Thank you to New Seasons Market for sponsoring this post!
Making your own candied orange peel and candied lemon peel is super easy and the difference between homemade and store-bought is absolutely mind-blowing! Leave the store-bought stuff on the shelf because NOTHING compares to homemade, it’s incredible!!
How To Make Candied Orange Peel and Candied Lemon Peel
If you’ve never made your own candied orange peel get ready to be absolutely dazzled!
January celebrates the ushering in of citrus season! I always get excited to see the fresh crops pour into the produce section of my local grocery stores and roadside fruit stands. I LOVE practically anything with citrus-flavored and love experimenting with news ways of using the full range of citrus fruits.
There’s a dazzling variety of citrus on the market, more than most realize and each have unique flavor elements. Just to give you an example, here are a few varieties of just orange and tangerines alone: Bergamot, blood, Cara Cara, Hamlin, Seville, Valencia, clementine, enCore, Fairchild, Fremont, gold nugget, honey, Kara, Lee, Murcott, Page, pixie, sunburst and satsuma. Wouldn’t it be fun to have each of these side by side and taste each one for comparison? Not to mention the different varieties of grapefruit, lemons, limes and other forms of citrus like kumquats, tangelos, pummelos and unique fruit (aka, ugli fruit). New Season Market on Mercer Island, WA recently had a taste testing event featuring many these varieties – so fun!
Today we’re going to make delicious use of a portion of the citrus fruit you may normally discard by making candied citrus peels. Think of these delightful sweet treats like citrus flavor on steroids!
While candied orange and candied lemon are the the most commonly used, candied grapefruit and lime also have a delicious place in the mix and I’m going to demonstrate the process using those as well.
There are a few reasons you should make your own: 1) The store-bought stuff is generally not organic. 2) It’s made with chemicals. 3) It’s not fresh. 4) Most of it tastes bad. Like really bad. I regularly have readers request recommendations for good brands of candied citrus and the best recommendation that I can offer is make your own! Because once you do and taste the difference, you’ll never buy it again.
The good news is, it is SO easy to make your own! And it keeps for a long time, especially if you freeze it. The flavor is 100% better than store-bought and will bring your baked goods to life.
So that leads us to the question of how do you use candied citrus?
- As garnish for pies, cakes and cupcakes
- Chopped up and added to cookies, cakes, muffins, cupcakes, scones, etc.
- Sprinkled over ice cream or yogurt
- As garnish for citrus-flavored drinks
- Finely chopped and added to streusel topping for muffins and cakes
- Dipped in chocolate for an elegant sweet treat (dip candied orange peels in chocolate to make orangettes, a classic French confection)
- and whatever else your imagination can think of!
Let’s get started!
Select the best citrus fruits possible and give them a thorough scrubbing and washing. We’re not sticklers about buying all of our produce organic, but we do stick to organic for certain items that are highly sprayed and/or waxed. And in the case of citrus fruits, if I’m using the peels for zesting or candying, I use and recommend organic.
Slice both ends of the orange. Cut the peel on each each into 4 or more vertical segments, depending on the size of the fruit. Peel off each segment of rind.
Note: You can remove a some of the white pith, though not necessary. The white pith has a bitter flavor, so keep that in mind, but also keep in mind that the thinner your peels the harder/more leathery they will be. The purpose for blanching the peels (boiling in water and discarding the water) is to eliminate some of the bitterness. If leaving the pith on you can repeat the blanching procedure 2 or 3 times to reduce the bitterness.
The process is the same for any citrus fruit.
Slice the peels into 1/4 inch wide strips.
Keep the peeled citrus for eating, cooking or juicing.
Boil the peels in water in a pot for 15 minutes. Drain the peels in a colander, rinse and then drain again. Discard the water from the pot.
**Note: To further reduce the bitter flavor repeat this step.
Add the sugar and fresh water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil it for a couple of minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the citrus peels, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and the liquid becomes lightly syrupy.
Use a slotted spoon to remove a few of the peels at a time and let the excess syrup drip off for a few seconds. Place the hot, wet peels in the bowl of sugar and toss to coat.
Spread the candied citrus peels out on a wire rack to cool and dry completely, 1-2 days.
Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, the candied citrus peel will keep for at least a month. They’ll keep even longer in the fridge and for a few months frozen. (I usually keep them in a ziplock bag in the freezer and then conveniently grab whatever I need.)
Note: If you find your candied citrus peel gets hard after a while don’t worry – they will soften up beautifully as they bake in whatever recipe you add them to!
Note: To keep the candied peels even softer you can limit the drying time, skip the final sugar coating step and put the peels in a ziplock bag and either refrigerate or freeze them.
