Candied Orange Slices (2024)

Looking for a simple way to preserve extra oranges? These candied orange slices are a delicious treat that can be enjoyed on their own, or used to make your baked goods extra fancy.

Want tips for candying other citrus fruits? See our lemon and orange mixed peel and candied lemon slices recipes for lots of helpful information.

Why This Recipe Works

• The slices are the right thickness. Aim for ⅛ inch thick slices or up to ¼ inch. Thinner than ⅛ inch, and they will fall apart; thicker than ¼ inch, and the slices will take far too long to dry.
• The peels are blanched for 10 minutes. Boiling them removes the bitterness from the white pith in the peels. The peels are quickly cooled after blanching by submerging them in an ice bath.
• They are dried in the oven. This speeds up the drying process, which can take one to two days at room temperature. Baking the peels on wire racks at a low temperature (175°F) shortens the drying process to a couple of hours.
• They are rolled in sugar. The extra sugar coating pulls extra moisture from the peels, making them more chewy, taste sweeter, and makes them look prettier.

Ingredients

You don't need anything fancy to make these delicious candied oranges! In fact, you only need three simple ingredients.

• Oranges: Feel free to use any type of orange that you'd like. We used navel oranges for this photo shoot because we wanted larger candied orange slices, but mandarins, clementines, tangelos, tangerines, or any orange will work great.
• Sugar: This sweetens and preserves the fruit and helps extract water from the fruit.
• Water: You'll use water to blanch the orange slices, to shock them in an ice bath, and to make the simple syrup.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients.

1. Scrub the peels, then cut the oranges crosswise in pieces no thinner than ⅛ inch and no thicker than ¼ inch. Be sure to use a sharp knife.
2. Blanch the orange slices by simmering them in water for 10 minutes to remove their bitterness.

3. Immediately drain the orange slices and shock them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking.

4. Make simple syrup by dissolving the sugar in water and bringing it to a boil.

5. Drain the orange slices and add them to the boiling syrup. Turn it down to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes, or until they are translucent.

6. Spread the slices on wire racks set over cookie sheets and dry them in a 175°F oven for 30 minutes.

7. Roll the candied slices in sugar and continue to dry them out in the oven for another 1 ½ to 2 hours. Roll in sugar again.

8. Enjoy as a treat, use to decorate baked goods, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQs

Serve

• Use to decorate the top of loaf cakes or layer cakes. This is popular in British baking.
• Place on top of a yeast bread, like the Spanish Epiphany bread Roscón de Reyes.
• Cut each piece in half and put on top of a cupcake.
• Dip them in chocolate to serve as a special treat.
• Use it as a garnish for a mocktail.
• Keep the simple syrup that the oranges simmered in and use it for cakes or drinks.

Want to make other types of candied fruit? Try our recipes for candied lemon slices, candied ginger, candied grapefruit peels, and mixed peel.

Store

• Seal in an airtight container and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.
• Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 1 year.

Expert Tips

• Cut the oranges no thinner than ⅛ inch, and no thicker than ¼ inch. Thinner pieces will cook and dry faster, but can break apart if they are too thin.
• Cut the slices the same thickness so all the pieces are done at the same time.
• For the easiest slicing, choose firm citrus fruits and use a sharp knife.
• Bitter citrus fruits, like lemons, grapefruit, and citron, require two or three blanchings instead of one.
• Don't skip rolling the oranges in sugar; it makes them prettier, and the sugar pulls extra moisture out of the candy, making it chewier.

Other Candy Recipes

If you liked this recipe and found it helpful, give it some love by sharing!

Follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook for more crave-worthy recipes!

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated!

Recipe