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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Sweetened Dried Orange Slices
- Total Time: 3 hours, 5 minutes
- Yield: 15–18 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These dried orange slices are sprinkled with spices and coconut sugar. Make them for a cocktail garnish or healthy snack. Paleo and vegan!
Ingredients
- 2 large blood oranges or navel oranges, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar substitute
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground ginger
- dash of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Wash and dry oranges, then cut into very thin slices (as thin as possible). Lay them flat on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix your spices and sugar.
- Sprinkle evenly over orange slices.
- Dry in the oven at 200°F. for 2 ½ to 3 hours. If your orange slices are thick, they will take longer.
- After removing them from the oven, add more spices and/or sugar, if desired.
- Store in a cool dry place. Ziplock works great!
Notes
NOTES for EATING –> to make sure the rinds don’t taste bitter, cut EXTRA thin and add sugar and/or spice to edges before baking
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Snacks
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 21
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 10.6 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.1 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: dried orange slices, paleo, dehydrated oranges, cocktail garnishes, vegan, healthy snacks
TALK TO ME!
Have you ever dehydrated oranges or other fruits?
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!
I really appreciate and love Your recipes.
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Thanks for the kind words, Oscar! Happy cooking!
Nice. Have you made them in an air fryer/dehydrator? What temp and how long for that?
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that’s a good question! I haven’t tried them in the air fryer but something worth trying, for sure. For dehydrating, I would set the temperature between 130°F and 140°F. 135F for 2 hours. Or 140F for a little quicker time, but probably less chewy.
If I dehydrate fruit/citrus plain, can I sugar them up afterwards somehow to make them sweet for garnishing cocktails for those with sweet tooths?
Good question. You could try a glitter sugar spray. Or spritz with coconut oil and then sprinkle with sugar. Although they might get soggy.
Thanks! I’ll give it a try:)
Could these be used to garnish a cake with vanilla icing? Will they bleed colour into the icing? Or get soggy?
Hi Cyndi! The orange slices might get a little soft after a while but I don’t think they will stain the cake.
You might test it out first! Or just make sure to buy navel vs blood orange 😉
How long will these last if stored in an airtight container/zip lock? Days? A week? Thanks!
Hey Lizzie! I’d say about a 7-10 days before they get too chewy.
Are these crispy or chewy? Looks amazing. I need some crispy fruit for decorating my desserts!
It depends on how thin you slice them. Mine are a little crispy on outside and chewy middle. They work great on cakes though! Keep me posted.
Can’t wait to try these out on my friend’s birthday cake!
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Wonderful! Keep me posted. Send pics!
Can I use these slices to decorate a chocolate cake with ganache on top? Will it work?
Hi Connie,
The orange slices are completely edible and would look gorgeous on top of ganache! Just keep in mind that the longer they stay on the cake, the more likely they are to absorb moisture from the ganache.
Hi, I love the story of your mom and dad, the way she meets your dad while eating an orange is amazing. By the way, I was been looking for a good recipe and finally, I got this delicious one. It really looks interesting. I might have to try making them. Because I love oranges.
Oh thank you! It’s fun to reshare that story
Not only are these tasty, they are SO PRETTY! I made them to put on the side of a cake and I got so many compliments. I love the cinnamon and coconut sugar combo- it’s so good together, and so fragrant!
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Perfect on cocktails. I’ll make you a negroni with orange slices. Deal? 😉 Oh the good old days!
Wow! Learning this method is a game changer! I love how fancy they look. Perfect for adding some fancy to my holiday drinks and dishes!
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Don’t you love how easy it can be to fancy up a simple looking dish or drink?! Thanks for the nice feedback, Wilhelmina!
You just upgraded my cocktail night.
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Fantastic, Stephanie… cheers!
This is really gorgeous and delicious!! I love how easy it is to make!
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Thanks so much, Toni!
OMG! These are the best!! They smell amazing too!
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I know right?! They make the whole house smell great! Thanks, Lauren!
These look amazing. Would like to make ahead for a thanksgiving cocktail. How long will they keep? Also will halve or quarter and dip in chocolate for a Xmas treat.
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I just made some 2 weeks ago and stored them in the pantry. still good! YAY!
I am making these dried oranges to go with some mulled wine for this holiday season – oranges are in the oven as I type this! Thank you for sharing!
Oh looking amazing, I must try this. Thank you
Hope you do try it! Thank you!
Hi, I was just wondering if the added sugar/spices is necessary or if it’s optional? I’m just dipping my dried slices into chocolate, so I’m presuming I won’t need to add sugar or spices, or will the orange taste plain if I leave out the sugar and spices?
You can leave out the sugar, it just helps take away any bitterness once baked.
Hi. Love your story. I have been looking for a good recipe after having a dried orange in a gin at a restaurant – this is the one that sounds the most amazing. How long will a batch keep if stored in airtight container.
I think it should last a few weeks, easy! LMK!
These turned out amazing! I had to go longer in the oven to make sure they were dried. How long will they last in a sealed jar?
