Making your own candied citrus peel seems a lot more daunting than it is. In fact, it's quite simple, and definitely worth the bit of time it takes. I've posted a step-by-step guide on making your own Candied Orange Peel here, and now I'm experimenting with other types of citrus peels. The process is basically the same no matter what kind of peel you use, but there are a few changes to be made here and there. So, hop on over to my DIY Candied Orange Peel page, and if you want to make a different kind of candied citrus peel, you can follow the notes on this page so you know what changes to make!
Candied Meyer Lemon Peel
Use 9 Meyer Lemons in place of the 3 oranges used for the Candied Orange Peel.
You may have about ½ cup syrup or more left over after you candy the lemon peel, versus only a few tablespoons left over from candying orange peel. It's okay :)
Let the candied lemon peel dry for about 24 hours. When ready to store, place about ⅛ cup granulated sugar in the container in which you will be storing the peel. Add the peel to the container, cover, and shake to coat the peel with the sugar.
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Abha Nulkar says
Phenomenal....never will buy flavorless peel again. I have a Washington orange tree and made a double batch with 6 oranges. Have about 3/4 cup of syrup left over. Already ate about a quarter. Question: Technically, what is the reason for boiling 3 in cold water and pouring it off?
alexandra says
It helps get rid of any biterness from the peel. :)
Denise says
so delicious - I just store them in the fridge without drying them out. They don't last long as I can't stop eating them.
alexandra says
Glad you like them!
Michael says
So, I love candied fruit peels, but I'm trying to avoid too much sugar. Do you think honey would work as a substitute for the sugar? Both for boiling in and coating with?
alexandra says
I suppose after blanching the peels (boiling in water multiple times) you could simmer them in honey rather than the sugar/water syrup. You shouldn't need to simmer the honey first, in that case, as you would the sugar syrup. I would not coat the peel in honey afterwards since that would just make them increasingly sticky; part of what coating in sugar does is remove some of the stickiness. What you could try is coating them in raw sugar, if that doesn't bother you.
Linda says
I have about 2 cups of leftover orange infused sugar syrup from boiling my orange peels. Not sure how much water is left in this syrup solution. Any suggestions for how to use this in some yummy way?
alexandra says
You could add it to tea or sparkling water, use it to brush on a homemade cake or muffins, put it on ice cream... just a few suggestions off the top of my head!
sheila rosterman says
This in just an idea, but I am trying it out. I have a little kombucha mumhroom and I am trying to get citrus flavored kombucha from the left over sugared water. But it's still an experiment at this stage
Nancy says
Flavor kombucha with it!
Sue says
This year and last I enjoyed some awesome dates from Saudi Arabia that had candied peel in them along with candied ginger, some spices, and ground nuts. Next year I make my own! Thanks for the recipes!
Gayle says
candied peel freezes well, by the way.
alexandra says
Thanks for the tip!
Carrie says
Great recipe - Thanks. I've made several different batches - for a fun gift assortment, I used grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, Meyer Lemon, limes and Key limes - made a very pretty bundle. A bit labor-intensive due to different cooking times but, oh, so worth the effort.
alexandra says
Ooh, sounds so amazing! I need to be as ambitious as you and try out some other citrus... kudos!!
Norma says
Thanks. Glad to hear that. Just got to keep my hubby from eating them all! He's been enjoying eating them as they are!
Norma says
How long does the candied citrus peel store for? I've heard that it's only good for a couple of days, others say you can store it in the fridge for over 6 months. I'm hoping it will be closer to the 6 month figure, but am not sure. Have you stored yours for longer than a couple of days? I just made some candied meyer lemon peels using your method and am going to be using some some in a recipe tomorrow, but am hoping to be able to save the rest for down the line a few days, weeks or months.
alexandra says
In my experience, they definitely last for months! Anywhere between 6 months to a year, I'd say. :) Just keep them in an airtight container of some sort in a cool pantry or cabinet.
Nancy says
Put some moisture control packets in with them. They should last a LONG time.
Kathy says
How about using honey instead of sugar, or a combination of the two? Thank you for the recipe and the variations!
alexandra says
I think you could definitely sub in some honey, but you could probably reduce the water a bit depending on how much honey you use. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
Sue says
I have some Seville oranges left over from making a batch of marmalade - do you think it would work with these or be too bitter?
alexandra says
I think it could work, and you could always blanch the peel a few more times before continuing with the recipe. I'd love to hear how it goes if you try it!
