• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Decorated Treats

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Cake Recipes
    • Cookies Recipes
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Bread & Pastry Recipes
    • Sweets & Candies Recipes
    • Jellies, Mousses and Puddings
    • Frosting and Icing Recipes
  • Designs & Tutorials
  • Tips & Techniques
    • Preparing Cakes for Decoration
    • Fondant Decorating
    • Piping Techniques for Cake Decorating
    • Gum Paste Flowers - How to Make
    • Decorating with Chocolate
    • Other Techniques
  • Submit Your Cake Photos
menu icon
go to homepage
  • No Bake Treats
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Techniques
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • No Bake Treats
    • Recipes
    • Tutorials
    • Techniques
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sweets & Candies Recipes

    Orange Peel Candy (How to Make Candied Peels)

    Published: Feb 28, 2021 · Modified: Oct 6, 2022 by Priya Maha

    Jump to Recipe
    A candy dish filled with orange peel candy

    I love orange peel candy. And I love making them too!

    These candied orange peel might look hard to make, but the fact is, they are super easy and fast too. All you need is orange skin, sugar and water and you can make your very own, delicious orange peel snack in no time at all.

    A candy dish filled with orange peel candy.
    Old Fashioned Candied Orange Peel

    Table of contents

    • What is orange peel and what is orange peel candy?
    • How to Make
      • Ingredients
      • Cutting the peel
      • Slicing the peels
      • Boiling the orange peels
      • Cooking the orange peel in sugar syrup
      • Coating with sugar
      • Storing the candied orange peels
    • Notes
      • Oranges
      • Sugar syrup
      • Draining the peel
      • Coating sugar
    • Like this easy candy recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out
    • Recipe (Printable)

    What is orange peel and what is orange peel candy?

    Orange peel is basically the skin of an orange fruit. It consists of the orange-colored outer skin as well as the white pith underneath it. Orange peel is also sometimes called orange rind or orange zest, however, the rind and zest refer specifically to the orange layer only and does not include the white bitter pith underneath.

    Other than the orange zest or rind that is widely used in cooking, the peel is often discarded due to the bitter taste of the pith.

    Candied orange peels are a great way to use the peels. This is an old fashioned candy where the orange skin is cut into thin strips and cooked in simple syrup until the strips turn translucent. The cooked citrus peels are then coated in sugar, hence the name candy. You can also dip the candied orange peels in melted chocolate and make chocolate dipped orange peels.

    These candied orange peels are not only great as a snack, they make pretty cake decoration too! Here is my orange cake decorated with lovely candied peels. Pretty right?

    Top of a round cake decorated with sugared citrus.
    Orange cake with candied citrus peel decoration

    How to Make

    Making these quick treats is super easy. All you need are 3 simple ingredients and these candied peels will be ready in no time!

    Ingredients

    • Oranges
    • Sugar
    • Water

    Cutting the peel

    • To start with, peel your oranges. The easiest way to do this, is to use a sharp knife to cut out the orange skin. Slice off both ends of the orange, and then cut the skin deep enough to get both the orange rind and the white pith, but without the orange pulp inside.
    An citrus fruit with its skin cut.
    • Next is to remove the white pith off the peels. Use a small sharp knife to do this, it is so much easier to remove the pith when your knife is small and sharp.
    • And here is how the peels look like after removing the pith. You will see that the white part of the orange skin is still very much visible on the peels and that is perfectly ok. Firstly, it's a bit hard to remove all the white skin completely, and secondly, if you do, your peels will be left with very thin orange part of the peel. When you candy them, there will not be much to munch on.
    Slices of citrus skin with the white pith removed.

    Slicing the peels

    • The next process is the slicing of the peels. Slice them into thin strips. I like mine to be about 1mm to 2mm thick but you can make them thicker or thinner as you wish. If thicker, you will need to cook them slightly longer than the time indicated in my recipe card below.
    Thinly sliced orange peel on a white plate.

    Boiling the orange peels

    • Once the strips of orange peel are ready, fill water in a medium saucepan or pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the sliced peels and cook them over low heat for about 10 minutes. Drain the water after the boiling process.
    Strained orange peel in a small sieve over a small pot.
    • This process helps remove the bitterness from the orange peel. Since I have removed as much of the pith as possible from the orange peel, I only boil and drain the peels once.

