Dried Orange Slices (Oven or Dehydrator)

These dried orange slices are sprinkled with spices and coconut sugar. Make them for a cocktail garnish or healthy snack. Paleo and vegan!

As a kid, were you obsessed with the orange fruit slice candies? Um, I was! Every year, my mom would put a big bag of them out for the holidays. The sugar high (and crash!) did some serious damage. Haha.

You see, ever since I started dehydrating vegetables and fruits into “fruit snacks and veggie chips,” I’ve been hooked on testing out more.

The flavor and beauty of oranges is the inspiration for this dried fruit recipe. Especially blood oranges- gosh, they are gorgeous, aren’t they?!

But I also realize that not everyone has 8 hours to dehydrate food, or even a dehydrator for that matter.

Side note: I need to write a post on how to use a dehydrator. –> REMIND ME! I use this trusty dehydrator! 

Back to my point. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can STILL oven dry fruits and vegetables and STILL save money.

Ingredients for making Dried Orange Slices

The ingredients for a healthy snack don’t get any simpler than this!

• Oranges– Any variety will work, but you’ll have the best success using a seedless or low-seed variety like navel or blood oranges.
  
  Blood oranges are my preference, simply because they are SO gorgeous! Also, they are naturally pitted so that saves a TON Of time in kitchen.
  
• Coconut sugar– To cut down on the sugar, use a granulated sugar free substitute.
  
• Spices– Ground cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt are what I use. Feel free to experiment with other spices though. Nutmeg, allspice, or even apple pie spice would add unique flavor!

The best fruit for your dried fruit snacks should be tart, or slightly tart. This way, you can sweeten them up, but they won’t be overly sweet.

Recipe tips and notes

• Cut the slices as thin as possible.

If the slices are too thick, they will take much longer to dry out. Also, although the peel is edible, thicker slices will have more of a bitter flavor.

If you have a mandoline, this is the perfect time to use it!

• Store in a cool, dry location.

Be sure to keep them in an airtight container and in a cool, dry area. This helps to prevent any humidity from reaching them. Ziploc bags are perfect!

How to use dehydrated oranges

After making the dried orange slices, you can use them as a garnish for holiday cocktails or fruit punch. They are perfect for a sangria or mimosa.

Or, you can mix them in with gluten free muesli, or simply snack on them as-is, peel and all!

They are heavenly! And probably the easiest trick in the book when it comes to trying to be “Martha.” — >  or Martha-esque.

How pretty does that look? Regardless of this presentation, my key point here is this.

Don’t underestimate the power of making your own food. You can pretty much make anything healthier these days, and save a buck or two while you’re at it.

WANT TO MAKE OTHER HEALTHY SNACKS?

Snack all day in a guilt-free way by making Homemade Snap Pea Chips. Or, bust out your food processor and make some Honey Chipotle Peach Salsa.

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P.S. Be sure to come visit our Facebook group! We’re getting ready for Christmas and sharing ALL of our favorite recipes. We need your input!

Cheers!