Follow along with step-by-step photos to make this easy candied orange peel recipe! It's a great way to prevent food waste by turning the scraps of an orange into homemade candy. Use this candied peel in your favorite baked goods, dip the peel in chocolate for a sweet, zesty treat, or give it as homemade gift for the holidays!
What is candied orange peel?
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 simple 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 good on their own (especially dipped in chocolate!).
If you've made my candied lemon peel, you'll notice that the process for making candied orange peel is nearly identical. It takes a bit of time, but it's actually an easy, largely hands-off project. And you'll only need the most simple ingredients: oranges, water, and granulated sugar.
So, are you ready to do this? Let's dive in!
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How to make Candied Orange Peel
To begin, rinse three oranges. I'm using navel oranges here, but any variety will work! (You can also use more than three, 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 orange zest and pith - the white part), and cut into ¼" wide strips. Wrap the oranges in plastic wrap to store for other use.
Place the orange peel strips 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 blanching process removes the bitterness that orange peel naturally has. If you're concerned about your candied peel being bitter, you may want to blanch the peels anywhere from 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 of granulated sugar and 1 ⅛ cups of 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. It should reach a temperature of about 230°F-235°F if measured with a kitchen thermometer, which is considered the "thread stage" of candy-making.
Note: I've made this candied orange peel recipe many times without using any sort of candy thermometer, so if you don't have one, don't fret!
Add the orange peel and cook just until the whites (pith) are fairly translucent, adjusting the 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 since every stove and pan is different, 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 (or remove the peel from the syrup with a slotted spoon) setting the excess syrup aside for another use if desired. Toss the candied peels in a bowl of sugar to coat (optional), and then spread out in a single layer on a drying rack to dry. This can take anywhere from 3-5 hours, depending on your environment. Once dry, store in an airtight container at room temperature.
For even more of a special treat, you can also dip them in melted dark chocolate once they're dry to make chocolate-covered orange peels!
How to use candied orange peel
Candied citrus peels of any sort are great for using in baked goods like sweet breads, scones, cakes, and cookies. They're often added to Italian florentine cookies and pannetone, German stollen, and fruitcake. They'd be a fantastic addition to these raisin cinnamon rolls!
You can also use this candied peel as a garnish on cakes and cupcakes, salads, and cocktails (like the classic Old Fashioned).
And of course, you can simple enjoy these on their own as a sweet treat! They're especially great for snacking when they're dipped in chocolate, and make a great gift during the holidays.
Common questions about this recipe
When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, this candied peel should stay fresh for several months. Refrigeration isn't required.
The pith of all citrus peel is naturally quite bitter, which is why it's important to blanch your peel before candying it. If you find that your candied peel is too bitter for your tastebuds, try blanching it more next time.
Once the peel has been candied and briefly cooled, twist each piece around a toothpick or straw to curl it. Let it dry this way, and then store as usual.
Ready to make more candied treats?
Try one of these recipes next!
Have you made this recipe?
If so, I'd love to hear your feedback; you can leave a rating and review in the comments section below! It's also so helpful if you help spread the word by sharing this post on your favorite social media channel. If you happen to snap a photo of what you've baked, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@brighteyedbaker) so I can give you a shoutout!
Candied Orange Peel
An simple recipe for candying 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!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hr 9 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hr 39 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ - 2 cups candied orange peel
- Category: candy
- Method: stovetop
Ingredients
- 3 oranges, preferably organic
- 2 ¼ cups (447 grams) granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 ⅛ cups (255 grams) water
Instructions
- Rinse the oranges. Cut the top and bottom off each and score the skin into quarters.
- Remove the skin (both the peel and pith - the white part), and cut the skin into thin strips about ¼″ wide. Wrap the oranges in plastic wrap to store for other use.
- Blanch the peels: Place the strips of peel in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. 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 the sugar and water. Return the saucepan to the stove and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Let the mixture cook for 8-9 minutes at a constant simmer, adjusting the heat as needed to make sure it doesn't boil. If you own a kitchen thermometer, the syrup should reach about 230°F-235°F, which is considered the "thread stage" of candy-making.
