Lemon Compote for Winter
Try this wonderful refreshing drink. During summer and autumn, many people try to prepare more preserves from fruits and vegetables. However, lemon compote can be made all year round: from winter to summer and from summer to winter. This compote is just as refreshing as any other drink.
Updated : 17 March, 2026
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
3 liter
Water
1
Lemon
375 grams
Sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make lemon compote for winter? Prepare the necessary ingredients for the compote. Choose a large, juicy, fresh lemon with a pronounced aroma. The peel should not be dry or wrinkled. Lemons like that have been sitting around for too long, and the compote made with them is unlikely to turn out tasty.
Step 2
Since the lemon is used in the compote together with the peel, wash the fruit thoroughly, scrub it with a brush, and rinse it again.
Step 3
Cut the lemon in half lengthwise, then cut each half lengthwise into two more parts. Slice the resulting long wedges into not very thick pieces. You should end up with quarter-slices. Lemons for compote can be cut in different ways, but the greater the surface area that comes into contact with the water, the more juice they will release.
Step 4
Bring 3 liters of water (about 3.2 quarts) to a boil in a pot. Taking evaporation into account, you should end up with enough compote for one 3-liter jar (about 3.2 quarts), including the fruit and sugar. Add the lemon slices and the sugar. Stir carefully so as not to crush the fruit, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring the compote back to a boil and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5
Wash the jars and lids for the compote thoroughly inside and out and sterilize them. You can do this over steam using a special sterilizing lid or heat the jars in the oven. If you sterilize the jars in the oven, do not place them straight into a hot oven, otherwise they may crack from the sudden temperature change. Put the jars into a cold oven on a rack so they heat gradually.
Step 6
Pour the compote into the jars. I used one 2-liter jar (about 2.1 quarts) and one 1-liter jar (about 1.1 quarts). You can use one 3-liter jar instead. There is no need to sterilize the compote additionally, because it already contains a lot of citric acid, which prevents bacteria from multiplying when stored properly.
Step 7
Close the jars with twist-off lids or seal them with metal lids using a canning key.
Step 8
Turn the jars upside down, wrap them up, and leave them until completely cool. Turn the cooled jars of lemon compote back upright. Store the compote in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Ideally, this is a cellar, but a regular cupboard will also do. Store opened compote in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
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