Candied Orange Slices

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

• The cooking process is simple, and when ready, you will have slices of sweet, chewy oranges that are not bitter.
• You can leave them coated all glossy and sticky or dip them in white sugar for a fancier look.
• Making candied orange slices at home is healthier than store-bought because you know what has gone into them.
• Use them to decorate cakes and desserts as whole slices, halves, or quarters.

Ingredients In This Recipe

The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.

You only need three ingredients to make candied slices: water, white granulated sugar, and oranges.

We used whole rounds of orange slices in this recipe because that was what we wanted as a decoration for our orange juice cake.

The variety of orange we used was Valencia, but you could also use blood oranges, tangerines, or mandarin oranges.

You are not limited to just using just oranges. You can make candied lemon or lime slices to decorate lemon or lime-flavored desserts and cakes.

Step By Step Instructions

Making candied orange slices is simple, but there are several steps involved.

It can take about 40 to 50 minutes to make because the liquid needs to be reduced until it becomes a thick syrup.

Initial Preparation

Step 1 – Thoroughly wash and scrub four to six medium-sized oranges.

Step 2 – Cut the oranges into slices about 1 cm (0.4 inches) in thickness. Avoid making them thinner because thin slices will not hold their shape during cooking.

Try to cut the slices into an even thickness because any thin areas will break apart during cooking.

Remove and discard the seeds after cutting them into slices.

Step 3 – Place orange slices in a deep saucepan and fill water to cover them.

Place the saucepan on the stove and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer over medium heat for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Boiling the orange slices will remove the bitterness from the orange rind.

Step 4 – Pour the water and orange slices into a colander and drain well.

Make A Simple Syrup

Step 5 – Place 2 cups granulated sugar and 2 cups of water into a deep and wide saucepan on medium heat and stir until dissolved.

Step 6 – Using tongs carefully, place the orange slices into the simple syrup.

Step 7 – Simmer over low/medium heat and occasionally turn the slices over as they cook.

Simmer for about 30 - 40 minutes or until the syrup reduces and the slices have become slightly translucent.

Step 8 – Turn off the heat and allow the slices to cool in the syrup.

Step 9 – Remove the orange slices from the syrup and place them on a cooling rack with a baking tray underneath to catch the drips.

Leave the glazed orange slices on the wire rack to air dry for 24-48 hours.

Do You Need To Put The Orange Slices In Iced Water After Boiling?

You may have seen other recipes for candied orange slices that say to put the orange slices in iced water after boiling to stop them from overcooking.

We think that is unnecessary because they will be heated again in a sugar syrup, so we see no need to cool them down.

Storage

To store candied orange slices, place them in single layers lined with baking paper in between, in an airtight container or zip lock bag, and store them in the fridge until ready to use.

Serving Size

If serving as a sweet treat there are about 16 servings. A serving size is equal to about ¼ of an orange.

Calories Per Serve

Each serving has about 112 calories.

How To Use

Candied orange slices are often served during the holiday season. They are a popular Christmas treat in many countries and are used to decorate holiday cakes, cookies, and desserts.

Here are some ways you can use these sweet orange candy pieces:

• Chop them into small pieces to use in baked goods.
• They can be used to garnish hot or cold drinks.
• Use candied orange slices to decorate cakes and desserts like this tofu orange pudding, or fold pieces into a mixed fruit and cream dessert.
• Leave them plain or dip them in granulated sugar for cake decorating.
• Make chocolate-coated orange slices by dipping the candied oranges in white, milk, or dark chocolate.
• Slice them into quarters and serve them on a plate with other holiday sweets and treats.
• Package sugar or chocolate-coated candied orange slices in cellophane bags for holiday gifts.

What To Do With The Left Over Orange Syrup

If you have leftover orange syrup from making candied oranges, don't discard it, keep it, because you can use the syrup to:

• Flavor drinks like this old-fashioned.
• It can be drizzled over or brushed in between cake layers to give moisture and flavor to cakes.
• Use it to flavor whipped cream or custard.
• Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.

More Sweet Recipes

• Blueberry muffins
• Jam drop cookies
• Slow cooker custard
• Morello cherry jam