How to make perfect dried orange slices

Dried oranges slices are a beautiful and natural Christmas decoration and can also decorate cakes, drinks or gifts beautifully!

Servings

Around 12 slices

Prep Time:

5 min

Cook time:

3-5 hours

Perfect For: 

Ornament/

decoration

About this Recipe

Making dried orange slices is incredibly easy and with Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to give it a try.

I definitely have a thing for natural Christmas decorations. They are so simple but so sophisticated at the same time. Plus, they are so much more eco-friendly than normal decorations!

You can use them in crafts, on top of desserts, to embellish a drink, to make garlands, wreaths, etc. The possibilities are just endless.

I used oranges, grapefruits, pomelo, and blood oranges this time but you can use any citrus. You can mix up a lot of different ones or simply use oranges, for example.

fresh oranges and grapefruits piled in macro shot

What you’ll need

  • Any citrus of your choice (oranges, blood oranges, lemon, lime…)
  • Sharp knife 
  • Cutting board
  • A baking tray
  • Parchment paper  
baking Christmas cookies with dried oranges and pine branches in the setup

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1
  • Set the oven to 170 degrees, or the lowest you can.

Step 2
  • Slice the oranges very thinly, about 1/8 inch thick.

Step 3
  • Line a parchment paper on a baking tray and put the oranges on the paper, one next to the other.

Step 4
  • Cook for 3 to 5 hours, depending on your oven and how dry you want them. Flip them every hour or so. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. 

Step 5
  • When they seem ready, turn off the oven. You can let them finish drying up overnight in the over.

  • Don’t forget them in the oven to turn it on the next day though! It happened to me and I burnt them all. I highly suggest setting a reminder!

How to store the oranges

To store your oranges, simply place them in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep them in a dark pantry.

Alternative ways for drying your orange

There are obviously other ways to make dried orange slices.

If you have a food dehydrator, this is probably the easiest option, as you are sure that your oranges won’t burn!

You could also simply air-dry them for several days, but the oven version is definitely my favorite! 

Have fun!