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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Menu / Sweet Treats / Candied Citrus

    Candied Citrus

    Mar 28, 2023 · 4 Comments

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    Sweet, tart and easy-to-make candied oranges! These elegant citrus garnishes can decorate all sorts of desserts & drinks. And also make for wonderful homemade gifts.

    colorful citrus slices drying on a wire rack; overhead

    Coat them in sugar, dip them in chocolate, or enjoy these c uniquely elegant and chewy candied oranges as they are.

    The process is simple, and they’ll keep for a few months.

    Candying oranges transforms them into glistening juicy jewels that make for a refreshingly sweet treat.

    Candied orange slices with flaky sea salt on a wire rack

    Why this Candied Citrus Recipe Works

    • 3 ingredients only & easy-to-make. Citrus, sugar, water combine to make something greater than the sum of its parts.
    • Boiling before simmer in simple syrup. Helps eliminate the bitter flavor from the orange pith.
    • Drying for 24 hours. Creates perfectly chewy candied orange slices.
    • Versatile. Use to garnish all sorts of desserts and drinks, as holiday gifts and more! Make these candied citrus’ once and use in a variety of ways.
    blood oranges slices drying on a gold wire rack

    Food Taste Best Grown in its own Season

    The arrival of winter brings a bounty of orange varieties. They’re in peak season in California in the winter through spring.

    the most popular eating orange in Cali is the Washington Naval Orange is but there’s over 400 different kinds that go way beyond this common one!

    California Orange Varieties Include:

    • Navel Oranges
    • Valencia Oranges
    • Cara Car Oranges
    • Blood Oranges

    Any type of orange or other citrus variety works for this recipe. Lemons, limes, mandarins, tangerines, clementines, tangelos, grapefruits, and more work.

    Keep in mind: the rind can be bitter. I prefer using varieties with a thinner rind.

    Oranges and other citrus drying on a wire rack, side angle

    How to Make this Candied Citrus Recipe

    Ingredients: orange, water & sugar.

    Process: wash, slice, boil, simmer and dry for 24 hours.

    The process:

    • Wash orange thoroughly to remove any residue or pesticides.
    • Slice oranges about 1/3” thick. If they’re too thin, they’re less likely to hold their shape while simmering. The thicker they are, the longer they’ll take to dry. Best to use a mandolin for uniform slices but a chef’s knife works as well.
    • Boil in water
    • Simmer in simple syrup
    • Carefully transfer slices to a cooling rack to dry for 24 hours, until they’re completely dry.

    They’ll keep for a few months stored in an airtight container in a cool place. Avoid the refrigerator, where they’ll get wet & gooey.

    oranges, lemons and limes in saucepan simmering with simple syrup
    citrus simmering
    colorful citrus slices simmering in saucepan with simple syrup
    in simple syrup

    Candied Citrus Uses

    Coat them in sugar, dip them in chocolate, or enjoy them as they are.
    Use them as garnishes in mulled wine, cocktails, baked treats, desserts, on cheeseboards and to decorate a holiday meal. They’ll add fresh brightness to any dish.
    Have you used candied citrus in a unique and rad way? Please tell me about it in the comments below!

    Cooks Tips

    • When possible, buy local citrus grown sustainably.
    • For easy cleaning, place parchment paper under the drying rack to catch all the citrus drippings.
    • Plan ahead. Remember the candied oranges need 24 hours to completely dry.
    • Candied oranges keep for a few months stored in an airtight container in a cool place.
    • The simple syrup can be and re-used in cocktails and more.

    Celebrate the best of seasons fresh orange bounty with this uniquely elegant and refreshing sweet treat!

    blood orange slices drying on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet

    Want more seasonal citrus recipes?

    For savory check out: Blood Orange & Fennel Salad, Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad and Citrus Roasted Salmon.
    For sweet, check out: Upside-Down Winter Citrus Cake and these Candied Blood Oranges Dipped in Chocolate!

    Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with @DanielaGerson. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and awesome adventures!

    Let's make waves in the kitchen!

    Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #wavesinthekitchen. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!

    Let’s make waves in the kitchen!

    Candied blood orange slices drying on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan; overhead shot
    colorful citrus slices drying on a wire rack; overhead
    Print Recipe

    Candied Oranges

    Sweet, tart and easy-to-make candied oranges! These elegant citrus garnishes can decorate all sorts of desserts & drinks. And also make for wonderful homemade gifts.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Course: garnish
    Cuisine: Californian
    Servings: 12
    Author: Daniela Gerson

    Ingredients

    • 4 citrus such as oranges blood oranges and lemons
    • 8 cups water divided
    • 4 cups granulated sugar

    Instructions

    • Add 4 cups of the water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add all the citrus slices and let boil for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, take all of them out and momentarily set aside.
    • In the same saucepan, add the remaining 4 cups water and the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.
    • Turn the heat to medium-low and add all the boiled citrus back in. Simmer for 45-60 minutes or until rinds are slightly translucent. Gently swirl the oranges every 15 minutes to make sure they are evenly coated with the sugar water.
    • Transfer the slices to a cooling rack set over a large baking sheet. Let them sit for up to 24 hours or until dry.
    • Use immediately or store citrus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

    Notes

    • When possible, buy local citrus grown sustainably.
    • For easy cleaning, place parchment paper under the drying rack to catch all the citrus drippings.
    • Plan ahead. Remember the candied oranges need 24 hours to completely dry.
    • Candied oranges keep for a few months stored in an airtight container in a cool place.
    • The simple syrup can be and re-used in cocktails and more.
    Did you make this recipe? Please share and tag @DanielaGerson! I'd love to see how you're making colorful waves in the kitchen!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. M says

      December 13, 2023 at 10:01 am

      I’m making these now, with rangpur limes, plus a couple regular limes, a few slices each of orange, and Meyer lemon, and one slice of pink grapefruit. They are on the “simmer”stage and the house smells wonderful. So far recipe is easy to follow. I picked out all the seeds I could before boiling, and found a few more before simmering, I then also ran a strainer through my syrup before adding the slices back to boil and skimmed off more floating seed pips.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        January 02, 2024 at 11:07 am

        Thanks so much sharing M and love the range of citrus you're using! Take a pic please if you can as I'd absolutely love to see your colorful candied citrus bounty :).

        Reply
    2. Geanie says

      January 03, 2025 at 9:05 am

      I'm also using limes like 1st post. Got a bag full so I'm freezing zest and juice of the good ones and the bruisey ones are getting candied!! Thanks for this recipe. I'll also use the leftover syrup to make hard candies.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        January 03, 2025 at 9:26 am

        Love it Geanie, great use for the bruisey ones and thanks so much for sharing! Absolute pleasure on sharing the recipes and love to hear how they came out :).

        Reply

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    Meet Daniela

    VEGGIES ARE SEXY 

    Hi, I'm Daniela - a Los Angeles based food photographer and creative director. I began my career as a chef with a passion for sourcing colorful produce from local markets. I love emphasizing the beauty of real food with my images. I’m also a food stylist and recipe developer with a gorgeous prop-filled studio in Venice, California.

    Daniela Gerson Photography

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    543 shares