DIY: Candied orange peel {gluten-free}

An easy recipe for candied orange peel, with step-by-step photos. Use them in your favorite recipe, dip them in chocolate for a sweet treat, or give them as homemade gifts!

Quick Note: This is an updated version of a post that originally appeared on Bright-Eyed Baker in 2012. Updates include new text and photos, as well as some details added to the instructions for clarity.

The Holidays are here! 

I honestly can't believe how quickly this year has flown by, especially in these last few months. I have a couple more (brand new) recipes to share with you all before the year is over, but since this is *the season* to make and gift alllll the candied orange peel, I wanted to re-share this recipe first.

In case you've never heard of Candied Orange Peels before, they're exactly what they sound like: strips of orange peel that have been cooked in a sugar syrup til they're soft and chewable, and then (optionally) rolled in sugar for an extra sweet finish. They have a strong orange flavor that really shines in baked goods like bread and scones, but taste equally as good on their own (especially dipped in chocolate!).

These take a bit of time to make, but the process is simple, and a lot of the time is hands-off. They also make a great homemade, edible gift for the holidays, as so many of you have told me you've used them for over the years!

So, are you ready to do this? Let's dive in!

How to make Candied Orange Peel, step-by-step (with photos):

To begin, rinse 3 navel or valencia oranges. (You can use more, like I did for these photos, but you'll want to increase the other ingredients accordingly.)

Cut the top and bottom off each orange and score the skin into quarters.

Remove the skin (both the peel and pith - the white part), and cut into strips about ¼" wide. Wrap the oranges in plastic wrap to store for other use.

Place the strips of peel in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.

Blanch the peels: Set the saucepan on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, drain the water from the peels. Cover with fresh water and repeat this process at least twice more.

This removes the bitterness that orange peel naturally has; you may want to blanch the peels 4-5 times to ensure no bitterness remains. Once done, drain the water for the last time and transfer the peels to a bowl while prepping the sugar syrup.

In the same (now empty) saucepan, whisk together 2 ¼ cups sugar and 1 ⅛ cups water.

Return the saucepan to the stove and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let the mixture cook for 8-9 minutes at a constant simmer, adjusting the heat as needed to make sure it doesn't boil.

Add the orange peel and cook just until the whites (pith) are fairly translucent, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a simmer and prevent boiling. For me this takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour on medium-low heat, but every stove and pan is different so it's a good idea to check on them every 10-15 minutes. If necessary, swirl the pan occasionally to make sure that all of the peels get covered with syrup. Avoid stirring, as this will cause crystallation.

(Note: In the below photo, the syrup was just on the edge of getting too hot and starting to boil. You'll want to keep the simmer slightly lower.)

Drain remaining syrup from the peels, setting aside for another use if desired. Toss the peels in a bowl of sugar to coat (optional), and then transfer to a drying rack to dry. Once dry, store in an airtight container.

If desired, you can also dip them in chocolate for an extra treat!

Ready to make more candied treats? Here are a few other favorites:

Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts - just 5 minutes and 3 ingredients to make this sweet, crunchy treat.

Candied Pecans - Another easy, candied nut recipe that's also perfect for holiday gift-giving!

Candied Kumquats - The sweet-tart combo of sugar and kumquats is so good, and these only take about 20 minutes to make!

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