How to Make Dried Orange Slices

These oven-dried orange slices are easy to make and can be used in many ways! They make the perfect snack, or you can throw them in recipes as you would with other dried fruits, dip them in melted chocolate for a sweet snack, or use them as a cocktail garnish or part of cake decoration. 

🍊 What is Dried Fruit? 

Dried fruit is when the fruit has almost all the water content removed through drying methods. The two most successful methods are using a dehydrator or an oven. Dried fruit can last longer than fresh fruit and is highly nutritious, making it a desirable healthy snack. When a recipe calls for sugar coating, the dried fruit is candied. 

In our recipe, we are making candied dried orange slices. We coat the orange slices with coconut sugar and add spices. The results are caramel-cinnamon flavored with a nice kick of sweetness and spice, which makes these orange slices perfect for the holidays. 

🍊🍊 Ingredients

You will need some citrusy fruit, sugar, and spices to make dried orange slices. You most likely have everything on hand to make these too. 

• Oranges. Any variety work; make sure they are seedless. Also, keep in mind that different oranges will have different flavors, too, once they are dried. Our favorites are Naval Oranges, Blood Oranges, and Cara Cara Oranges. 

• Coconut Sugar. To cut down on the sugar, use a granulated sugar-free substitute, plus coconut sugar adds a sweet hint of caramel flavor, which is perfect for the holidays.

• Spices: Cinnamon & Ginger. These two spices add a warm and spicy kick to the sweet oranges.

• Salt. It adds a nice balance to the sweetness and the spices. 

🔪 Instructions

Making dried orange slices are super easy. The trick is thinly slicing the oranges, drying them at low heat, and ensuring they don’t brown. If they start to brown but don’t feel dry to touch, then you need to adjust your oven to a lower temperature. 

• Thinly Slice Oranges. There are 2 ways to do this. Use a mandoline to make thinly sliced oranges or use a sharp knife. Keep in mind that you want to cut the oranges very thin (about ⅛ to ¼ inches thick) and roughly the same size or they won’t bake evenly. If the slices are too thick, they will take much longer to dry out, and the peel will have more of a bitter flavor.

• Season Orange Slices. Toss the coconut sugar with the spices and salt in a medium bowl. Pat dry the orange slices to remove excess moisture, add them to the bowl, and generously toss everything together. 

• Bake. Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay seasoned orange slices on the baking sheet leaving a little space between each one. Bake for 2-4 hours, flipping every 30 minutes to make sure the orange slices don’t burn.

• Enjoy! Once the oranges are thoroughly dried, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely to room temperature before enjoying.

❔ FAQs

These oven dried orange slices are easy to make, are caramel-cinnamon flavored with a kick of sweetness and spice, and are perfect for the holidays. 

Enjoy them as a healthy snack, or you can throw them in recipes as you would with other dried fruits or use them as a cocktail garnish. Our favorite way to use these is by adding them to our Raspberry Champagne Cocktails! We hope you all love our recipe. Enjoy! ♡