Homemade, easy candied orange slices or peels recipe and candied orange slices recipe, made with simple ingredients. Great as dessert, snack or cake decorations and also makes a lovely homemade gift for the Christmas holidays.
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If you have enjoyed my Easy Sugared Cranberries (Candied Cranberries) and Candied Nuts (Glazed Nuts), you are going to love today's good old fashioned recipe. These sugared slices have a strong citrus flavor and the sugar cuts the bitterness, making them irresistible.
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Key ingredients
- Oranges- The higher quality, the better the end result.
- Water- Used for boiling and helps reduce bitterness.
- Sugar- You will use some in the water and some for rolling the slices in afterwards.
Variations
- Any citrus fruit can be used- Use lemon, lime, grapefruit.
- Chocolate flavor- Dip each dried slice at the end in melted white chocolate or semisweet chocolate.
- Add peanuts- Dip each slice in melted chocolate then toss on some crushed peanuts.
- Candy the orange as a whole- Wash and dry an orange. Boil it for a couple of minutes and cool it in ice water. Simmer in sugar water for about 1 hour. Coat in granulated sugar.
- Add extracts- Like vanilla or almond, in the sugar mixture for extra flavor.
- Use on a cake- As a gourmet topping or decoration. I recommend my Best Orange Cake (With Marmalade), Moist Triple Chocolate Cake (From Scratch), or even this simple Vanilla Cake Recipe (From Scratch).
- Garnish cocktails- To add a nice orange flavor and aesthetic look.
How to make easy candied orange slices and peels recipe from scratch?
- Prep orange peels- By washing, drying, and cutting them into strips.
- Boil strips- Then cool them in ice water.
- Simmer them- In sugar water.
- Coat- In granulated sugar.
Tips and techniques
- The thickness of slices is important- If they are too thick, it will take them long to dry. If they are too thin, they won't hold their shape well. Slices that are ¼ inch thick are best.
- You must coat each slice- In granulated sugar to prevent them from being too sticky.
- Be sure to swirl orange slices- In the sugar syrup every 10-15 minutes for an even coating.
- For best results- Be sure your slices are ¼ inch thick. Anything more or less won't work as well.
Recipe FAQs
No. Once the sugar syrup sets and dries on the slices, coat in granulated sugar. This ensures it's not sticky at all.
This is because of the natural fruit compounds present in citrus. To prevent bitterness, you can boil the citrus for a couple of minutes then immediately stop the cooking process by placing it in an ice bath. Please realize that there will still be a slight bitter undertone. That's just the reality of using this fruit.
Yes, they will last for months if kept in a sealed container.
Storage
- Make ahead- These are great for making in advance because they keep so well. They stay good in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Room temperature- These are good for up to 1 week in a container on the countertop.
- Refrigerate- Place in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Freeze- Place parchment paper between slices, put in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More orange desserts
- Easy Orangeade Recipe
- Easy Orange Frosting (Buttercream Icing)
- Easy Orange Cake (With Marmalade)
- Orange Fruit Salad
- Chocolate Orange Brownies
Recipe
Candied Orange Slices (And Peels)
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Ingredients
- 4 Oranges Medium size, Cut into ¼ inch thick slices
- 4 cups Water
- Large bowl of ice water
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Additional granulated sugar For coating
Instructions
- Wash and dry oranges and cut them into small circular slices. Discard all the seeds.
- In a saucepan, add water and bring to a boil.
- Add the orange slices and boil for 1 minute.
- Transfer the orange slices to the bowl of ice water.
- Remove 2 cups of the boiled water from the saucepan that was used for boiling. Discard the rest.
- Add this 2 cups of reserved orange flavored water In a large pot.
- Add sugar, mix and bring to a boil.
Note: Be sure to stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. - Lower the heat. I use medium low heat.
- Arrange orange slices in a single layer.
- Simmer for 45-50 minutes or until rinds are a bit translucent.
Note: Be sure to swirl the orange slices in the pot every few minutes to make sure they are evenly coated with this sugar syrup. - Place these slices on a cooling rack. Then, place the rack over a large sheet pan.
- Let these candied orange slices sit for 24 hours at room temperature or until dry.
- Dip each orange slice in granulated sugar until fully coated. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your slices are a ¼ inch thick. Anything more or less won't yield the best results.
- Try other citrus fruits instead of oranges such as lemon, lime, grapefruit.
- Be sure to mix orange slices in the sugar syrup every few minutes to allow them to coat evenly.
- For extra deliciousness, dip your prepared slices in melted chocolate halfway and let it set and enjoy.
- Mix in some vanilla extract in the sugar mixture for additional flavor.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Suzy
OMG these are totally calling my name! What a bright treat!
Molly Kumar
These are so yummmm and I loved pairing them with ice-cream for that sweet-tangy burst of flavor.
Tracy Robinson
These are absolutely deliciously addicting! Unfortunately, I have to contain myself with the sugars so I'm gonna try this same recipe but with SWERVE sugar. Have you tried this? I'm hoping it doesn't alter the taste too much
Abeer Rizvi
I haven't tried it with Swerve but if you try it, I would love to know how it turns out for you.