DIY: Candied Orange Peel (2024)

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!).

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!

Common questions about this recipe

Ready to make more candied treats?

Try one of these recipes next!

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!

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