Nancy says
Seville oranges are amazing for this recipe. A neighbor had a tree and said the oranges were too sour to eat so she gave them away! I just candied orange peel from 40-50 of these. They are slightly bitter but perfect for cookies. I dried them in a dehydrator for 24 hours and they should keep for a very long time! Perfect! I froze the juice in ice cube trays for later use.
alexandra says
This is awesome!!
Karen West says
What about candied kumquat peels. I love them....have a large bag full and have already got plenty of kumquat marmalade on hand...would love to preserve the peels only....my favorite part...any ideas...thanks
alexandra says
I haven't tried it, although it sounds like it would be delicious! From what I know the procedure would be essentially the same as with the candied orange peel, but I can't say exactly how much peel to use without trying it myself. Just be careful to watch the peel as it cooks to ensure it doesn't burn. They may cook faster than the orange peel.
Let me know if you try it; I'd love to hear how it turns out!
chris says
It will be sublime. My mom once made kumquat marmalade and it was the best I've ever tasted.
sheila rosterman says
I made candied limequats. I just cut them in quarters lengthwise, but I didn't't dry them, I just put them in ball jars and left them to cure for a week in the refrigerator. They are delicious, both tart and sweet at the same time
alexandra says
This post on candied kumquats might be helpful for limequats in the future too! :)
Jo says
Do you know if it is possible to dry the peels in the oven on a low-low temp instead of waiting 24 hours? I dont have enough room in my kitchen to leave things sitting out for 24 hours.... :-)
alexandra says
I haven't tried it but I have to think that it would work just fine. Let me know if you give it a go!
Linna says
I spread out the orange peel on a tray and let it sit on top of our wood stove for a few hours. They dried beautifully. I'm sure it would work just as well in the oven on a low temperature. Convection oven probably even better. Just be sure and check often so they don't get overdone.
alexandra says
Thanks for the tip!
Katie says
I put the peel on the dehydrator tray for a few hours, depending on the peel - was looking for a'difference' and found this page - pretty neat!! (I use chopped fruit peel in oatmeal)
Gino says
The first time i made candied citrus peel, i tried a bunch of different fruit. Without question, the grapefruit was the best - the skin of a grapefruit is a lot thicker than oranges, so they had a thickness and body to them that oranges did not have. They were also the most flavorful, with the result tasting more like i had expected the oranges to be.
alexandra says
I'll have to try grapefruit next! What kind did you use?
Becky Clark says
Do you think grapefruit or tangerines would work? What amounts would you use? It appears the process is very similar but I am unsure of the number of fruit peel to use. Does the fact that tithe white membrane is thick or thin? This is such a neat recipe. I knowiwilluse it for dessert garnish and perhaps in salads. This is really an untapped product. Thank you for posting the information and recipe.
alexandra says
I think tangerines would work, but I would probably aim for using a kind that doesn't have bumpy skin. Grapefruit would probably work as well, but I would definitely be sure to coat it in sugar (as I described for the candied lemon peel) once it has dried, since grapefruit is tart. For tangerines, I would use about 7 to 9, depending on the size of your tangerines. For grapefruit, I'd say about 2. As long as the pith (the white membrane) isn't extremely thick on your fruit (like a pomelo, for example), the thickness doesn't seem to matter too much. You could always peel some of it off if it seems too thick. Hope that helps!
chris says
I have tasted every kind of peel including tangerine and grapefruit. I just used your recipe on mandarin peels- I was careful to remove the pithe and it worked perfectly. They got translucent very quickly so I did not wait the full time. I dried them on parchment for a few hours but some were still sticky so I just buried them in sugar- this morning they are dry and perfect with a little sugar 'frost' on them. I am going to get fresh bergamot peels and try those next. I imagine any peel will be fantastic.
alexandra says
They would definitely get translucent faster if you aren't using the pith, and thinner peels usually do work well tossed in sugar to help get rid of the stickiness. Awesome that all went well for you! :)
Sue M says
Hi Chris -
How did the bergamot peels turn out? Bergamots are very healthy fruit so candied peels should be wonderfully healthy and tasty.
Thanks -
Sue M