Simply Wonderful Scented Sugars

Scented sugars are very easy to create and are simply wonderful. They are also perfect gifts.

To make your own scented sugars, you’ll need a few clean, dry jars with good seals, cheesecloth, lots of granulated sugar (and other sugars, if you like), and a good variety of herbs, spices, and flowers (always choose fresh herbs and flowers that have NOT been sprayed with chemicals).

Try the combinations below, then experiment to create your own variety of scented sugar.

NOTE: Herbs and spices will start to flavor the sugars in about 3 days, but let them sit in the jars, undisturbed, in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight, for about 2 weeks for maximum flavor.

LAVENDER SUGAR

Put 2 tablespoons of dried lavender on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed. Place cheesecloth in a jar and add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Close the jar lid tightly.

VANILLA SUGAR

Break open a whole vanilla bean and place it in a clean, dry jar. Bury the bean in granulated or icing sugar. Close the jar lid tightly.

GINGER SUGAR

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Close the jar lid tightly.

STAR ANISE SUGAR

To create this licorice-flavored sugar, put 8 whole star anise and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar and mix together. Close the jar lid tightly.

CLOVE SUGAR

Combine 10 whole cloves with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Close the jar lid tightly.

CITRUS SUGAR

Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest (the outer skin) from one large orange, 2 medium lemons, or 4 medium limes. Put the zest in a clean, dry jar and bury it with granulated sugar. Close the jar lid tightly.

MINT SUGAR

Wash and dry some fresh mint leaves well (use your favorite variety of mint: spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, etc.) Put some granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of mint leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the mint leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Close the jar lid tightly.

AROMATIC GERANIUM SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry a few leaves of a scented geranium (rose, lemon, orange, pineapple or chocolate scented geraniums, etc., not regular geraniums). Put some granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of scented geranium leaves, then another layer of sugar. Continue layering the scented geranium leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Close the jar lid tightly.

TO USE THE FLAVORED SUGARS:

Sprinkle any variety of scented sugar on fruit or hot or cold cereals.

Use scented sugar in place of regular sugar in a sugar cookie recipe, or in any cake, cookie, or custard recipe that calls for granulated sugar.

Add citrus sugar to hot or iced tea.

Try a little vanilla sugar in your coffee, or mix it with ground cinnamon and use it for cinnamon toast or French toast.

Add mint sugar to tea or lemonade.

Use scented icing sugar when making frostings for cakes and brownies.

Final note: once the herbs, spices, or flowers have flavored the sugar, remove them from the jars if you are going to use the sugar jars as gifts.