    Cooking the orange peel in sugar syrup

    • Next, measure the sugar into a medium-sized pot. Add equal amount of water and heat it up over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.
    Orange peel strips simmering in a small pot.
    • Add the drained fruit peels and reduce the heat to low. Cook them in the syrup for about 10 minutes. This cooking time will depend on the thickness of the sliced peels. Ideally, at the end of the cooking time, the peels should turn translucent. Remember to keep the heat low because we wouldn’t want the syrup to thicken too fast or else it will be hard to drain the thick syrup off later.
    • Once the peels are cooked, drain the syrup. Leave the candied peels in the strainer for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the excess orange syrup to drain off before coating them with sugar. Try not to leave them too long in the strainer. If the syrup coating on the peels dries off, it will not able to hold the sugar coating in the next step.
    Cooked orange peel strips in a sieve.

    Coating with sugar

    • For the sugar coating, fill a small bowl with granulated sugar. Dip the candied orange peels into the sugar. The best way to do this is with a fork. You need not dip the peels one by one, you can do them in batches.
    Using a fork to mix orange peel slices in a bowl of sugar.
    • Remove the sugar-coated candied orange peel to a parchment paper lined tray and let them dry in a cool dry place for about 30 minutes. And they are ready to be enjoyed!
    Orange peel candy on a parchment lined rectangle tray.
    Citrusy Treat Made with Orange Peels - A Homemade Candy Recipe

    Storing the candied orange peels

    • Store the peels in an airtight container.
    • These peels can be stored at room temperature for a good 2 to 3 weeks. They last longer when refrigerated.
    Candied orange peel in 3 scalloped silver bowls.
    Easy Candied Orange Peel Recipe


    Notes

    Here are my tips and notes for making the best candied orange peel:

    Oranges

    • Oranges skin is often exposed to a lot of pesticides. Make sure to wash them thoroughly before using them. Organic oranges would be ideal if you can get them.
    • Also, use fresh oranges. The skin is a lot juicier and plump and when made into candied peels, they are soft to chew.
    • Once the orange peel is cut, cook and candy them on the same day. I have tried refrigerating the uncooked peels once, for a few days and even though I kept them in a covered container, the peels became dry. When I candied these slightly dried orange peels, they were hard and dry, unlike the batches of candied orange peel made with freshly cut orange skin.

    Sugar syrup

    • The syrup for this candied orange peel has a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar and water. Both need to be increased proportionately if you are making a larger batch of candied orange peels.
    • When boiling the orange peel in the syrup, take note to use a low heat. This is to ensure the syrup does not thicken up too fast. If it does, you will have a problem straining it out once the orange peels are cooked.
    • The drained citrus syrup (once the orange peel strips are candied) can be stored for other uses. This orange-infused sugar syrup can be mixed into drinks for a lovely citrus-flavored drink.

    Draining the peel

    • The best way to dry the peels is to first, strain the syrup out. Leave them in the strainer for about 10 minutes and then dip them in sugar.
    • Avoid leaving the candied peels in the strainer for too long. You need to coat these peels in sugar while they are still wet. If the sugar syrup coating dries out, the granulated sugar will not stick to the peels.

    Coating sugar

    • The best sugar to use for coating the candied orange peel is granulated sugar (castor sugar). You can also use brown sugar, but make sure it is fine brown sugar.

    Like this easy candy recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out

    • Candied Lemon Peel - How to Make
    • ange Layer Cake with Orange Buttercream and Candied Peels
    • Orange Chocolate Cupcakes with Candied Ginger
    • Coconut Candy Recipe - A Quick and Easy Treat
    • Coconut Candy - A Homemade Treat
    • Chocolate Covered Orange - A Quick & Easy Treats Idea
    • Candied Lemon Slices - How to Make
    • Butter Mints Candy - Easy Homemade Recipe
    • Cream Cheese Candy - Easy Homemade Mints
    • How to Make Marshmallows

    Recipe (Printable)

    Here is the full printable version of my orange peel candy recipe.

