Candied orange slices lend a delicious citrusy bite to anything you add them to. Just 3 ingredients - oranges, sugar, and water create a tart, sweet, chewy, caramelized orange treat. They are fantastic as snacks, cake toppings, drink garnishes, or desserts!
At first, making candied orange peels may seem intimidating, but it is a fun and easy recipe that makes a treat as beautiful as a late summer sunset. All you need is sugar and water to make these scrumptious candied orange slices. They pair flawlessly with creamy cakes and are a gorgeous addition to any dessert or gift basket!
Happy candying!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These are surprisingly easy to make, even for beginners.
Dip these in chocolate to make fancy edible gifts.
A great way to add orange flavor to your bakes and other dishes!
No, you do not need a thermometer to make them. Just slice, boil, dip, and dry.
Recipe Ingredients
Oranges: I say go for what’s locally available to you. As long as they have a thin peel, any kind of orange will do here—Mandarins, Malta, Kinnow, or even tangerines.
To make candied lemon or lime slices, simply substitute those fruits for the oranges.
Add-ins: You can add cinnamon, vanilla extract, or even pepper for a kick of heat in the syrup. This is completely optional.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works like a charm. Use brown sugar for a deeper, more complex flavor.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Candied Orange Slices
Step 1: Scrub your oranges thoroughly.
Step 2: Slice the oranges. Make sure to remove any seeds, as they can make the candied fruit slices bitter.
Step 3: Blanch the slices by dunking them in boiling water for about 60 seconds to get rid of their bitterness.
Step 4: Shock the orange slices by dipping them into a waiting ice bath (a bowl of water and ice sitting right next to your stove).
Step 5: Make a simple sugar syrup by combining a cup of water with a half cup of sugar in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves. Once the syrup is boiling, reduce the heat to low.
Step 6: Add the orange slices to the syrup one by one so they don’t stick together. Let them simmer in the syrup for about 35 to 40 minutes until they are translucent, and the syrup has thickened.
Step 7: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the orange slices from the syrup and spread them out on a wire rack or parchment paper to dry. This is the longest step of the recipe and typically takes a day or overnight.
Step 8: As they cool, the syrup will harden and create a deliciously sticky coating on the dried candied orange slices.
Final step: And that's it! Serve the delicious, homemade candied orange slices.
Pro Tips
- You can use a mandoline slicer to slice the oranges. I find that a sharp or serrated knife works just as well.
- The thickness of your slices is essential from a structural perspective. Too thin, and they will shred during boiling. Too-thick slices will hold their shape, but take forever to dry. Most recipes call for 1/4-inch slices, so that's what I go for.
- Use a large sieve to remove the slices from boiling water and dunk them in ice water. It is a one-minute step, but it is crucial because it prevents the orange slices from cooking further.
- Swirl the orange slices in the sugar syrup periodically to evenly and fully coat them.
- Drying on a wire rack gives you glass-like, caramelized oranges. Drying on parchment paper gives them a more matte finish on the side touching the paper.
- Don’t throw away your leftover sugar syrup. If it hasn’t crystallized or thickened too much, you can use it for cocktails, lemonades, and even hot coffee, so nothing goes to waste.
- Candied oranges store well in an airtight container for up to a month.
- Cleaning up after this recipe is easy. Soak all the utensils in hot water, and the sticky sugar coating dissolves right away.
Ways To Use Candied Orange Slices
Candied orange slices are a great addition to any dessert platter, as they're tasty treats by themselves and particularly refreshing after a heavy meal. What I adore about them is that there are plenty of recipes using candied fruit:
- Chop them into small pieces and swirl them into thick Greek yogurt.
- Mix in melted chocolate to make chocolate bark.
- Decorate your cakes with them, as I did my mulled wine cake, whole orange cake, or semolina almond cake.
- Piquant little something to serve with an after-dinner drink or coffee.
- Dip a slice in warm water or even tea to give it a comforting flavor.
- Add them to your Basque cheesecake batter.
- Serve orange slice candy alongside a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries for a fun and fancy dessert.
- Package candied oranges in a gift box or basket for a unique and thoughtful homemade gift.
📖 Recipe
Candied Orange Slices Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 Oranges I used Mandarin oranges
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 2-3 tbsp Caster sugar for coating Optional
Instructions
Blanch the Orange Slices
- Keep a bowl of iced water handy.
- Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
- Slice the oranges, remove seeds, if any, and carefully add to the boiling water.
- Boil for 1 minute and place them in the bowl of iced water.
Sugar Syrup
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the orange slices and cook on low heat for 35-40 minutes, until the rinds are slightly translucent and the syrup is thick and sticky. Flip the slices every 10-15 minutes to ensure they are properly coated in the syrup.
- Transfer the slices onto a cooling rack and let them dry for 24 hours.
- You can also toss them in caster sugar if you wish.Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use a mandoline slicer to slice the oranges. I find that a sharp or serrated knife works just as well.
- The thickness of your slices is essential from a structural perspective. Too thin, and they will shred during boiling. Too-thick slices will hold their shape, but take forever to dry. Most recipes call for 1/4-inch slices, so that's what I go for.
- Use a large sieve to remove the slices from boiling water and dunk them in ice water. It is a one-minute step, but it is crucial because it prevents the orange slices from cooking further.
- Swirl the orange slices in the sugar syrup periodically to evenly and fully coat them.
- Drying on a wire rack gives you glass-like, caramelized oranges. Drying on parchment paper gives them a more matte finish on the side touching the paper.
- Don’t throw away your leftover sugar syrup. If it hasn’t crystallized or thickened too much, you can use it for cocktails, lemonades, and even hot coffee, so nothing goes to waste.
- Candied oranges store well in an airtight container for up to a month.
- Cleaning up after this recipe is easy. Soak all the utensils in hot water, and the sticky sugar coating dissolves right away.
Elise says
They seem to be sticking to the cooling rack. Will that be a problem when they dry?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Elise, just turn them over a couple of times. They will get less sticky as they dry. Hope this helps. 🙂
Bina says
cannot wait to try it. Thank you!
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you Bina ! xx