To make the candied lemon peel for the garnish and the lemon syrup for the shots, start by removing the peels from the lemons. The easiest way to do this is to cut each lemon into wedges and gently peel off the rind from each slice. Save the insides of the lemon for later use. Use a spoon with a sharp edge to scrape the white, fibrous parts off the inside of the lemon peel so there is only a thin layer of white left. Cut the lemon peel into thin strips.

Place the peels in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 seconds. Drain the lemon peel slices with a colander. Add the lemon peel back to the saucepan, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil again. Cook for 30 seconds and drain again. This will help remove the bitterness from the lemon peel.

Add 2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups sugar to the saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat to high, add the lemon peel slices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the peels from the saucepan with a slotted spoon. Pour the lemon syrup into an airtight container and allow to cool in the refrigerator until cold (about 1 hour).

While the lemon syrup is cooling, spread the lemon peels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to rest until tacky, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to a plate and roll the lemon peels in the sugar until each has an even coating. Lay the peels flat on the parchment paper and set aside.

Now you can make your shots! Add the vodka, 2/3 cup of lemon syrup (save the rest for later!), and lemonade mix to a shaker filled a quarter of the way full with ice. Cover and shake a few times. Strain into shot glasses and garnish each with a slice of lemon peel.