Making Flavored Sugar

Recently I came across several recipes for making vanilla sugar, I was inspired. I chose mason jars to store my sugar because they are aesthetically pleasing on a pantry shelf as well as nostalgic(they remind me of my childhood summers drinking sun tea and picking cherries).


Vanilla Sugar:

8 cups of granulated sugar
2-3 Madagascar vanilla beans
1/2 gallon mason jar or large air tight container

    Measure out all 8 cups of sugar and place in a large mixing bowl and set off to the side. Starting with one vanilla bean, slice lengthwise down the middle then run the back of the knife over the inside of the bean, removing the seeds, repeat process with remaining vanilla beans. Then place scraped seeds into bowl with sugar and mix well.

Pour into air tight container and allow to sit untouched for a minimum of 1-2 weeks. Use in place of regular sugar when baking cookies, pies, or even in your morning cup of joe.


Orange Sugar & Lemon Sugar:

8 cups of sugar
2 naval oranges OR 2 lemons 
1/2 gallon mason jar or air tight container


   Measure out the sugar and place in a large mixing bowl. Take the zest from both oranges(or lemons) and mix it in to the sugar. Let sit for about an hour before putting it in an air tight container. Use in cakes, cookies, tea...the possibilities are endless.


   These sugars are shelf stable for several months. If you find the sugar is hardened at all you can put 2 saltine crackers in each container to keep any moisture out. Use in place of granulated sugar in any recipe.