleasant?
Lavender sugar is absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to make! I made this recipe with my 4-year-old niece and we both kept sneaking little pinches as we made it. It has a lovely scent, and the flavor reminds me of Parma Violets. It also makes a wonderful edible gift for the baker or tea connoisseur in your life!
Love infused sugars? Try this delicious vanilla sugar! You might also enjoy this lavender sugar scrub or these lemon lavender muffins.
What is Lavender Sugar?
Simply put, lavender sugar is sugar processed together with lavender blossoms.
It has a sweet, floral fragrance and a subtle flavor of lavender. It’s an easy way to introduce floral notes to a variety of recipes. Simply replace your plain sugar with this homemade lavender sugar in any recipe.
And no, it definitely does not taste like soap. ????
Why you’ll love this lavender-infused sugar
- MAKES A DELIGHTFUL GIFT – Hand out small jars of these flavored sugars as hostess gifts or housewarming presents. A little bit of lavender sugar goes a long way, so there will be plenty to go around!
- VERSATILE – You can use this lavender sugar recipe in place of regular sugar for any recipe. It provides a multitude of ways to enjoy this floral flavor.
- PRESERVES YOUR FRESH FLOWERS – Since lavender plants only bloom during the summer, processing those fresh lavender buds into sugar is a great way to preserve that sweet lavender flavor so you can enjoy it all year.
- IT’S A TEA DRINKER’S BEST FRIEND – From green tea to black tea to herbal teas, this lavender sugar is such an easy way to add a touch of natural sweetness to your tea of choice. It’s lovely in cold beverages as well.
Equipment
To make your own lavender sugar, you’ll need:
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
- Baking tray
- Mason jars
Ingredients
- Lavender Buds – Either fresh or dried. Make sure you use culinary lavender buds (also known as English lavender or food-grade lavender), rather than the aromatic lavender commonly used in soaps.
- Cane sugar – We can’t make lavender sugar without sugar, of course! Feel free to substitute with your preferred type of sugar.
How to Make Lavender Sugar with Fresh Lavender
- Remove the lavender buds from the stem. Measure out 1/4 cup worth of fresh lavender buds.
- Combine half a quart (2 cups) of granulated sugar and the lavender buds in the food processor. Blend for about a minute or until the buds break down into small pieces.
- Pour the mixture and the remaining half quart of sugar onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stir together.
- Bake at 170 for 30 minutes to an hour until the sugar clumps together.
- Remove the sugar from the oven. Allow to cool.
- Either break the clumps by hand or add them back to the food processor. Simply pulse one or two times until the clumps go away.
- Store in an airtight container like a clean glass jar.
How to Make Lavender Sugar with Dried Lavender
- Combine 2 tbs of dried culinary lavender with 4 cups of sugar in your food processor. Pulse until the lavender pieces are small. Feel free to scale up or down this recipe to make however much you need (1/2 tbs of dried lavender per cup of sugar).
- As the ingredients are both dried, you can store the mixture in small jars right away! No baking or drying is necessary.
- Although you will notice a slight lavender flavor at first, it’s best to let your mixture set for 1-2 weeks to really take on more flavor.
Storing Lavender Sugar
Since we’ve dried this sugar, it can last about a year in the pantry.
Keep your lavender sugar in an airtight jar to avoid clumping, and store it in a cool, dry place.
This recipe always makes a little more than a quart. You’ll need 4 half-pint jars, 2 pints, or 1 quart plus a container for any extra.
more lavender love
45+ Ways to use Lavender
Whether you have a bunch of lavender on hand or are looking for more ways to incorporate this edible flower into your life, you’re in the right place!
How to Use Lavender Sugar
Now that your sugar is ready, it’s time to try out some lavender recipes! Here are some ways to treat your taste buds to this unique flavor:
- Use as a garnish for this Lemon Lavender Cocktail
- Mix into muffin batter of these Lemon Lavender Muffins before baking
- Substitute for the sugar and lavender buds in these Lavender Cupcakes
- Try it in these Lavender Biscuits
- Add some to your iced tea for a light, floral scent
- Stir into a cup of hot tea
- Use it to roll your sugar cookies
- Add a hint of lavender to your favorite scone recipe
- Toss with fresh fruit for a sweet snack
- Stir it into a lavender lemonade
- Rim cocktail glasses to give your drinks a subtle floral note
- Use it as a base for this Lavender Sugar Scrub
Tips & Variations
- Use whichever kind of sugar you like! I like to use pure cane sugar for this recipe, but you can also use white sugar, raw sugar, caster sugar, and more.