- Add the orange peel to the syrup mixture 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.
- 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 wire rack to dry (usually about 3-5 hours). Once dry, store in an airtight container. These keep well for at least a few months in a cool, dry place.
Notes
Method adapted from Food Network
Lori
On a recent business trip, my breakfast berries included tiny candied orange peel strips that were delicious. I wanted to try to make orange peels my self and thanks to your recipe, the orange peels turned our perfectly! Thank you for the clear and beautifully photographed recipe. Your step by step instructions gave me confidence that I could make these.
alexandra
Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! It make my day knowing that this post helped you out so much. :) And now you can enjoy the candied orange peel whenever you want!
cathy
I tried making these. I'm not sure if i did this correctly. They still taste a little bitter. And I saw some other websites that tossed the orange peels in sugar after they were drained. Was I supposed to do that? Thanks!
alexandra
When I made the candied orange peels for this post, I didn't toss them in sugar at the end, but I later tried the same recipe with Meyer lemons and I did toss those in sugar. Really, it's a matter of preference, as long as your peels are still just wet enough for the sugar to stick. If they taste bitter, you probably need to try blanching them more than the three times called for in the recipe. Hope that helps!
Cheri
Mine also turned out a little bitter. They haven't dried completely just yet & I sprinkled them with some sugar. I have an induction cooktop and I did reboil them 3 times. Next time I will blanch 4-5 times. Thanks for the recipe & all the feedback on questions!
alexandra
Extra blanching should do the trick, and sprinkling them with some granulated sugar is a good idea regardless. ;) Hope your first batch is still sweet enough to be tasty!
Evelyn
After searching where to buy candied orange peel, I came across recipes to make them instead. I need for a recipe. So having oranges on hand I gave it a go. Mine too began to brown at the bottom, even at my lowest setting. But I did let mine cook for the 45min. Glad I took them off when I did or they would have burnt. They taste delicious, glad I made them. I will be making again.
alexandra
I'm not sure why the orange peels would have started to brown. Maybe your pan isn't very thick? I'm glad it all worked out though!
Andy
Yes that would be the reason I'd imagine.
Louise
I've no idea why, but mine burned 30 minutes into the cooking time. They were on the lowest simmer on my stove's smallest burner. Not sure what to do next time to avoid this. Any ideas? Thanks. :)
alexandra
That's strange; I've never had that happen to me, nor have I heard from anyone else who has tried the recipe that this has happened. My only thought would be to make sure you are swirling the pan around occasionally while the peels cook. If the peels get translucent earlier than the 45 minutes stated in the recipe, you could take them off the stove then, which might help. I hope you give it another go!
Julian
Hello, I just had the same problem as Louise, 20 min and burned. Lowest stove's burner, I followed the recipe from A to Z.
alexandra
Hmm, that's strange, but my recommendation would be to keep it at the lowest heat and cook just until the peels turn translucent, rather than the whole 45 min-1 hour. Sorry you had trouble!
Katie
I know this is kind of old, but using a instant read thermometer stop when it gets to 250 degrees, no need to check until it starts to crystalize on the bottom, you can swipe a silicone spatula along the bottom occasionally and you'll feel that happen, also, if your burners are a bit hotter you can use an additional 1/2 cup of water to start.
Momo
For the burning issue, could it be the sugar not get whisked well in the water before cooking?
alexandra
Hmm, could be! Interesting thought
Emma
It might be that your burners are hotter than other stoves (commercial stoves are - and the 'look-like-commercial' home stoves sometimes have high btu's). Also I have electric stove and hate it compared to gas. I don't have this problem but you might try using a double boiler so the gentle water heat below might alleviate the burning. Also make sure the pan is thick - some of the thin walled inexpensive pans can heat excessively and have hot spots. (I know this is an older question but posting my response in case it helps others.)
Donna
I have the same problem with my stove... I use a cast iron skillet under my pan...
