Can you relate?
I tend to swoon for anything vintage or traditional especially when it comes to decorating for the holidays. Have you ever seen those beautiful dried orange slices that are typically found during the holidays? They are often associated with vintage, old-fashioned Christmas decor. Good news, they are SO easy to make!
Why Dry Orange Slices?
Dried Orange slices are very easy to make, very versitle and add a wonderful homemade element to crafts and cooking.
Believe it or not, oranges and other citrus fruits are in season during the winter months, which is why it is so commonly used in holiday decor.
Traditionally, people utilized fruits and vegetables as they were in season. In the winter, they also use preserved foods from thier spring/summer harvests.
This is typically why we see so many oranges and cranberries both in Christmas decor and seasonal winter recipes.
There are many different uses for dried orange slices. Some of them are:
- Holiday decor – Ornaments, garlands, or embelishments for homemade gifts.
- Potpouri – Simmer on the stove with other seasonal ingredients to make your whole house smell wonderful.
- Garnish for fancy dishes
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What Type of Oranges?
You will notice that during the winter seasons, oranges and other citrus fruits may be on sale. Since they are in season, this is a great time to grab a bag or two. One to enjoy and one to preserve.
There are several different types of oranges that you may find in the grocery store. Clementines, tangerines, blood oranges, valencia, and cara cara are just a few that are in season during the winter. The Spruce does a really great breakdown of the types of oranges that you can find in season during the winter months. You can find it here: Winter Citrus.
As far as making dried orange slices, stay clear of tangerines or clementines and look for a large slicing orange with a thick peel. I typically buy a large bag of naval oranges for about $2.00.
What you need
A dehydrator is a really great option or drying fruits and vegetables quickly. They can be pricey, although you can probably find a decent one for around $30. You do not need one though!
I simply use an oven at low temp will get you very similar results.
A cookie sheet and oven safe rack is also necessary.
That is pretty much it!
What you need:
- Dehydrator or oven
- Cookie sheet
- Oven safe rack (optional)
- Knife
- Oranges
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Slice oranges about 1/4 inch thick
The most important thing to make sure you do is to cut the orange slices consistently for even baking.
Having slices of difference thickness will cause some to cook faster and possibly burn.
Bake at 250 degrees F
If you have a dehydrator, use it according to directions. I have not purchased a dehydrator so I do not know the exact settings necessary.
For drying without a dehydrator, set your oven to 250 degrees F.
Lay out your slices on the rack on the cookie sheet. I did not use a cookie sheet so it is not absolutely necessary.
Sprinkle slices with powdered sugar.
Cook the slices for 2.5 -3 hours.
I recommend to start with cooking the orange slices for about 2 hours. Isn’t that fresh orange smell that is filling your kitchen just wonderful!
After 2 hours, check them and flip them.
Let them go another 1/2 hour. Typically you can let them go another hour but check them first to be sure.
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Do not let them turn brown
I have made the mistake of letting them go until they dry completely. Once that happens, they have usually turned brown and have an overcooked appearance to them.
You want the peels to be dry but the fruit can still be slightly moist. You can let them air dry the rest of the way.
Once done cooking, pull them out and lay them on a kitchen towl to finish drying for a few hours.
Perfect for the Christmas season!
Vintage dried orange slices are so versatile and definitely worth the minimal time and effort required to make them. If you can take advantage of oranges while they are season, you can save a lot of money.
Christmas decor is one of the most common uses. I like to incorporate it onto wreaths, garlands for the tree, and ornaments.
Potpourri is also a really great use for dried orange slices. Add oranges, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, pine/juniper needles, or whatever you have on hand to a small sauce pan. Cover with water and simmer on low heat on the back burner. Delicious holiday smells adds such wonderful atmosphere to your Christmas season. This is so easy to do and is a great way to use up scraps that would otherwise be thrown away.
How to store them
Before storing them, make sure that they have completely air dried. If you package them up before they are completely dry, they can start to mold.
I like to store them in mason jars, which make beautiful decor all on thier own.
Vintage Dried Orange Slices
What you need:
- Dehydrator or oven
- Cookie sheet
- Oven safe rack (optional)
- Knife
- Oranges
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Easy Drying Technique
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
- Cut Oranges into 1/4 in slices.
- Lay Orange Slices on oven safe rack onto of cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Cook for 2 hours.
- Check and flip orange slices.
- Cook for another 1/2 hour to 1 hour until almost dried.
- Remove from oven and lay on towel to finish drying.
- Use in decor and cooking as desired.
- Store in mason jars after completely dried to avoid mold.
Your 1st Step to a Simple Living Lifestyle!
A great place to start with Simple Living is to start making your own cleaning and personal products!
With this FREE eBook, you can easily get started with over 10 quick but effective recipes that use ingredients you already have in your house!
Don’t miss my FREE Simple Living DIY eBook.
Welcome to Wingin’ it on the Homestead! My name is Stephanie Leaf. I am a wife to a can-fix-anything husband, mother of two boys under 3, future expert gardener, lover of anything old and dusty, and inspiring homesteader. My family and I are new to this journey and loving every minute of it. Please join me in embracing a simpler life!