Making a batch of candied orange peel to keep on hand for sweet treats or toss into baked goods is one of my favorite special items to make from scratch. Fresh oranges are such a bright spot in the midst of dark winter when citrus is at peak season. But while oranges are often revered for their juicy flesh, their natural wrappers are jam-packed with fresh, citrusy flavor.
If you are familiar with my recipes, you know I love using citrus zest in so many sweet and savory recipes! Here, I transform the whole thick peel of these sweet-tart fruits into a candy-like treat using nothing more than sugar and water. Next time you reach for an orange, don’t toss the rind— make this easy candied orange peel recipe instead! For more candy recipes, check out my chewy caramels, cream cheese mints, and divinity next!
Ingredients
Navel oranges — the most classic representation of oranges with a nice, thick peel, which makes it easy to cut. Feel free to swap in other types of oranges. Just make sure they have a thick peel.
Granulated sugar — plain white sugar will create the most jewel-like candied peels.
How To Candy Orange Peel
1. Wash the oranges very well. Cut ½-inch off of the top and bottom of each orange.
2. With a sharp knife, make 4 to 6 lengthwise cuts from the top to the bottom of the oranges, just through the skin and the white pith, to the flesh. Peel wide strips of the orange peel in these sections. If the pith is extra thick, trim some of it so that it is no more than ⅛-inch thick. Cut the peels crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces.
3. Place the strips of peel into a medium saucepan and add several cups of cold water to cover by ½-inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Drain the orange peels, rinse well, and return them to the pot. Cover with fresh water again and simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
5. In the same pot, combine 3 cups of sugar with 2 cups of water to make a rich simple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir well to dissolve the sugar.
6. Add the orange peel and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, until the sugar syrup thickens and the peels look glossy and translucent. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack over the sheet.
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove the candied citrus peels from the syrup, letting the excess drain into the pot. Place it in a single layer on the wire rack set over the sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining peels. Let them dry until slightly sticky, about 30 minutes.
8. Place the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a wide, shallow bowl. Coat a few peels at a time, tossing them thoroughly with the sugar. Remove the peels from the sugar, shake any excess into the bowl, and return them to the wire rack in a single layer. Repeat until all of the peels are coated in sugar. Arrange the peels in a single layer so that they are not touching on a clean wire rack set over a sheet tray. Let dry at room temperature in a dry, cool area for 1 day or until completely dry, not tacky. Store in an airtight container.
Save The Syrup
The syrup left over from candying the orange peels is packed with citrusy sweetness! Use it in cocktail recipes that call for simple syrup like an old fashioned, sidecar, or margarita. You can also use it as an added drizzle on crepes Suzette, for moistening chocolate cake or yellow cake layers, or in place of maple syrup for blueberry pancakes.
Just note that you cannot use it to candy a second batch of peels as the water to sugar ratio will be off.
How To Use Candied Orange Peel
- Cocktails: Level up your Happy Hour drinks by adding a beautiful garnish like a candied citrus peel! These little treats are the perfect accompaniment for citrusy cocktails like Cosmopolitan and aperol spritzes.
- Dipped in chocolate: Once they have dried, dip each candied peel part-way in melted dark chocolate for a stunning presentation and an added layer of decadence.
- Christmas cookie plates: These candies are right at home on a holiday cookie platter or in a gift tin alongside a wide range of assorted treats like chocolate fudge or peppermint bark.
- Decorating cakes and cupcakes: Use these sparkling strips of citrus to top your favorite desserts. They add extra flair to a Devil’s Food cake or gingerbread cupcakes. You can also use the candied orange peel as a garnish for a flourless chocolate cake or chocolate mousse.
- Dessert mix-ins: chop up the candied orange zest to add to Christmas favorites like stollen, panettone, Christmas pudding, lebkuchen, and fruit cake.
