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
erin aiston
Thank you for this article! I had candied orange peel years ago. I had forgotten all about them. I am definitely going to do this!
Pat
Thanks for this recipe. Most others are for five to ten oranges Rinds from three oranges is about as much orange peel I could use in a lifetime. Your recipe is also very explicit. Most have 20 unexplained steps. Thanks for your good tips.
Can't wait for it to dry so I can dip them in chocolate -- and then eat them!x
alexandra
So glad the detail was helpful!
jennie
I made this tonight and it was wonderful... I might have used 6-8 oranges since I have been collecting the rinds for over a week... keeping them in baggies and in the back of the frig for extra freshness... Came out wonderful... sprinkled organic sugar on top... YUM! Waiting till they dry out some before putting them in an airtight container!!! Now to share my gift with my friends!!
Ellie
This recipe is incredible! I made a batch for my mum's birthday and now she asks every week if I can make some more..
Thank you!
alexandra
Ahh that is so sweet! Thank you for sharing <3
Bethy
I made this to add to my orange chicken.
The peels turned out good but so super sweet. Double the sugar to water in the syrup seems quite heavy but whatever. I think perhaps because of the dish itself being sweet, it was too sweet overall. I should try to use the leftover peels and a dessert type dish. Any tips on how long to boil in the water before switching it out in the first step ?
alexandra
I've only used these in sweet recipes so I expect they might be a bit too sweet for savory ones! For the initial boil (blanching), you can stop as soon as the water comes to a boil.
Dolores J. Boehmer
I made the orange peel candy and I sprinkled the orange peels with powder sugar before they were complete dried. Soooooooooooooooo Good.
Olwen Davies
It's important to use wax free organic oranges, other wise the pesticides couldl make the peel taste bitter!
Flora
I used brown sugar and it turned out wonderful-the orange peel is brown of course but I love the color and they are so yummy. I eat them as snacks
alexandra
Oooh interesting! Love it!
Laura
Mind turned out really hard. :( Where did I go wrong?
alexandra
Sounds like you may have cooked the peels too long, or got the sugar syrup to hot. Make sure it stays at just a simmer and only cook the peels until translucent. :)
glenna
I"m afraid I now have a new problem food. Can't stop eating these and they aren't even done yet. I barely followed the directions -- only did one boil/rinse, then just dumped the sugar and water in to a small saucepan, so there were probably three layers. I simmered very low for about an hour with the lid on. When I uncovered it, it was no longer hot enough to boil. I covered and left overnight, then simmmered, covered, again in the morning, probably for another hour, then transferred to a rack. Very little extra syrup. Half of them are drying in the oven at about 200 degrees, as I want them very chewy. The other half is gone, as I keep deciding to try them to see if they're firmer. I'd like them drier and more bitter, so next time I'll try it without that first boil. Thank you for posting this, and also for keeping comments open (thanks to those who commented too) so we can all share our experience.
alexandra
Haha, so glad it worked out!
glenna
I'm about to make these. Only boiled them once because I want them to maintain some bitterness. Will come back after and say how it worked!
Lis
Hi!
So i made the peels yesterday (from one orange) and they are amazing! (Alittle bit bitter but i like that) i was just wondering since its just little me living alone and i dont get through alot very fast if they freeze well and then be added to sweet breads or scones or cookies?
Lots of love,
Lis
alexandra
You can definitely add them to breads/scones/etc! I haven't tried freezing them so can't comment on that unfortunately. :/ They should last for a decent bit though without freezing!
Cathy
Ok,I made it & it turned out great! I used 4 cups regular sugar, 2 cups tap water, 1 ounce Grand Marnier. I cut the ends off six navel oranges, quartered them, peeled them apart, and then cut each quarter peel into three slices lengthwise, and then cut across them in half. I boiled the peels and drained them three times. Then, I let them cool a bit, and then one by one, used my fingernails to scrape the now softened pith right off the peels. I put them into the barely simmering simple syrup and turned the gas down to extra low for an hour. Then I retrieved all the peels and put them onto cooling racks over parchment. The color is brilliant and translucent and they are pliable, the taste is dangerously good. I need to hide them from myself now! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
alexandra
Love the addition of the Grand Marnier!
Jan
Made these last week...everyone ate them all they were so good...working on my second batch now..
alexandra
Yay, so happy to hear that!
Daniel Kim
I don't have too many oranges at any given time, and so I froze orange peels until I had enough to do this. They are a bit softer than fresh ones, but not bad.
I am trying to make more of my own sweets, instead of buying them, to help limit how many I eat (I cannot bring myself to binge on them, if they take so much effort to make)