How to Use Lemon Verbena in Desserts, Salad Dressing, and Even Cocktails

Take one whiff of a lemon verbena leaf, and you might think you stuck your nose into a box of lemon drops.

Despite its fragrance, lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) isn’t related to citrus. The flowering shrub hails from South America, where it flavors in Inca Cola, a popular soft drink in Peru. Sometimes shortened to simply verbena, many Americans know this herb’s scent from soaps and lotions. But it also lends a floral, citrusy flavor to food and drink without being too perfumey. Don’t confuse lemon verbena with lemon balm. The latter is a fragrant member of the mint family but has a much more delicate aroma and taste.

Lemon verbena is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. I used dried lemon verbena in a batch of sugar cookies that won me Star Baker on The Great American Baking Show. During pastry week, I used fresh lemon verbena in a pie filling, which Prue and Paul adored. But it’s not just delicious in sweet applications — you can use fresh or dried lemon verbena to brighten salads, drinks, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about using this fragrant herb at home.

How to buy lemon verbena

Farmers markets may sell fresh verbena in season, from late spring to early fall, but it wilts quickly after picking, so I suggest growing your own and picking the leaves just before you need to use them. Many garden stores nationwide sell lemon verbena plants to home gardeners, which have become more popular in recent years. They grow easily in containers or garden beds.

I grow a couple of plants every summer. At the end of the season, I harvest the leaves, still on the stems, and hang them up inside to dry out. Then, I remove the leaves from the stems and place them in an airtight container for use all year long. Some spice shops and several online retailers, such as Kalustyan’s and NY Spice Shop, sell dried lemon verbena leaves, which are a great and accessible way to add lemon verbena flavor to sweet and savory dishes. 

How to use lemon verbena

Lemon verbena can be used fresh or dried. Verbena is a delicate flavor, so it stands best on its own or paired with other fresh, bright flavors. 

Grind fresh lemon verbena leaves with a couple of tablespoons of sugar in a spice grinder or food processor, then fold them into whipped cream. Steep them into dairy to make ice cream or custard, or into chef Jean-George Vongerichten’s lemon verbena oil for drizzling over veggies. Add a handful of fresh lemon verbena leaves when you brew iced tea, or steep dried ones into a lemon mixture for chef Michael Solomonov’s lemonade slushies. 

Lemon verbena is particularly complementary to fruit flavors like apricot, peach, and strawberry. Add a sprig of fresh verbena leaves during the last few minutes of boiling a pot of apricot or peach jam, then remove it before transferring the jam to a jar. 

Dried lemon verbena leaves can be ground and added to cookies and cakes; they make a lovely aromatic shortbread or show-stopping sugar cookie.

You can even make your own lemon verbena extract: Pack a bunch of fresh leaves into a jar, cover it with high-proof grain alcohol, and let it sit for several weeks to make an aromatic extract that punches up cocktails or sparkling water.

Here are more ideas for using this one-of-a-kind herb.