Fay
To help prevent burning, make sure you have enough liquid and space. You want them to be sort of poaching, not clumped against the bottom. It works quite well to use the left over sugar syrup for marmalade - use the fruit and a bit of peel. But you need to make sure the peel has been well blanched, so the sugar syrup isn't bitter.
Gillian
Can anyone who has made this recipe comment on how firm the peel becomes while it is stored? I have to candy long “strings” of peel to drape over a cake, so I need it to be fairly pliable, not stiff. Thanks very much!
alexandra
The peels don't stay "stringy" as I imagine you are aiming for them to be. I'm actually not sure that I've seen anything like that before. I'd be interested to know if you come across anything though!
Theresa Diane Huseman
Add 3 tablespoons clear corn syrup (karo syrup) to your water and sugar mixture before boiling it. This addition will allow citrus to remain pliable.
alexandra
Thanks for the tip!
Daniel
Why not try making a citrus peel spaghetti strand using the pasta maker? Just an idea, haven't trued it myself.
Emma
I know this answer is too late for you but might help others. I think what you wanted is orange peel spirals - not really candied orange peel. (Like long strips of orange zest - not as tasty as candied orange but more decorative).
To make the spirals there's a tool or you can carefully use a paring knife or any knife with a sharp point - peel a narrow section, avoiding the pith as much as possible. You want the peel to be almost transparent because the pith is the bitter part; also the peel is more flexible w/o the pith. Easiest way is to pierce the skin and then rotate the orange around the knife (more chance of cutting yourself though!). You could also cut wider spirals around the orange; then afterwards you could split them into narrow spirals. After peeling, lightly moisten and roll/dust in either finely granulated sugar or powdered sugar. The old method is to paint with egg white before dusting, but I'd avoid raw egg in case someone actually eats the peel. It's like using orange zest but a zester would probably not make long enough strips before breaking. FYI - haven't tried yet but was thinking of experimenting with corn syrup instead of egg white to see if sugar sticks better to the peel.
alexandra
Thanks for sharing all your tips Emma!
Barbara
How long will these candied peels last? Should they be refrigerated?
brighteyedbaker
They last for a good amount of time - a few months, at least. I don't refrigerate mine; I just keep them in the pantry. Hope that helps :)
Christin
I'm making these for a gender neutral, orange themed baby shower. They are going to look great AND be so tasty! :)
brighteyedbaker
What a great idea! I love it :)
Amanda
We love this simple and informative recipe! Candied orange peels are amazing- and just like you- we never thought to make them ourselves! We can't wait to try these out! Our Food Lovers would love this recipe! Feel free to share on our community page! http://bit.ly/wlZhX4
brighteyedbaker
Thanks! I stopped by the site. Glad to know of it :)
myfudo
I am a fan of DIY posts! I love the orange theme...esp the plaid tablecloth. Thanks for the post!
brighteyedbaker
Good to here! I just got the tablecloth, and I'm loving it :) Thanks for stopping by!
The Steaming Pot
What a lovely idea! Beautiful pictures. Will try these., thanks for sharing.
brighteyedbaker
Thank you thank you! Please let me know what you think when you make the peel! I'd love to hear :)
Cathy @ Savory Notes
i wonder if candied lime peels would be good too... gonna try these soon :)
Sarah
I just made candied citrus peels today with lemons and mandarins and they were also tasty!
Your orange peels look great!
brighteyedbaker
MMM! Sounds amazing! And Thank You :)
Mari Kinsey
thank you Sarah I was wondering the same thing. I'm going to try the Orange peels and see how they come out. I will post my results.
brighteyedbaker
I bet they would be! This was my first foray into doing candied peel. It worked out so well that I wouldn't mind trying lime/lemon/mandarin/grapefruit/etc. myself!
