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
Donna
Here is where I am confused. Some recipes call for removing the pith, others do not. In this recipe, you call for removing the pith but inthe pictures, it looks like the pith is still there. Isn't the pith the wilt part of the orange?
alexandra
The pith is the thick white skin underneath the peel. If you look at the second photo in the post, you can see how thick it is at the top of the orange. When you remove the pith, there's still a layer of whitish-yellow connected to the peel which you can see in the third photo. This stays on. Otherwise, you'd just be left with zest. I hope that helps!
Jan
Interesting recipe. I never really thought I can eat the orange peel, but this looks enticing. Thanks for sharing!
Daniela
Hi
Eagerly tried it today and followed the recipe meticulously.... result.... the sugar crystallised at the last moment (not having stirred it around at all - just swished the pan) and the oranges though having followed the step of boiling 3 times and starting afresh with fresh water each time the oranges still resulted bitter. Help! What happened?
Daniela
Covered this lot in dark plain chocolate and actually the contrast between bitter and sweet has made them a HUGE success! Have just finished my second batch - this time blanched them 5 times, bought a heat diffuser and added an extra cup of water - perfect! Will so be writing this recipe down in my recipe organiser! Thank you so much!
alexandra
I'm glad you were able to tweak the recipe to make it work perfectly for you! I somehow missed your first comment, so I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you out sooner. :/
I still need to try dipping my peels in chocolate; it sounds amazing!
arthur merahn
reading this recipe takes me back 60 years sitting in my grandmothers kitchen in brooklyn, watching her do exactly the same steps while asking her how long before we could eat them, thanks! i really think i may give it a try art merahn
alexandra
That's so sweet! I hope you do; you may find it helpful to read through some of the comments as well before doing so. The biggest thing is to just make sure you don't cook your peels too long. If they turn translucent faster than the recipe indicates, just stop cooking them. :)
Marie
Just finished making these and have learned one important thing. You can cook these too long. I went to 55 minutes and the sugar started to caramelize and some of the peels in the middle of the pan got too hot and those peels are more like hard candy. The rest are GREAT! When making them again I will watch them more closely at the end of the cooking time.
alexandra
You really have to judge by the look of the peels rather than the time you cook them; stoves always vary so cooking time will always vary. It's all about visual cues!
Christina
This is awesome! I used organic oranges to make sure the peels are without any chemicals and will use the candied peels in a fruitbread. They didn't turn translucent though even after simmering for more than one hour. Still, very yummi, thanks for the recipe!
alexandra
For some people, it takes a much shorter time to cook the peels, and for others it takes longer, depending on your stove. You can always simmer longer than an hour if you feel it's needed. I'm glad they turned out well nonetheless!
Freddie
How long can they be stored?
alexandra
I would say at least 6 months, and possibly longer. Just be sure to keep them in an airtight container. Storing them in sugar might also help them last longer.
Freddie
Thank you! Can't wait to try them!
andrea
I have a dwarf orange tree which tends to grow rather dry oranges, but the rind is often a nice bright orange color. I just tried them with your recipe and it came out well. Maybe I was simmering too low but it took more like 2 hours for the peel to go translucent. They have a slight bitter bite (my bad; when blanching I didn't bring them to a full rolling boil), but I like the contrast.
alexandra
Even if your oranges are a little dry, at least you can make some sweet candied peel out of them! The full boil on blanching should help for next time, and you might also try adding a bit of baking soda to the first boil as one reader suggested. You could try kicking the heat up a bit to make the peel cook faster, but just don't go too high so you don't burn them. :)
Sando
Making them right now - hope they turn out alright! Plan is to either use the candied peel in muffins/cakes or to make "orangettes", a Southern French sweet (candied orange peels coated in dark chocolate that people like to eat at Christmas- yumm!)
alexandra
I need to make some chocolate-covered orange peels myself! Sounds so good!
sharon
My mother used to make this treat during the holidays. I am glad I found this recipe. It was very easy to make and so delicious. Brought back lots of memories to me.
alexandra
Aww, that's nice! I'm glad you found the recipe too!
elizabeth
I just came back from Florida with a ton of oranges. I have this recipe on the stove right now. I can't wait to try them!
alexandra
Lucky you with fresh oranges! I hope they turned out well!
Arl girl
Made this today after a recipe called Alsatian Gingerbread needed sugared lemon or orange. Wow, my husband says he'll add it to old fashions and other drinks. Followed directions and it turned out beautifully. Drying right now on the rack. Thanks!
alexandra
Oh I'm so glad! The candied peel has tons of good uses if you get creative. :)
Daphne
I just made some orange peels, and they are very nice, although the whole process took more than 2 hours (I'm very, very slow at cooking).
Anyway, after boiling the peels 4 times, I tasted them to see if it was bitter, and they still were a bit. Even after the shimmering part (which lasted a bit over an hour for me), there is still a hint of bitterness in them.
So I guess it depends on the oranges, but next time I'll make sure the peels are not at all bitter before moving to the next step!
alexandra
I think, like you said, it just depends on your oranges. You may want to try adding a bit of baking soda during the first blanching next time, as one reader suggested above. You can also dip them in sugar before you let them dry, which might help offset any bitterness. I'm glad you liked them nonetheless!
aruna sambhares
I want to make these because ready made are not good.
Steffanie
I made these a year ago to add to a molasses cookie recipe. The candied orange peel was fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly. The cookies were great, and the extra peel got swirled in tea, and nibbled on as a snack. I did manage to have a bit left for another batch of molasses cookies recently. I think they were reaching the end of their shelf life, but I have no complaints! I'm about to make more, and very glad to have found the recipe again! Thanks!
alexandra
I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed them so much! They do have a pretty long shelf life, and even when they get a bit tough, they seem fine once baked into something. Your molasses cookies sound yummy!