I hate letting any citrus go to waste. Often after a recipe, I’m left with half a lemon or orange. I’ve recently started saving the odd slices and making a batch of dried citrus and using dehydrated orange slices for cocktails as a garnish, or even using them during the Holidays for Christmas decor. For example, making a dehydrated orange garland.
Drying oranges in the oven is the perfect way to preserve them, and they will last up to a year if you store dehydrated orange wheels in an airtight container. I also like to decorate cakes with them, or as a garnish for an elevated tea time.
Check out this Pumpkin, Walnut and Cranberry Cake and this Blood Orange Yogurt Cake to see examples on how it used dried citrus slices as decoration on cakes!
If you want to try something different, give these Candied Lemon Slices a try too!
How long does it take to dehydrate orange slices?
Depending on how thick you cut them, it should take between 3-4 hours. The key to getting them perfectly dry is cooking them at a low temperature for a longer period of time. This will also ensure that the slices don’t burn during the drying process.
How long will dehydrated orange slices last?
If stored properly in an airtight container, the orange slices will last for up to three to four months.
Are dried orange slices edible?
I wouldn’t recommend it, but if a child were to eat them, it’s perfectly safe. It just definitely won’t be a yummy treat.
There are many ways to dry citrus, and I’ve tried a few. I like to do things as simple as possible, and this is the easiest way to dry orange slices.
What ingredients are needed for easy dehydrated oranges
All you need is a citrus fruit of your choice. I’ve tried making dried citrus wheels with oranges, blood oranges, grapefruits and limes. If using smaller citrus, like limes, you’ll just have to reduce cooking time. And if you do bigger citrus like grapefruit, simply increase the cooking time a little bit.
How to dehydrate orange slices in the oven
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200 F.
Step 2
Slice oranges into wheels, and cut slices about 1/4 inch thick.
Step 3
Place slices in between two paper towels and gently press to absorb as much of the moisture as possible. By doing this, it will reduce the cooking time.
Step 4
Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet, then place your slices on top. This method cooks way faster since air flows to the bottom of the slice, as opposed to if it was directly on the cookie sheet. You can also place the orange slices directly on your oven racks if you prefer.
Step 5
Cook for about 3-4 hours, turning halfway through.
If not completely dry (this will depend on the thickness of the slices), turn the oven off and leave them for an extra few hours or overnight.
Once completely dry, if the dehydrated citrus wheels are stored properly, they will last up to a year.
Christopher is a food and lifestyle expert, recipe developer and the content creator behind May Eighty Five. With over 6 years of creating recipes for your favourite food brands, he also shares tips, tricks and how to’s that he has learnt over the years. Every week, he shares quick, simple and mostly healthy recipes along with some home and entertaining tips. You will find flavorful cocktails, delicious appetizers, tasty mains and some indulgent desserts.
