Lemon Ginger Hard Candy Recipe
Make your own homemade lemon ginger hard candy with this easy recipe. These healthy candies are great for nausea, car sickness and morning sickness!

Ginger hard candy is one of the first things I buy for my hospital bag every time I get close to the end of my pregnancy. I always feel nauseous after delivery and sucking on a ginger candy always helps me feel better!
Ginger candy is also great for long car rides. 3 of my kids get car sick, so we make sure to have some candy in the glove compartment to pull out when anyone starts to feel queasy.
According to studies, ginger helps increase movement in the GI tract, helping with digestion as well as saliva flow and as a result, it helps with nausea. Its a safe and natural solution that people have been using for centuries!
If you want to save time, you can buy pre-made ginger hard candy, but its really quick and easy to make a whole batch at home. All you need are a few common ingredients and a couple supplies!
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Why you’ll like this recipe:
- its easy and takes less than an hour to make a big batch
- you only need three ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
- these candies are delicious, with a strong but not overpowering flavor
- they’re healthy
- ginger candy helps ease nausea related to morning sickness, motion sickness etc.
What you need to make lemon ginger hard candy
ingredients
- honey – any kind of honey will work for this recipe.
- sugar – using white granulated sugar along with the honey instead of using straight honey by itself keeps these candies lighter in color and flavor.
- ground ginger powder – I like to buy spices in bulk at my local health foods store, but regular ground ginger from the grocery store works too.
- lemon essential oil (optional) – lemon and ginger flavors go really well together, but adding lemon EO is completely optional. If you do add it, make sure you use “food grade” essential oils. This is the brand I use.
supplies
- saucepan – just a medium sized pot for melting the sugar and honey.
- candy thermometer – a candy thermometer is necessary when making hard candies because only a couple of extra degrees can scorch your sugar leaving you with a big mess.
- candy molds – Using candy molds makes this recipe super easy. I’ve seen recipes that don’t use molds but it seems like its much messier and harder to get a consistent shape in your candies. Silicone molds come in so many different shapes and sizes. You can choose any kind you like. I used donut shaped ones since they feel better in your mouth than other shapes. I use these same type of molds for making homemade gummies too.

How To Make lemon Ginger Hard Candy:
WARNING – Making hard candy, you will be working with extremely hot ingredients. Be very careful not to burn yourself!
prep – Set out the candy molds. For easy clean up, lay parchment paper under them.
heat – In a small saucepan, heat the honey, water, ginger and sugar over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, watch it, stirring frequently until the thermometer reads 300 degrees. As soon as it reaches 300 degrees, immediately remove from heat. Let the honey mixture sit a few minutes until the bubbles go down.
stir – Add in the lemon essential oils (if using). Stir to mix.

pour – Working quickly and VERY carefully, spoon the hot honey mixture into the candy molds. Fill all of the molds to the tops.
let set – Let the ginger hard candy sit for 30-60 minutes until they are completely hardened. Pop out of the molds and enjoy!
Tips:
For Best Results – let the honey cool just a few minutes before adding the lemon essential oil (if you are using oils) so that they are plenty flavorful.
Store – To keep your ginger hard candy from sticking together, it is best to store them in a mason jar in the fridge. Or wrap each one in a little piece of parchment paper.
Substitutions – for a different flavor, use food grade orange essential oil instead of lemon.
FAQ about this Lemon ginger hard candy recipe:
does lemon ginger hard candy help with morning sickness?
Ginger is known to help with the nausea that can come with morning sickness in the first trimester (or beyond). Ginger works to improve digestion and saliva flow. Its a safe and natural way to help with upset stomach, and can also relieve diarrhea in some cases.
is ginger hard candy healthy?
Ginger hard candy is a healthy treat with helpful side affects, but like most things, should be enjoyed in moderation. Eating too much ginger can cause heartburn. The main ingredient in these candies is sugar, so eating one or two in one sitting is a good amount.
Are Essential Oils Safe To Eat?
When you are using essential oils in foods and drinks, its important to make sure the oils say “food safe” on the label. This brand of essential oils is what I like to use in candy making.

More Healthy Treats You Might Like To Try
If you liked this recipe, I think you’ll really enjoy these other healthy treats on the blog:
- Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
- Healthy Berry Jello
- Homemade Strawberry Marshmallows
- Rice Crispy Treats Sweetened With Dates
- Homemade Honey Lollipops
I hope you love this recipe for lemon ginger hard candy! If you make them, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like them!
Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made with us!

Honey Ginger Hard Candy
Make your own homemade honey ginger hard candy with this easy recipe. These healthy candies are great for nausea, car sickness and morning sickness!
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon water
- 20 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- WARNING – Making hard candy, you will be working with extremely hot ingredients. Be very careful not to burn yourself!
- Prep – Set out the candy molds. For easy clean up, lay parchment paper under them.
- Heat – In a small saucepan, heat the honey, water, ginger and sugar over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, watch it, stirring frequently until the thermometer reads 300 degrees. As soon as it reaches 300 degrees, immediately remove from heat. Let the honey mixture sit a few minutes until the bubbles go down.
- Stir – Add in the lemon essential oils (if using). Stir to mix.
- Pour – Working quickly and VERY carefully, spoon the hot honey mixture into the candy molds. Fill all of the molds to the tops.
- Let sit and harden for 1 hour. Pop out of the molds.
Notes
For Best Results – let the honey cool just a few minutes before adding the lemon essential oil (if you are using oils) so that they are plenty flavorful.
Store – To keep your ginger hard candy from getting sticky, it is best to store them in a mason jar in the fridge. Or wrap each one in a little piece of parchment paper.
Substitutions – for a different flavor, use food grade orange essential oil instead of lemon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 2 candiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 13gProtein: 1g