How to Make Lemon Glaze

Use fresh lemons to add zing to your lemon glaze.

This simple glaze is the easy way to turn store bought cakes or cookies into something special. It's even better when paired with homemade pound cake or sugar cookies. Whip it up in minutes and use it to top your favorite dessert. For a stickier glaze, use granulated sugar. For a glaze that will harden slightly, use powdered sugar.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon curd (optional)
• Small bowl
• Strainer
• Small saucepan
• Whisk

Instructions

1. Squeeze lemons until you have 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Squeeze lemons with your hands over a small bowl. Pour through strainer into small saucepan to remove seeds.

2. Add sugar, vanilla and lemon curd to small saucepan.

3. Turn stove on low heat. Whisk ingredients to dissolve the sugar.

4. Keep whisking until all ingredients have melded together and glaze is very thin. Try your glaze and adjust as needed to suit your taste. For a sweeter glaze, add an extra half cup of sugar. For a glaze with a little more zing, add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice.

5. Spoon or pour hot glaze over cake or drizzle over sugar cookies. To ensure that your cake soaks up as much glaze as possible, use a toothpick to make small holes in the cake before topping with glaze or icing.

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe can be easily altered by substituting different flavors of juice or extract, such as orange or lime.

• Lemon curd can be found in the jam and jelly aisle of grocery stores.

References

• Epicurious; Lemon Glaze; Ann Warren et al.; August 1998
• Martha Stewart: Lemon Glaze