This easy recipe for homemade candied orange peels makes for a perfect sweet holiday treat that puts your leftover citrus peels to good use.

Candied Orange Peel Recipe: How to Make Candied Orange Peels

Candied orange peels are thin slices of [orange](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-sprout-and-grow-orange-trees) peels that have been candied, or simmered in a homemade [syrup](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-simple-syrup-for-cocktails), which infuses the bitter peel with a pleasantly sweet flavor. Candying is a culinary process where fruits, roots, or peels are simmered in simple syrup. As they cook, the fruit’s natural water is replaced by the sugar syrup mixture, resulting in extra sweetness and longer shelf life. 

These naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan sweets are delicious on their own or can be used to add subtle orange flavor to a variety of baked goods and desserts. Candied orange peels are a staple in French and Italian bakeries, and are frequently used to create traditional holiday treats such as fruitcake and figgy pudding. 
Once you’ve mastered the basics of making these citrusy sweets, you’ll never turn to store-bought candied orange peels again. These tips will help you make the most of your candied fruit. 

1. __Plan ahead__. Candying orange peels is a quick process that takes little more than an hour, but drying the peels beforehand can take up to 2 days. If you’re relying on your homemade candied peels to make another dessert recipe, be sure to prep the peels days in advance. 
2. __Pick the right produce__. Since the candying process requires the peels to be cooked in boiling water several times, you’ll want oranges with peels that are thick and substantial—that way, they won’t break apart during boiling and will retain their shape the best. Avoid orange varieties that have thin peels, such as mandarin oranges. Instead, opt for sturdier Valencia and Navel oranges.
3. __Make the most of your candied peels__. These bite-sized sweet treats are delicious on their own, but there are plenty of other ways to use these candied peels. Mix candied orange peels into the batter of fruitcakes, [muffins](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/one-easy-muffin-recipe-endless-muffin-variations), cupcakes, scones, and [cookies](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/holiday-sugar-cookies-recipe), or use the candied peels to garnish homemade ice cream, sorbet, and [pudding](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pudding-recipe). For a classic chocolatey treat, dip the candied peels in melted dark chocolate. 

This easy recipe for homemade candied orange peels makes for a perfect sweet holiday treat that puts your leftover citrus peels to good use.

Candied orange peels are thin slices of <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-sprout-and-grow-orange-trees' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-sprout-and-grow-orange-trees","linkCopy":"orange","category":null}'>orange</a> peels that have been candied, or simmered in a homemade <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-simple-syrup-for-cocktails' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-simple-syrup-for-cocktails","linkCopy":"syrup","category":null}'>syrup</a>, which infuses the bitter peel with a pleasantly sweet flavor. Candying is a culinary process where fruits, roots, or peels are simmered in simple syrup. As they cook, the fruit’s natural water is replaced by the sugar syrup mixture, resulting in extra sweetness and longer shelf life. These naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan sweets are delicious on their own or can be used to add subtle orange flavor to a variety of baked goods and desserts. Candied orange peels are a staple in French and Italian bakeries, and are frequently used to create traditional holiday treats such as fruitcake and figgy pudding.

What Is Candied Orange Peel?

Once you’ve mastered the basics of making these citrusy sweets, you’ll never turn to store-bought candied orange peels again. These tips will help you make the most of your candied fruit. <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Plan ahead. Candying orange peels is a quick process that takes little more than an hour, but drying the peels beforehand can take up to 2 days. If you’re relying on your homemade candied peels to make another dessert recipe, be sure to prep the peels days in advance. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Pick the right produce. Since the candying process requires the peels to be cooked in boiling water several times, you’ll want oranges with peels that are thick and substantial—that way, they won’t break apart during boiling and will retain their shape the best. Avoid orange varieties that have thin peels, such as mandarin oranges. Instead, opt for sturdier Valencia and Navel oranges. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Make the most of your candied peels. These bite-sized sweet treats are delicious on their own, but there are plenty of other ways to use these candied peels. Mix candied orange peels into the batter of fruitcakes, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/one-easy-muffin-recipe-endless-muffin-variations' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/one-easy-muffin-recipe-endless-muffin-variations","linkCopy":"muffins","category":null}'>muffins</a>, cupcakes, scones, and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/holiday-sugar-cookies-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/holiday-sugar-cookies-recipe","linkCopy":"cookies","category":null}'>cookies</a>, or use the candied peels to garnish homemade ice cream, sorbet, and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pudding-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chocolate-pudding-recipe","linkCopy":"pudding","category":null}'>pudding</a>. For a classic chocolatey treat, dip the candied peels in melted dark chocolate. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Making Candied Orange Peel

Candied Orange Peel Recipe 

This easy recipe for homemade candied orange peels makes for a perfect sweet holiday treat that puts your leftover citrus peels to good use.

This easy recipe for homemade candied orange peels makes for a perfect sweet holiday treat that puts your leftover citrus peels to good use.