    📖Recipe

    Candied orange peels in a silver cup

    Orange Peel Candy

    A delectable snack, this orange peel candy is not only easy to prepare, it's super yummy too. Learn how to make your own candied peels here!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Orange Peel Candy
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Drying Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Yield: 1 cup
    Author: Priya Maha
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Metric - US Customary

    For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.

    Ingredients

    • 1 orange cut the skin
    • 500 ml water

    Sugar Syrup

    • 100 ml water
    • 100 g sugar

    Sugar Coating

    • 50 g granulated sugar
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Slice off the skin of the orange.
    • Using a sharp knife, slice off as much of the white pith that is attached to the orange peel slices as possible.
    • Cut the peels to about 1mm to 2mm wide and about 2cm to 3cm long.
    • Fill a medium-sized saucepan with 500ml water.
    • Turn on the heat and let the water boil. Add the cut orange peels and cook them in medium heat for about 10 minutes.
    • Strain the orange peels and discard the water.
    • Return the saucepan to the stove to make the simple syrup.
    • Add water and sugar and turn on the heat to a medium flame.
    • Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the flame to a low heat. Add the strained peels and cook for about 10 minutes, until the orange peels turn translucent.
    • Strain the syrup.
    • Let the candied peels dry slightly in the strainer for about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of granulated sugar. Use a fork to mix the peels in the sugar until they are well coated.
    • Place the sugar-coated candied orange peels on a parchment-lined tray and let them dry for about 30 minutes.
    • Store the candied orange peels in an airtight container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 642.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 165.4g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 31.5mg | Potassium: 240.1mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 161.9g | Vitamin A: 294.8IU | Vitamin C: 69.7mg | Calcium: 71.9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @decorated_treats or tag #decoratedtreats!

    And that is pretty much my candied orange peels recipe for you!

    A candy dish filled with citrus candy.

    Enjoy 🙂

    More Sweets & Candies Recipes

    • Marshmallow ghosts made of fondant and marshmallow and chocolate chips
      Marshmallow Ghost Treats - Easy Halloween Treats Idea
    • Close up of candied lemon slices against a marble background
      Candied Lemon Slices - How to Make
    • A jar of candied lemon peel
      Candied Lemon Peel - How to Make
    • Chocolate dipped orange segments on a wire rack
      Chocolate Covered Oranges (Quick & Easy Treat)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there!

    I'm Priya, and I'm so excited that you dropped by :) Welcome to DECORATED TREATS, a place where I share all my cake decorating ideas & true and tried recipes for all things sweet.

    More about me →


    Summer Treats

    • A glass of vanilla milk tea with brown sugar pearls.
      Vanilla Boba Tea (Easy Vanilla Milk Tea)
    • Kiwi cheesecake square cups with 2 layers of crumbs and 2 layers of cheese.
      Kiwi Cheesecake Cups (No Bake)
    • Top view of a bowl filled with boba pearls in dark syrup.
      Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba (How to Make)
    • Fruits agar agar in cups.
      Fruit Jelly Cups in Rainbow Colors
    • 3 cups of kiwi mousse.
      Kiwi Mousse (Light and Creamy)
    • A square cake made of fruits and jelly on a gold cake board.
      Fruit Jelly Cake (Easy Agar Dessert Recipe)

    Currently Trending:

    • 3 dessert bowls of pink jelly with gold flake decoration.
      Agar Agar Jelly Recipe (How to Make)
    • A slice of cake covered in glaze icing
      Glaze Icing for Cakes (How to Make)
    • A glass bowl filled with vanilla ice cream scoops
      Churned Ice Cream - With & Without Ice Cream Maker
    • 2 glasses of milk tea with jelly boba.
      How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea
    • Round mango konnyaku jelly dessert on a grey plate.
      Konnyaku Jelly - Easy 3 Ingredients Recipe
    • Light fruit cake cut into slices on a green plate.
      Moist Light Fruit Cake (the Best Ever)!

    As featured on:

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    SUBSCRIBE TO DECORATED TREATS

    Sign up for latest recipes and tutorials!


    Thank you for joining!

    Keep watch for my latest updates in your email.

    .

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • Conversion Chart

    Resources

    • Submit your Cakes
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Me

    Decorated Treats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Decorated Treats also contains other affiliate links, which if you purchase from may earn me a small commission. The full disclosure policy can be found here.

    Copyright © 2023 Decorated Treats