Finally, DON’T DISCARD THE CITRUS SYRUP! This is a wonderful citrus-flavored simple syrup to add to your drinks for a wonderful kick of citrus flavor!
Enjoy!
Here are a few of our recipes that use this deeeelicious homemade candied orange peel and candied lemon peel!
- German Stollen
- German Lebkuchen
- Traditional English Mincemeat
- Traditional English Eccles Cakes
- Scottish Dundee Cake
- Aachener Printen
- Italian Panettone
- Welsh Bara Brith
Be sure to also try our homemade Candied Ginger!
PIN ME!
Candied Orange Peel and Candied Lemon Peel
Ingredients
- 3 Valencia or Naval oranges and 4 lemons (can also use the equivalent of grapefruits, Meyer lemons and limes, or any citrus of your choice, thoroughly washed and scrubbed (as citrus is highly sprayed, I recommend using organic)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- Fine granulated sugar for coating
Instructions
- Slice both ends of the citrus fruits. Cut the peel on each each into 4 or more vertical segments, depending on the size of the fruit. Peel off each segment of rind. (You can remove a little of the white pith, though not necessary. The pith is bitter but the blanching process below will help reduce the bitterness. Note that if you remove the white pith, the thinner the peels are the harder and more leathery they will be when they’re candied.) Slice the peels into 1/4 inch wide strips. (Keep the peeled citrus for eating, cooking, juicing, etc)
- Boil the peels in a pot of water for 15 minutes. Drain the peels in a colander, rinse and then drain again. Discard the water from the pot.Repeat this process one or two more times to reduce the bitter flavor.
- Add the 1 cup of fresh water and the sugar to the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil it for a couple of minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Add the citrus peels, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and the syrup becomes lightly syrupy.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove a few of the peels at a time and let the excess syrup drip off for a few seconds. Place the hot, wet peels in a bowl of sugar and toss to coat.
- Spread the candied citrus peels out on a wire rack to cool and dry completely, 1-2 days.
- Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, the candied citrus peel will keep for at least a month. They'll keep even longer in the fridge and for a few months frozen.Note: If you find your candied citrus peel gets hard after a while don't worry - they will soften up beautifully as they bake in whatever recipe you add them to!Note: To keep the candied peels even softer you can limit the drying time, skip the final sugar coating step and put the peels in a ziplock bag and either refrigerate or freeze them.
Notes
*If you'd like to make more candied citrus peel, simply increase the amount of water and sugar by the same 1:2 ratio. *** ***NUTRITION INFO BELOW IS FOR THE ENTIRE BATCH (NOT PER SERVING)
Thank you to New Seasons Market for sponsoring this post.
Pat becker says
I e saved orange lime lemon and grapefruit peel for weeks in the freezer in a zip lock bag . Then make up you candied peels adjusting the sugar water quantity to keep the peels covered while simmering. The different colors add interest
Jessica Smith says
I think it’s great. And it’s just like my mom did grapefruit peel. I have an old gas stove with pilot lights so the oven stays very warm. I dried mine on parchment there and it was great! I’m making tons to sell at the church bazaar. Just testing for now.
Diana Martinez says
Hi, I justo tríed making this recipe. I was very disappointed because my candied peels were awfully bitter. Could you please tell me what could I have done wrong and how should I do it next time to get it right? Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Diana, the white pith of citrus peels that tastes bitter and the only way to remove the bitter flavor is to remove as much of the white pith as possible.
Diana Martinez says
Thank you very much, I’ll try that.
Sue says
Discard the first water after boiling five minutes. Add fresh water and repeat for a total of four times. That will get rid of the bitterness. Also, when simmering in the sugar water, continue to simmer until the sugar is absorbed into the peels.
Jill R. says
I make English Christmas goodies, plum pudding (no plums) and dark Christmas cake which both call for candied peel, which I have been buying, out of ignorance. Today I was shopping for this year’s baking and was frustrated at not being able to find enough of it, so decided to make it, since I have a bag of limes ready to be juiced. Only four stars, because I haven’t tried it yet, but the comments have been very helpful, especially about keeping it long term, as I can make the peel all year long and freeze it, or freeze the peel and make it as needed. I am not sure about how to juice the limes without the peel though.
Robyn says
Hi. I’m wondering if you can make candied peels with a swerve type sweetener? Have you tried? I’m looking to make your stollen and just experimenting a bit. I saw your marzipan recipe had a switch to swerve and am just wondering about the peels.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Robyn, I’m not entirely sure but it might work “okay.” It’s not going to turn syrupy as it boils but the sweetness should still penetrate the peels.
