Lemon lime marmalade is fabulous but it’s difficult to find in stores. And when you do it’s generally a little pricey. So why not make your own? It’s not only cheaper, it’s tastes a lot better too!
The question on your lips may be, “And why would I even want to make lemon lime marmalade?” Well, if you’re a citrus nut like me, this is right up your alley. It’s like citrus on steroids. And because there are so many great ways to use it beyond merely spreading it on toast (which is good, of course, but requires no imagination).
Use it as/to:
- A filling for cake or cupcakes
- A glaze for cookies
- Bake into scones
- Swirl some into yogurt
- A crepe filling
- Serve with cheese on a platter with crostini or crackers
- Stir into cream cheese frosting
- As an alternative filling for cinnamon rolls
- A marinade for meat, poultry or fish
- Added to your sweet and sour meatballs
- Add to vinaigrettes for spinach or arugula
- A glaze for carrots
Few things rival the wonderful flavor of lemon and lime and those are just a few ways you can put this fabulous Homemade Lemon Lime Marmalade to use.
A note about the rinds. You can use the lime rind whole but the white pith of the lemon is very bitter. You can use it as well, but just a heads up. If you prefer it less bitter, remove the white pith of the lemon and only use the outer yellow part. For the demo pictures below I have left the white pith intact.
Also, citrus is sprayed and waxed and since we’re using the rinds I recommend using organic lemons and limes.
Cut off the very ends of the lemons and limes. Very thinly slice the lemons and limes. The easiest way to do this – and to do it quickly – is to use a mandoline slicer. Remove any seeds.
Quarter the slices.
Add the citrus to a medium-sized pot with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and simmer for one our until the citrus is very soft. Give it an occasional stir.
Add the sugar and return to a full boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 220-225 degrees F. Using a candy thermometer will ensure proper results and makes the job easier, plus they’re relatively inexpensive. I highly recommend buying a candy thermometer.
If you’d rather not get a candy thermometer you can use the “plate test.” Simply place a plate in the freezer for a few minutes and then place a dab of marmalade on the cold plate. Tilt the plate to see if the marmalade is set. If it’s too runny, it’s not ready – continue simmering. If it congeals into a soft gel and only moves just a little, it’s ready.
Let the marmalade sit for 2-3 minutes, then skim the foam off the top of the marmalade and discard. Letting it sit will evenly distribute the citrus pieces so they don’t float to the top when you place the mixture in your jars.
Pour the marmalade into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace from the top. To be extra safe, process the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Keep the marmalade stored in a cool, dark place. It will keep for at least one year.
- 1 pound lemons, thoroughly washed
- 1 pound limes, thoroughly washed
- 6 cups water
- 7 cups white granulated sugar
- Cut off the very ends of the lemons and limes. Very thinly slice the lemons and limes. The easiest way to do this - and to do it quickly - is to use a mandoline slicer. Quarter the slices. Remove any seeds.
- Add the citrus to a medium-sized pot with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and simmer for one our until the citrus is very soft. Give it an occasional stir.
- Add the sugar and return to a full boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 220-225 degrees F. (Using a candy thermometer will ensure proper results and makes the job easier, plus they're relatively inexpensive. I highly recommend buying a candy thermometer.)
- If you'd rather not get a candy thermometer you can use the "plate test." Simply place a plate in the freezer for a few minutes and then place a dab of marmalade on the cold plate. Tilt the plate to see if the marmalade is set. If it's too runny, it's not ready - continue simmering. If it congeals into a soft gel and only moves just a little, it's ready.
- Let the marmalade sit for 2-3 minutes, then skim the foam off the top of the marmalade and discard. Letting it sit will evenly distribute the citrus pieces so they don't float to the top when you place the mixture in your jars.
- Pour the marmalade into hot, sterilized jars leaving ¼ inch headspace from the top. To be extra safe, process the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Keep the marmalade stored in a cool, dark place. It will keep for at least one year.
*Also, citrus is sprayed and waxed and since we're using the rinds I recommend using organic lemons and limes.
Amber says
I used this as a guideline to make both line marmalade (no lemons) and a cinnamon-Mandarin orange marmalade. I only used about 5 cups sugar and maybe a half cup marmalade on the lime, and 3 cups sugar and a half cup honey on the orange. They came out great, and I love how the peels taste like candied citrus. My husband ate the peels from the discard like candy, lol. One thing though is that it took way longer than the recommended amount of time to get to the right temperature. They boiled for nearly an hour and a half before I added the sugar, and at least an hour longer after.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the feedback, Amber, and that cinnamon-mandarin orange marmalade sounds heavenly!
