This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using sugar alcohols (xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol) as osmotic agents to replace traditional sucrose in the osmotic dehydration of lemon. Lemon preserves were subsequently obtained by drying at 45, 50, and 55 ℃. The effects of osmotic agent type and drying temperature on product quality were systematically evaluated in terms of osmotic efficiency, moisture content, textural properties, color, electronic nose responses, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, soluble sugar content, and organic acid composition. Based on a comprehensive assessment integrating physicochemical indices and sensory evaluation, the optimal osmotic agent and drying temperature were determined. The results showed that, in terms of texture, sorbitol- and maltitol-treated samples dried at 45 ℃ exhibited lower hardness and chewiness, whereas sucrose- and xylitol-treated samples showed higher values. Regarding nutritional quality, sucrose- and maltitol-treated samples dried at 45 ℃ exhibited the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents, followed by sorbitol-treated samples, with xylitol-treated samples showing the lowest levels. In terms of flavor quality, sucrose-treated samples dried at 45 ℃ contained the highest levels of volatile compounds, followed by sorbitol- and maltitol-treated samples, while the high osmotic efficiency of xylitol resulted in greater losses of volatile compounds. Sensory evaluation indicated that sucrose-treated samples dried at 45 ℃ achieved the highest overall acceptability, followed by sorbitol- and xylitol-treated samples. Overall, based on a comprehensive assessment of physicochemical properties with sensory evaluation, it can be concluded that substituting sucrose with sorbitol in combination with a drying temperature of 45 ℃ is suitable for the development of low-sugar candied lemon products.