Robyn says
Good to know. I figured that. I guess this will have to just be an authentic recipe and to heck with the calories! It’s a holiday. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, Robin, that’s the spirit! :)
Marlene says
Thank you for the very detailed instructions and photos. I had candied yuzu peel i Japan and loved it. Now I can make it—if I can find fresh yuzu!
Arica says
Wow these came out absolutely excellent. Definitely the way to go versus store bought. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Arica, I’m so glad they were a success!
Jennifer says
These turned out perfect! We plan to use them in your stollen recipe next week.
also, I’m making Dominosteine this year for Christmas. Do you think that your recipe for quince paste would work for the “jelly” layer? Thanks in advance.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Jennifer, and I’m excited that you’re making the Stollen! Now that’s a truly awesome idea, incorporating quince jelly into the Dominosteine! Texture-wise I think it should be firm enough. But don’t hate me if it for some reason doesn’t work out for that purpose :) If you give it a try let us know how it goes!
Maria Harney says
I find it impossible to get the pith off without destroying the peel. I boiled the peels about 10 minutes, drained and rinsed, and then removed the pith. Sliced right off.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Great tip, Maria. You can also boil and drain the peel a few times to remove the bitterness and then not worry about having to remove the pith at all. With the pith on the finished candied citrus peels will be softer. It’s just all a matter of personal preference.
Sybille says
Hi Kimberly – I found 2 versions of this recipe one recommends 1 hour cooking time and the other only 20 minutes – any idea which is correct?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sybille, I recommend closer to 20 minutes for softer, more pliable candied citrus peel. Simmering it longer results in a candied peel that is more enjoyable for eating and/or dipping in chocolate but I’ve found that a softer peel is easier to work with for using in baking.
Allyson Strobel says
I signed up for your newsletter, Kimberly, when I saw your Lebkuchen recipe! Thank you for sharing and show exactly how to do. The only ones I love commercially are the Burg Graf ones but can only get around Thanksgiving. Now I can have any time of the year with your website! Eager to bake and try some of your other goodies!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much for signing up, Allyson! I’m glad you found us and hope you enjoy the recipes you try. Happy Thanksgiving!
Larry says
I live in South East Asia and the humidity is very high, would it be possible to dry the peel in a dehydrator? (I use it for making jerky for my doggies)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Larry, yes, that should be just fine.
Reg Pitt says
Can you use Mandarin oranges for the candied peel? They seem to have a stronger flavour.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Reg, sure, you can use any citrus peels of your choice.
Jacob says
What is the yield of this recipe? i need it for a couple recipes of cake.
Tori says
This recipe turned out great. But in the sugar tossing process, some of the sugar started to get overly thick on the peels so I later had to take some of them off so I wasn’t crunching on straight sugar. but overall great recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Tori! I’ll often just skip the sugar coating altogether because I just freeze the candied peel – it keeps a very long time in the freezer and I can conveniently get some as I need it.
Kristin says
They are delish but I am on day 2 and they are still very wet any tips ??
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kristin, either the syrup didn’t get up to the correct temperature or the environment they’re drying in is very humid. At this point you can either dry them in a food dehydrator or in the oven set to the lowest temperature (you may need to crack the oven door open) and check periodically until they’re done.
Bob says
Is the entire 2 cups of sugar used in step #3?. If so, where does the sugar in the bowl come from? How much?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bob, yes that’s correct. The sugar at the end is for putting in a bowl to dip/roll the candied peel in and you’ll just use however much you need for that. Start with less and if you need more you can add more.
Jonni says
I’d like to know how much this recipe yields. I followed this link from the Christmas Stollen recipe which requires “3 oz.” of both lemon and orange candied peel. Your peel recipe doesn’t mention an amount by weight or volume for any of the peel. I’m guessing that since you have nutritional information posted for the final results, you must know how much is produced.
Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jonni, this yields the candied peels of 3 oranges and 4 lemons and the final weight will vary depending on the size of the fruits.
amanda celar says
Thank you for this recipe. I had read others and was scared off by the amount of times they were re sugared it looked so complicated I couldnt be bothered to try it. This recipe looks great and it might sound obvious but the explanation about cutting the peel off the fruit is also very good. Season’s greetings to all the folks trying this and to your goodself for sharing!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Definitely don’t be scared off, Amanda, it may initially seem complicated but it’s very easy – and you’ll be very glad you did it! :)
Michelle Bettenhausen says
Wonderful recipe I actually let them simmer for longer because I like to just eat them as a treat. I remember my grandmother making these, I didn’t however toss them in sugar I just laid them on the rack and lightly sprinkled them. Absolutely delicious and no bitter taste as long as you simmer them until the pith is translucent thank you for a wonderful recipe that’s easy to follow.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Michelle, and really appreciate the feedback, thank you!