How to Freshen Old Lemons

Last Updated: March 29, 2022

If you have left the lemons a little too long in the fruit basket in the open air and they've dried out, this trick might help you to refresh them so that they can still be used for cooking or drinks.

Steps

1
Boil a pan of water on the stove.
2
Reduce the water to simmering.

Advertisement
3
Place the old lemons into the simmering water.
4
Allow to simmer at an even temperature for up to two hours. Keep a regular eye on the lemons and make sure that the water does not evaporate.
5
Remove from the heat. Take out the saucepans and allow to cool on a wire rack. The lemons should be soft and juicy again. Use immediately.

Community Q&A

Question

My lemons are about a month old and starting to shrivel. Are they okay to juice?

Community Answer

As long as they aren't moldy, they're good to juice. You'll just get less juice out of them because they're a little shriveled.