You are going to love this Lilac Sugar! It's so easy to make and so flavorful, it will not only become your new secret ingredient, but your favorite homemade gift as well!
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This Homemade Lilac Sugar combines sweet, aromatic lilac blossoms with granulated sugar for the ultimate flavor enhancer! Add it to baked goods, flavor your tea, use it to rim cocktail glasses, and more! It makes a great gift, too!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Homemade Vanilla Sugar, Homemade Strawberry Sugar, and Homemade Lavender Sugar!
Are Lilacs Edible?
Yes! While we typically enjoy lilacs out in our landscaping, they are edible! As long as the flowers are definitely lilacs and they haven't been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, they should be safe to eat. The entire lilac plant is non-toxic, but typically only the flowers are eaten.
If you enjoy using edible flowers in your kitchen, check out my recipes for Lavender Biscuits, Honey Lavender Latte Cookies, and Lemon Lavender Cake!
What is Lilac Sugar?
Lilac Sugar is regular granulated sugar that has been infused with lilac flowers. Over time, the sugar takes on the lovely floral aroma and flavor of the lilacs. The uses for lilac sugar are limited only by your imagination. It's like having a little piece of springtime in a jar!
How to Choose Lilacs
You can buy lilacs at farmer's markets, or you can grow them yourself! Here are a few things to consider when choosing lilacs for culinary use:
Make sure your lilacs are safe to eat. First and foremost, you'll want to ensure that you're certain that the flowers are lilacs, and that the lilacs haven't been treated with pesticides or other chemicals before proceeding.
Choose your favorite variety. Different varieties of lilac will have slightly different flavors, so if you have multiple varieties to choose from, give the flowers a smell and a taste to see which you prefer. I have only ever used purple varieties.
Fresh is best. Look for lilac flowers that are in full bloom, with no signs of browning or wilting. Purple lilacs tend to be most fragrant on warm, sunny days, so that's a good time to collect them. If you aren't using the flowers immediately, place the stems in water until you're ready to use them.
Ingredients
TWO ingredients. That's it! See the recipe card (below) for ingredient measurements. The recipe can easily be scaled up or down depending on how much lilac sugar you'd like.
- Sugar - For sweetness.
- Fresh Lilac Blossoms - For flavor. Note that you need to ensure that the lilacs haven't been sprayed with anything so that you know they are safe to eat.
Instructions
This recipe makes two cups of Lilac Sugar as written, but it can easily be scaled up or down depending on how much you want. More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.
Pour a small amount of sugar into a jar and top with some of the lilac blossoms.
Once infused, pour the sugar out onto a plate or tray to let it dry out.
Continue alternating sugar and lilacs. Let sit for at least three days to infuse.
Once dry, sift the sugar to remove the lilacs and pour the sugar into a clean, dry jar for storage.
How to Use Lilac Sugar
So now you know how to make lilac sugar, but how do you use it? Here are some ideas for you:
- In baked goods - Substitute plain sugar with lilac sugar in bakes. The flavor is subtle and delicate, so I suggest leaving out other flavorings like vanilla extract. It would make amazing shortbread or sugar cookies!
- To rim cocktail glasses - Lilac Sugar doesn't work as well to sweeten cold beverages, as the sugar doesn't dissolve very readily. However, it's fantastic on the rim of a cocktail glass!
- In whipped cream - The floral flavor is a lovely addition to whipped cream!
- In coffee or tea - Make your coffee or tea even more flavorful!
- Use as a garnish - Sprinkle a little on top of cake or cookies or anything that could use a little floral flavor.
- Sprinkle over fresh fruit - A fantastic way to fancy up fresh fruit, and pairs beautifully with berries!
- Add to butter - Add a little to some softened butter and you have the perfect accompaniment for biscuits, scones, breads, and more!
- Give as a gift - Because of all the fantastic uses for Lilac Sugar, it also makes a great gift! In just a few minutes of your time you can have jars of flavored sugar for gifting to family and friends.
- Make my Lilac Strawberry Galette - Lilac pairs beautifully with strawberries!
If you want to try more flavored sugars, check out my posts for Strawberry Sugar, Blueberry Sugar, and Vanilla Sugar, too!
Equipment
Fine Mesh Strainer - If you don't want to remove each of the lilac blossoms from the sugar by hand, a strainer is a lifesaver!
Glass Jar(s) - I store my Lilac Sugar in glass jars. These small, decorative jars are perfect for gifting!
If you're interested in making labels for your jars, here is the Canva link to my Lilac Sugar labels to get you started!
Storage
Lilac Sugar, properly dried, can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six months.
FAQ
Yes! As long as the flowers are definitely lilacs and they haven't been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, they should be safe to eat. The entire lilac plant is non-toxic, but typically only the flowers are eaten.
Other Recipes You May Like:
Lilac Sugar
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- ⅔ cup fresh lilac blossoms
Instructions
- Inspect your lilacs to ensure they are free of dirt and insects. I just give mine a little shake. You can rinse them if you like, but I find this step unnecessary, and I don't want to rinse away any of the flower pollen that helps to infuse the sugar. If you decide to rinse them, ensure that they are completely dry before proceeding.
- Remove the lilac blossoms from the stems, as the stems can lend a bitter flavor. Add a small amount of sugar to the bottom of a jar and top with some of the lilac blossoms. Continue layering the sugar and blossoms until you have used all of it.
- Place the lid on the jar and give it a little shake to distribute the flowers throughout the sugar. Place in a cool, dry spot (I place mine in my pantry), and shake once a day to keep the moisture from the fresh flowers from making the sugar into one solid mass. Leave the jar to infuse for at least three days. I prefer to let it sit for a week.
- Once the sugar is infused, pour it out onto a large plate or tray to dry. You may need to break up any clumps of sugar that formed while it was infusing.
- Once completely dry, sift the sugar through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lilac blossoms. Sugar can be used immediately, and will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six months.Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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