JENN
I made candied peel from lemons, limes, orange and grapefruit. The grapefruit peel was the prettiest looking. I mixed all the peels and followed the recipe. I boiled it 3 times. and simmered in sugar syrup for 1 hour.
alexandra
So great that you worked this out with so many fruits! Grapefruit peel sounds like it would be amazing! It's on my list of things to try at some point for sure. :)
JENN
now I am going to try the recipe for orange glazed scones.
alexandra
Awesome! Hope you enjoy them :)
Lady H
I know this is six years later... but I tried candied lime peels before and they were WEIRD. Maybe we had a bad batch of limes, don't know. But my orange peels, lemon peels, and grapefruit peels are always a hit!
Katie
I also have done lime peels - not tasty for us. But the orange, lemon, grapefruit and mandarin are all super good. My family says no more lime peels. I agree. And, none of us can get enough of the rest of them!
alexandra
Grapefruit sounds SO good!
Agne
Wow! Definitely going to make it.
brighteyedbaker
Good! They're delicious!
Mel (Sharky Oven Gloves)
I keep coming across recipes that call for candied orange peel, but never have any on hand – this wonderful-looking homemade candied peel looks like the solution to that!!
brighteyedbaker
The candied peel really adds to bread, scones, etc. I hope you try making the peel soon, and let me know what you think!
diane
I'm making chocolate almond marsala wine cookies and it calls for the candied orange
Perihan
Please would you share that recipe for chocolate, almond, Marsala wine cookies with the orange peels addition?
Nina Angela McKissock
So I grew my habaneros, and made candied orange/hot pepper jam. Unreal. So wonderful.
alexandra
Ooh sounds SO GOOD!
Paula Salmon
Nina...this sounds like something I MUST try...would you please share the recipe?
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
These look awesome! I saw them on FG...congrats.
I want to make these!
brighteyedbaker
Do try making them! They're sooo good :) Thanks for the comment.
Keshav
I made them but they were bitter
alexandra
You might need to blanch them more times next time!
Jocko
Try cutting most of the pith off, that is what is making it bitter. Laying an intact quarter or eighth of the orange peel on a cutting board, the orange fruit section removed and the white pith facing up. With a sharp knife align the blade between the pith and peel and gently saw the length until all the pith is removed. Slice to desired size and follow the recipe above.
Some Cook
You dont want to cut out the pith, while yest that is what is the bitter part that is also the part you are candying so you just need to boil and change the water more times from what i heard these are the "Just barely enough times"
Orange = 1 boil
lemon or lime - 3 boils
grapefruit = 5 boils
sarah
My mom brought in a orange the moment i clicked on this page. fate?
brighteyedbaker
I think so! Make the peel!!
John
I know it's been four years, but I'm sure those oranges were taught a lesson
Racheal
A year a half later, still waiting for an update.
NB
Checking in 6 years on, HOW WERE THE PEELS SARAH, YOU CANT JUST LOVE US AND LEAVE US LIKE THIS.
Jennifer A Machiele
also waiting on an update....
Jorja
Still waiting... 2019
Lily
2020 please update
Julia Coovadia
HI I wanted to know if they are dry- I need some for a granola recipe.
Thanks
alexandra
They should work for granola!
Kathy
Julia, I would love to know your recipe. I make my own granola and looking for variations.
alexandra
I have a few granola recipes on the blog that you can check out! You can find them here.
Surabhi
Hey Sarah, The world really wants to know :) :D
Ems
7 years later ......
I would love to know! Xx
Also, is this acceptable to bake with children? And is it nice dipped in chocolate?
alexandra
I'm sure they would be fantastic dipped in chocolate. Probably not the easiest recipe to try with young kids though!
Anne
Dark chocolate candied orange peels were the treat my dad would bring home for me when I was a child. Divine!!
Making these currently. Thank you!
Amy
SARAH SWEETIE COME ON WE NEED THIS UPDATE MY DARN LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
jaykay
Sarah.....and?
Here 'tis 2019 and we're still waiting for the update!
Colin
Waiting for that update.
Cora
Sarah, did you make the peels? We've been waiting for years
like 100 oranges send help
Sarah The Peels?