Janet mcgeein says
Thanku ,yesterday I had very dark and bitter marmalade, I threw it out and started over today. It turned out great this time, thanku!
Janet m says
Hi,happy New Year, I made marmalade last night and it’s too runny,I used candy ther and got just pass 220 ,looks good, I’m sure the taste is good,should I put it back on the stove again,it’s cooled off, but too runny
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Janet, happy New Year to you also! Did you use less sugar, or a different form of sugar, than the recipe called for? Did you double the batch? Or make any other alterations? The two things I mentioned commonly prevent marmalade/jam from setting. You mentioned previously that you had a batch that turned out great –
any idea what you may have done differently this time? Also, marmalade can take a full day for it to set. If it’s been a day and it’s still too runny, at this point I’d recommend keeping the marmalade refrigerated until you can get hold of some pectin and then add the amount specified on the pectin package to the marmalade and bring it back to a boil per package directions.
James says
This was a great recipe and my marmalade set perfectly for once.
I used 2 Kaffir limes which I grew, 1lb of Key limes, and about 6 ordinary limes. I put the Key limes whole into a muslin bag for the boiling in water part.
Before adding the sugar, I took the bag out and sliced the limes in half. I scraped out the insides + seeds. Then sliced the peels and put them into the pot. I have a feeling that being very seedy, the Key limes helped this batch to set well.
I used 6 cups of sugar.
I lightly boiled with sugar for about 40 minutes and let sit as directed before putting the marmalade into the jars.
It has a very fresh taste and a wonderful tang. And as I said it set beautifully. When you bite into a Kaffir slice you can really taste that wonderful aroma.
Thank you so much for such a great recipe that turned out so successfully.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for all the info, James, and I am totally envious of your Kaffir lime tree!
Anonymous says
Thanks again Kimberly.
You may be able to grow a Kaffir lime too. I live in Massachusetts and mine only goes outside after the danger of frost has passed. Last year was the first year I fertilized it every week. Having it flower and produce fruit was a huge surprise.
Janet mcgeein says
Why does my marmalade after few months in the fridge turn white and sugary
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Janet, that’s common when marmalade is opened and then stored in the fridge for a while – it’s sugar crystals forming on the top as a result of liquid evaporating. You can fix the problem by rewarming the marmalade either over the stovetop or in the microwave to melt the sugar.
Janet mcgeein says
Thankyou
Simon says
Great recipe! Scaled it up to match 5kg of fruit, ending in 17 jars of delicious marmalade.
My fruit was entirely limes, but the modification produced just as good results as the other comments reflect.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Simon, I’m so glad – thanks for the feedback!
Sharyn Sutton says
Made this recipe yesterday and it turned out beautifully. The marmalade is a little on the tart side but not biitter. Would recommend the recipe to anyone with excess lemons and limes.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad to hear that, Sharyn, thank you!
Lupe Pacheco says
Ok after reading the post from 2015 to now I understand why my first batch is slightly bitter and watery!!! But it’s in jars and has gone thru the water bath. Is it ok to consume? I figured I could use as a dipping sauce for coconut shrimp, marinate, glazing for grilled salmon, or other fish, shrimp and also chicken??? I will try this recipe again and buy me a candy thermometer!!! Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lupe, absolutely it’s perfectly safe. Using it as a dipping sauce is a great idea and you can also stir it into other sauces to curb the bitterness or add a spoonful or two to baked goods (muffins, cakes, etc) for an added boost of citrus flavor. There are still plenty of uses for it!
Carita Martin says
Hi
Do you remove the white plinth from the fruit before putting in the pan. And then do you put into a muslin.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Carita, yes, remove the white pitch before you add the peels to the pan. Discard the pitch, don’t simmer it with the marmalade or it will make it bitter.
David R Brook says
Yum! I did a test-batch with two organic Seville oranges, 2/3 cup cane sugar, 1/3 cup of orange liqueur (cheap brand), and a decent-sized pinch of saffron. Used a mandoline slicer (set to ‘thinner’, not ‘thinnest’) to really shred the whole orange including the peel and pith (had to take out the seeds, but it’s worth the time saved), then combined the sliced oranges, saffron, cane sugar and liqueur in a glass bowl and let sit overnight, covered, to marinate. Next morning, brought to a simmer until candy thermometer (a must-have) read 200-225F. Removed from heat, let cool for a bit and served on rye toast. It’s a dark-amber with tender yet sharp/tart candied-peel elements to jolt you a bit, and not overly-sweet. Perfect with a oat-milk cappuccino.