Lemon Buds
Before you order
Butterfields Buds are traditional hard candy, not chewy candy. They are made to dissolve slowly, with fruit- and spice-forward flavors that are balanced rather than made to taste like dessert. Because each batch is handmade, the color, shape, and size may naturally vary.
Small Batch
No Preservatives
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan
The candy that started everything.
I first tasted a Lemon Bud sitting beside my mother during chemotherapy. Everything else irritated her; her mouth, her stomach, the long difficult hours of treatment. The Lemon Bud dissolved slowly, cool and clean and gentle. It did not fight her. It simply gave her a moment of relief and comfort.
That is the warm sun that hits your lemonade stand in the afternoon, the brightness with warmth soaked right in, a hint of tart that never takes over. We kept a supply. In the small quiet rituals of a hard season, the Lemon Buds were there.
That is why I bought this company when the factory went dark. That is why these candies are still made exactly as they were in 1924. Natural lemon, real cane sugar, no shortcuts, no substitutes. The Lemon Bud is not a lemon dessert. It is lemon - bright, clean, true to the fruit.
Some people are surprised by how real it tastes. I hope you are one of the people who loves that about it.
What does Lemon remind you of? We'd love to hear your story — write to us.
*Please note we coat the candy in powdered sugar, due to this, color and brightness may vary.
Product Details
Butterfields Buds are old-fashioned hard candy with a glasslike look and feel. They are meant to dissolve slowly; we do not recommend biting into them. The flavor is fruit- or spice-forward and balanced rather than made to taste like a dessert or an intensely flavored gummy candy.
Every batch is made by hand, and our colors come from fruit and vegetable sources. Small differences in color, shape, size, and sugar coating are normal and are not product defects.
All Butterfields candies contain coconut, a tree-nut allergen. Most flavors use natural flavor. Peach Buds contain both natural and artificial peach flavor as part of the longstanding recipe.
Ingredients
Allergens
Candy Storage
Humidity is the enemy of hard candy. Keep Butterfields in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from heat and moisture.
Shipping & Returns
Orders over $45 ship free, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Other orders ship for a flat rate of $9.99.
Our standard processing time is 4–6 business days before an order leaves our factory. We ship Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Carrier transit time begins after the order has shipped.
Need your order sooner? In the order-notes or special-instructions box in your cart, write RUSH REQUEST — Need by [date]. A rush note is a request, not a guarantee. Rush processing depends on production capacity and product availability. Expedited carrier service and rush handling may require an additional charge. Do not assume the request has been accepted until Butterfields confirms it.
Carrier transit time begins after the order has shipped. Orders to the West Coast can take approximately 5–10 business days in transit. Orders to Alaska or Hawaii can take at least 15 business days. Processing and transit times are estimates; carrier delivery dates are not guaranteed.
Because candy is a food product, we do not accept physical returns or restock returned candy. If your order arrives damaged, melted, incorrect, or defective, contact us within 30 days at 252-459-2577 or sales@butterfieldscandies.com. Include your order information and clear photographs when possible. We will review the issue and provide a replacement or refund when appropriate; you will not be asked to return the candy.
We do not provide refunds or replacements based only on personal taste preference. Please review the What to Expect, Ingredients, and Allergens information before ordering.
Gluten Free
No Preservatives
Zero Dyes
Vegan
Not sure what flavor to start with?
Try the 11-flavor sampler, our best seller!
Choose options
Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1924
For decades, Butterfields Candy moved—from Winston-Salem to Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount to Nashville—carried forward by families who believed the candy was worth keeping. Then in 2009, it went dark. The kettles went cold. The recipes sat waiting. And someone who spent 15 years carrying the memory of a candy that comforted her took a leap of faith and brought it back to life.
Dena Manning is the steward of that story.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are old-fashioned hard candy with a glasslike look and feel. We do not recommend biting into them.
Butterfields is old-fashioned hard candy, not a chewy or gummy candy. Each piece is meant to dissolve slowly. Our flavors are fruit- or spice-forward and balanced rather than made to taste like a dessert. Because every batch is made by hand, the pieces will not have the perfectly uniform size, color, or finish of mass-produced candy.
Yes. Butterfields candies are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Yes. All Butterfields candies contain coconut, which is classified as a tree nut. Please review the ingredient and allergen information on the individual product page before ordering.
No. Our colors come from fruit and vegetable sources, including red carrot, turmeric, grapes, and spirulina, depending on the flavor.
Most Butterfields flavors use natural flavor. Our Peach Buds contain both natural and artificial peach flavor. This is part of the longstanding recipe I chose to preserve. Mixed assortments that include Peach Buds also contain that flavoring.
Yes. Sugar Free Peach Buds are available in an 8-ounce cello bag and a mason jar. They contain isomalt rather than sugar. Please see the product page for current availability and complete ingredients.
Coconut is part of the traditional recipe and is used during the hand-folding process to keep the candy from sticking. Small pieces also remain in the finished candy. It is not a strong coconut flavor, but coconut is a tree nut and must be treated as an allergen.
We make the candy by hand in small batches. Natural color sources and the light sugar coating can also affect how bright each piece looks. Small variations in color, shape, and size are normal.
Humidity is the enemy of hard candy. Keep Butterfields in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from heat and moisture.
No. Some flavors have a bright or tart finish, but we do not currently make sour candy.
Great remembrance of my father giving me lemon drops when I was a child.
My wife and I both love this candy! Will order again!
tastes is so refreshing and good
Very nice
These lemon buds are very tasty and I did not get to enjoy many since my granddaughters enjoy those buds too! (I have hidden the remaining peach buds as they are my favorite flavor.)
Very good hard candy
These are so delicious and addicting!
I sent these to my sister-in-law to enjoy while she goes through her chemo treatments. She is hoping this lessens the icky taste she gets during her treatment. I sent her two of my favorites - lemon and peach.
Perfect balance of flavor
Just the right amount of sweet and tart for a great tasting little candy!
taste great
WoW
WoW
WoW
really really lemony, love them
Great lemon drop
Best lemon drops ever. Flavor amazing, candy consistency perfect!
Enjoying them right now. Full of flavor
Excellent lemon flavor
The flavor is wonderful but once you open the packaging, they all start to get sticky.
Truly remarkable taste that is memorable.
They were okay.
These are great! Nice lemon flavor. They are very smooth.
Delicious candy. Full of flavor! Ordered twice
Perfect and very flavorful
My sister loves the candy I sent her. She even took the candy with her on a road trip.
Great flavor and excellent snack
Great lemon flavor.
There was a problem with our order and they took care of it wonderfully!
Excellent! Love the bold taste.
The candy was great and I have ordered more flavors.
Great flavor
Great product!
perfect level of Lemon. It doesn't make you pucker up in shock.
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Crafted in North Carolina Since 1924
Our methods haven’t changed. Copper kettles. Measured heat. Some things don’t improve with shortcuts.
True to the Fruit
Vegan, gluten- & dairy-free. Made with natural flavors and pure cane sugar for a true to the fruit taste.
No Preservatives or Additives
We simply coat the candy in confectioner’s sugar to prevent sticking. No anti-caking agents or additives.
Living History
Passed through Rocky Mount to rest in Nashville, North Carolina. Carried for decades by people who believed the candy was worth keeping.