How To Store
Once fully dried and no longer tacky, candied orange peels should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container in a cool, dry spot. It will keep well for 1 to 2 months if tightly sealed.
Can I Use Other Citrus Peels?
Absolutely! Feel free to swap in other citrus fruit like regular lemon peel or Meyer lemon peel. You can also use grapefruit peels, but you’ll need to remove most of the bitter white pith to make them palatable.
Alternatively, you can use the same method to candy sliced kumquats—just remove any seeds with a paring knife first. However, I don’t recommend candying lime peel; they end up rather dry, hard, and tough to chew.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- If your orange peels have an extra-thick white pith, cut away as much as possible before candying. (It’s okay to leave up to ⅛-inch.)
- Patience is key! Don’t rush the candying process; once the peels are added to the sugar syrup, let them simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour. There’s no need to grab a candy thermometer, though—we aren’t trying to hit a particular temperature or sugar stage. You’ll be looking for the peels to turn translucent.
- For less splattering, simmer the orange peels and syrup in a wide saucepan or pot that has tall sides. The side will help catch some of the splatters so you don’t have a sticky mess on your stove-top to clean up later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sounds like you rushed the initial simmering process. It’s very important to simmer the peels in plain water twice to remove the bitterness. Also, don’t forget to drain the initial simmering water and replace it for the second simmer—all that bitterness is in the water, so changing it is essential to remove it!
You’re welcome to use superfine sugar or caster sugar, both of which are the same as white sugar but with smaller granules. You can also use sanding sugar, which has larger granules that have been polished to look extra sparkly. I don’t recommend swapping in any other variety of sugar (e.g., cane, turbinado, brown, etc.).
No, but they will stay very sticky to the touch if you don’t. If you plan to use them in a baking recipe or coat them entirely in chocolate, you can let them air dry until they are just tacky to the touch and then either dip or use them. I do not recommend storing them without being coated in sugar—they’ll meld into a big, sticky mass.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Candied Orange Peel recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Candied Orange Peel Recipe
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 navel oranges (about 3 pounds/ 1.35kg)
- 4 cups granulated sugar divided (800g)
Instructions
- Wash the oranges very well. Cut ½-inch off of the top and bottom of each orange.
- With a sharp knife, make 4 to 6 lengthwise cuts from the top to the bottom of the oranges, just through the skin and the white pith, to the flesh. Peel the orange in these sections. If the pith is extra thick, trim some of it so that it is no more than ⅛-inch thick.
- Cut the peels crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces.
- Place the orange peels into a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by ½-inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the orange peels, rinse well, and return them to the pot. Cover with cold water again and simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
- In the same pot, combine 3 cups of sugar with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the orange peel and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, until the syrup thickens and the peels look glossy and translucent.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over the sheet.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the citrus peel from the syrup, letting the excess drain into the pot. Place it in a single layer on the wire rack set over the sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining peels. Let them dry until slightly sticky, about 30 minutes.
- Place the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a wide, shallow bowl. Working in batches, add some of the peels to the bowl and shake it to coat them thoroughly with the sugar. Using another slotted spoon, remove the peels from the sugar, shake any excess into the bowl, and return them to the wire rack in a single layer. Repeat until all of the peels are coated in sugar.
- Arrange the peels in a single layer so that they are not touching on a clean wire rack set over a sheet tray. Let dry at room temperature in a dry, cool area for 1 day or until dry. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- If your orange peels have an extra-thick white pith, cut away as much as possible before candying. (It’s okay to leave up to ⅛-inch.)
- Patience is key! Don’t rush the candying process; once the peels are added to the sugar syrup, let them simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour. There’s no need to grab a candy thermometer, though—we aren’t trying to hit a particular temperature or sugar stage. You’ll be looking for the peels to turn translucent.
- For less splattering, simmer the orange peels and syrup in a wide saucepan or pot that has tall sides. The side will help catch some of the splatters so you don’t have a sticky mess on your stove-top to clean up later.
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