- Make sure to use culinary lavender! While technically all lavender is edible, some types are so fragrant they’re unpleasant to eat. They’re typically used for making soaps and perfumes. Culinary lavender is a better fit for baking and infusing. It has a milder scent and gives a lovely, slightly citrusy, floral flavor. The most popular type of edible lavender is English lavender and any of its cultivars. Fortunately, it’s also very common. Learn how to identify the different lavender varieties here.
- Go with organic lavender whenever possible. This will ensure a safe and naturally flavored organic sugar that’s free of harmful chemicals.
- Discard the stems and leaves. The essential oil that gives lavender its taste is only found in the buds.
FAQs
When I first made this recipe, I did not dry it out in the oven. Even right away, I could tell the sugar was starting to clump. As I thought about it, I realized that any moisture left in the buds could possibly contribute to mold. Plus, culinary lavender is typically dried before consumption.
To make sure this recipe is safe for long-term pantry storage, I recommend drying it at the lowest temperature your oven can reach (170 F for most ovens).
(This isn’t really baking – this is the same procedure I use to dry green onions in the oven and make green onion salt).
Great question! There are some great reasons to consider washing the lavender, like removing dust, pollen, etc.; however, all of those little buds may be hard to dry off fully before using in this recipe.
I did not wash my fresh lavender before using. If you do, allow it to air dry for 12-24 hours before using.
Lavender sugar should last for between 6 months to a year. although both of these recipes are completely dried, they can take in additional moisture from the environment and begin to clump.
You may also find that the lavender flavor begins to break down over time. If this happens, try whipping up a sugar scrub or just use it to bake up a big batch of lavender scones!
Lavender sugar is a great way to use up too much lavender without simply drying it all. In the kitchen, you can use lavender sugar for a wide variety of baking recipes, stirring into your cup of tea, lining your cocktail glasses, and more. It’s also great to make a variety of homemade sugar scrubs to remove dead skin cells and nourish your skin.
More Lavender Recipes
Can’t get enough lavender? Me neither! Here are some of my favorite recipes:
Homemade Lavender Sugar (Fresh or Dried Lavender)
Equipment
- Mason jars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh culinary lavender, 2 tbs dried lavender
- 1 quart pure cane sugar, 4 cups
Instructions
Lavender Sugar from Fresh Lavender
- Remove the lavender buds from the stem. Measure out 1/4 cup worth of fresh lavender buds.
- Combine half a quart of granulated sugar and the lavender buds into the food processor. Blend for about a minute or until the buds break down into small pieces.
- Pour the lavender sugar and remaining half quart of sugar onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stir together.
- Bake at 170 for 30 minutes to an hour until the sugar clumps together.
- Remove the sugar from the oven. Allow to cool.
- Either break the clumps by hand or add them back to the food processor. Simply pulse one or two times until the clumps go away.
- Store in an airtight container like a clean glass jar.
Lavender Sugar from Dried Lavender
- Combine 2 tbs of dried culinary lavender with 4 cups of sugar in your food processor. Pulse until the lavender pieces are small. Feel free to scale up or down this recipe to make however much you need (1/2 tbs of dried lavender per cup of sugar).
- As the ingredients are both dried, you can store the mixture in small jars right away! No baking or drying is necessary
- Let the mixture sit for 1-2 weeks to allow the lavender scent to develop.
I love, love, love lavender! Thanks for a great recipe
Of course! So glad you like it! Enjoy. 🙂
I’m so in love with lavender – like, ridiculously in love with lavender! This makes such delicate sugar. Perfect for tea parties and fairy picnics!
I love that and totally agree about the tea parties and fairy picnics! What a sweet idea. We love this recipe and are so glad you do too!
This is something I have never thought of before, but what a lovely idea!
It’s so good! Perfect for adding to tea or baking. Thanks for the visit!
While I’m not a huge fan of lavender, you’ve got me thinking about all the other herbals I can try with sugar. Thank you!
Absolutely! This is a great strategy to try with so many other herbs and flowers, too. Thanks for the visit!
I have never knew you could make lavender sugar. What an interesting recipe. I will have to give it a whirl. Thanks for sharing!
It’s definitely tasty and so beautiful! Have fun!
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday, 595. Hope you are having a great week and hope to see you soon!
Miz Helen
This is great to have on hand especially when I want a little flavor in my tea!