Candied Orange Slices: Citrus Candy for Cakes, Cocktails, & Gifting

My candied orange slices might look fancy, but they're totally beginner-friendly. With only oranges, sugar, and a little patience, you get translucent, jewel-like slices that are bright, chewy, and irresistibly citrusy, perfect for snacking, gifting, and decorating cakes, cheesecakes, and loaves.

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Three glass jars filled with sugared dried candied orange slices sit on a rustic wooden table, with whole oranges in the background.

Okay these are DELICIOUS!!

- Hayley C.(direct message)

Ingredients:

You'll just need citrus, sugar, and water, plus any spices or vanilla you want to add for extra flavor. In this photo shoot, I used a split scraped vanilla bean.

While my recipe walks you through how to candy orange slices, you can use the same method for grapefruit, lemon, or even lime slices. See the note below for my thoughts on lime slices.

A blue bowl filled with assorted citrus fruits, including grapefruits, oranges, and lemons, sits on a wooden surface, with more citrus fruits scattered around it.

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

Substitutions

Citrus swaps: Try blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, grapefruits, lemons, or tangerines. Grapefruit and lemon will be more bitter, so blanching is extra helpful.
Add a cinnamon stick, star anise, sliced ginger or a vanilla bean to the syrup for a warm, spiced flavor.

Using Limes

I usually skip limes for this recipe. They have a relatively thick, bitter pith compared to their tiny amount of juicy fruit, …so even with blanching, they read more bitter than sweet to me, but if you enjoy that sharper citrus bite, you can absolutely candy lime slices the same way.

Instructions

Think of this recipe as a little stovetop project rather than a complicated candy. A few basic ingredients, gentle heat, and time are all you need to turn plain citrus into shiny, jewel-like slices. The instructions below walk you through every step so even a brand-new cook can get professional-looking results.

Thinly sliced oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit arranged on a wooden cutting board next to a kitchen knife.

Prep the Oranges

Wash and scrub the oranges to remove any wax. Slice into thin, even rounds (about ¼ inch or less), removing any seeds. See Slicing Tips Below

Sliced oranges and lemons simmer in a large pot of water on a stovetop.

Blanch to Reduce Bitterness

In a wide, shallow pan, bring about 3 inches of water to a simmer.
Place the slices of citrus in a single layer and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove to a cooling rack to cool and repeat with all the fruit.

Can You Skip Blanching?

Sliced oranges drying on a wire rack, with metal tongs placed next to a pile of overlapping slices.

Blanching is optional, and some people enjoy a hint of bitterness, especially if they're pairing the candied orange slices with dark chocolate. If you prefer a sweeter, more mellow slice, a brief blanch in boiling water helps strip out some of the bitter notes from the pith without making the fruit fall apart.

Make the Simple Syrup

Make a simple syrup with 2 parts sugar and 1 part water. (2 cups sugar: 1 cup water) Bring to a simmer but not a rolling boil. You want small, gentle bubbles around the edges, not a vigorous boil, so the fruit doesn't tear or turn jammy.

Sliced oranges and a vanilla bean simmer in a pot of liquid with visible specks of seasoning.

Simmer the Orange Slices

Place the slices in a single layer in the syrup (work in batches if needed).
Keep at a gentle simmer, flipping occasionally, until the pith looks mostly translucent, 40-60 minutes depending on thickness.

SAVE THE SYRUP

Save the simple syrup you simmered the fruit in. It is now infused with delicious citrus essence and can be used to sweeten drinks, cocktails or drizzle over pound cake.

Slices of candied orange laid out in rows on a wire cooling rack placed over a wooden cutting board.

Dry the Slices

Transfer slices to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and spread in a single layer.
Let dry at room temperature 24 hours or until they feel set and slightly tacky, like gummy candy.

Or Dehydrate The Slices

If you have a dehydrator or an oven that will go as low as 120-135°F, dehydrate them for 3-6 hours, or until tacky but not wet.
If your kitchen is very humid, they may take longer than 24 hours, or you can finish them in a very low oven.

How To Tell They Are Dry

They should not feel wet or squishy in the center; a little tackiness on the surface is okay, but no visible syrup.

A hand holding a thin, round slice of candied orange with a rack of more slices blurred in the background.

While the exact drying time will depend on how thick you originally sliced your oranges, you will want the dried orange to resemble stained glass. You can see through the fruit.

A hand holds up a round, sugared slice of candied orange. More sugared orange slices are visible on a cooling rack in the background.

Optional Sugar Coat or Chocolate Dip

For a frosted look, toss in sugar once they're dry. Or dip half of each slice in melted dark chocolate and let set on parchment. SEE CHOCOLATE COATING TIPS.

Slicing Tip

I find that slicing citrus into evenly thick slices can be a bit of a challenge unless you have a very sharp knife. And even then, you are slicing a round object on a flat surface with another ultra-sharp object; please take necessary precautions!

A hand holds a thin slice of orange fruit above a cutting board with more slices, a knife, and a plate of whole fruits in the background.

Or you can take note from my Culinary notes from Johnson & Wales and pop the clean fruit into the freezer for a minimum of an hour before slicing.
Freezing the fruit for at least an hour firms up the outside and makes it easier to slice into even rounds.
Just remember you're cutting something very cold and a bit hard, so keep your fingers tucked and take your time. If you're confident with a sharp knife, freezing overnight will give you picture-perfect, even slices.

A white bowl filled with frozen lemons and oranges sits on a wooden surface next to a chef's knife.

Freeze Fruit Overnight

Slice

Use firm pressure and a back and forth motion with a sharp Chef knife to slice even slices.

Repeat

This is a slice that is just over ¼" in thickness. This will give you a chewier candied orange slice.

Coating With Chocolate

While I am a huge proponent of tempering chocolate for when you need to coat a treat in chocolate, such as my bourbon balls to Oreo truffles, these sugared orange slices are one place I reach for the bar of coating chocolate or bag of melting wafers.

Melt

Melt 1 cup of melting chocolate or coating wafers in the microwave or over a double boiler according to the package instructions.

Dip and Tap

Dip the dried citrus half way into the chocolate. (Extra sugar or plain..it is up to you.)
Tap the back of the slice on the edge of the bowl, allowing the majority of the chocolate to fall back into the bowl before scraping the bottom off before placing the slice on a parchment lined surface.

Six candied orange slices partially dipped in chocolate are arranged on crumpled parchment paper.

Garnish

While the chocolate has yet to set, sprinkle on a light dusting of sea salt, crushed dehydrated fruit, sprinkles or other edible garnish.

Did you make this recipe?

Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah

Seasonal Favorite

Two jars of seedless blackberry jam on a wooden table.

This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.

Black Raspberry jam Recipe

Storage Tips

Store chocolate-dipped slices in a cool, dry place; if you refrigerate them, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to avoid condensation.
Once fully dried, store candied orange slices in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or in the fridge for up to a month.
Layer them between parchment so they don't stick together.

Ways to use:

Decorate cakes, cheesecakes, and pound cakes.
Add to cookie trays and homemade gift boxes.
Use as cocktail garnishes or to dress up a cheese or dessert board.

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.

Why are my candied orange slices bitter?

If you find the fruit to be more bitter than expected, be sure to blanch the next batch for 1-2 minutes more than the 2 minutes suggested or select a fruit with a thinner rind.

Can I use this method for just the peel?

Yes!! Just be sure to blanch the peels for at least 10 minutes. The peel has a lot of bitterness to it and the extra time blanching will help soften the skin and remove extra bitterness.

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 16 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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