This was the first recipe that came up when I Googled dried orange slices for cocktails, so you know I clicked (because it’s Lindsay, duh!) Looking forward to making these, and I’m sure my house will instantly transform into holiday central. ?. Thanks, Lindsay!
Does that mean you are inviting me over for a cocktail? LOL I used these last week at the open house. An oldie but goodie!
If you’re up for some Old Fashioneds, come in over!
Will be using these in Manhattan’s with an added drop of orange bitters. Thanks for the recipe, they’re great!
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I’m going to try these for decorating a chocolate orange Buche de Noel I’m making. I wonder if they will dry properly in my little toaster oven, as my oven is spoken for most of the time. I’ve got some Cara Cara oranges ready to be sliced and sugared . . . I’ll have to report back with the results. If the toaster oven doesn’t finish the job, the regular oven should be available in time to desiccate partially dehydrated slices. Of course, it always seems to take less time in my mind than in execution.
Hi Aidan! I haven’t tried these in toaster oven, but it would work. YOu would just have to crack the door a little bit and keep an eye on it. It might take longer. Let me know if you try it!
Easy to make and store cupboard ingredients
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Wow, did these ever stick. No sure what went wrong, but every slice was glued to the paper and the paper to the sheet pans. Nothing is salvageable, unfortunately.
Sorry to hear that Bill. What type of sugar did you use? Was it blood orange or regular navel orange?
Girllllll these are beautiful!! I have never thought to do this, but you know I’m going to try now!!
I would totally put these in my cereal that would be amazing!!!
xxoo
Kris
Thanks Kris!! I knew you’d like. And so good to hear from you. xxoo
these are gorgeous! and i love the story about your mom meeting your dad while he was eating at an orange.
please post about the dehydrator! i keep going back and forth on buying one. would love to get that push i need. xo
Girl! you got to get on! or you can oven bake but I truly love my dehydrator! Will post that info soon. xxoo
This looks really interesting. I might have to try making them. I love oranges and we have a ton at our house right now.
So glad you tried them Hollie!
I’m just seeing these now.. but omg! Talk about beautiful!! These are so simple to make, but they are so pretty! Need to try these for sweetening up oatmeal.. and maybe cocktails like you suggested 🙂
Omg yes! They are so good on oatmeal! Keep me posted
My dad went through a phase where he dehydrated ALL the bananas 😛 we had dried bananas for MONTHS, and it was glorious. DONT’ FORGET to post about the dehydrator 😉
I love Blood Orange Mimosas so I’m sure I’d adore these as well. Surely, there’s a correlation.
Also, my baby brother eats lemons whole, peel and all. 🙂
I like your style!
!!! Eating an orange WITH the peel? That reminds me of all those stories I hear of people eating bananas and watermelon without peeling first. I wonder if I’m missing out on something? And I’m seriously LOVING the idea of dehydrating orange slices, especially with sugar and spices. Makes me think of Christmas!
banana? oh, ya, i could never. Weird. haha
I loved the mom & dad story!!!! My hubby used to love those orange candy gummy type slices!!!! These look amazing!
Great post! This dried orange slice menu is so cute, you’re making me want to make this.
let me know if you do!
Such a beautiful story Lindsay! I love the meaning and memories behind favorite foods. I remember those orange candies growing up but right now all I can think about s how amazing your kitchen must have smelled making these!
i have to admit, it smelled divine! <3 you
Aren’t blood oranges one of the prettiest fruits EVER?! Love them! And I really love the idea of garnishing a COCKTAIL with these slices. You’re so darn smart. 🙂 Happy Friday!!
These look magical. I love putting dates in the oven to caramelize them and dry them out if they’re too soft and squishy bc I hate them like that!
oh genius!
Wait. Your dad at a whole, raw orange?! Whoa. I eat the peels of the chunks I put in my kombucha, but they’re fermented.
I love blood oranges. This looks tasty… the perfect garnish for a blood orange mimosa. 😉
I see these rimming my cocktail glasses.
i like your style!
Your dad’s whole-orange eating habit sure has me intrigued! I adore oranges but have been shy to eat them whole – but I just might give it a try – when no one is looking! Though these dried slices I could eat out in the open! I have a counter full of regular oranges and 3 hours to spare – think I’m gonna start slicing! Thanks for this oven baked version of dried orange slices Lindsay!
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
So pretty! The best citrus we wait for all year!! These would look mighty fine atop my blood orange quick bread 😉
I love oven dried fruit!So I never used to eat the peel or anything like that until I worked at that Mexican restaurant. For some reason, I started eating the (garnish) orange slices whole there. And now I do. It is so weird.
I knew i liked you for a reason! 😉
Well this just looks AMAZING and DELISH! I can’t believe your dad could eat the entire orange!! That’s such a cute story and I’m sure your mom just loves to tell it. 🙂
Love the story about your dad and I haven’t yet in my life eaten an orange peel! I do eat oranges every day though 🙂 I’ll definitely be trying this since I use all these ingredients anyway and they look amazing!
Oh yum! This I need to try. I love dried fruit but not all the extras that come with them.