Drying orange peels has many benefits, so the next time you eat an orange, don't toss out the peel, dry it instead! Simmer dried orange peel in hot tea, mulled wine, or a hot toddy, or add orange peel powder to cherry reduction sauce, your carne asada marinade, or your favorite stew!
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Dried orange peels are loaded with orange flavor, vitamins, and fiber. The peels can be dried and ground to make orange peel powder and used in the same way you would use orange zest.
According to this Healthline article, one tablespoon of dried orange peel has almost 3x the amount of vitamin C as the fruit itself and 4x the fiber! And these days, we're all trying to increase our vitamin C intake, aren't we?
This same article suggests consuming dried citrus peel in small quantities because it may be difficult to digest and could lead to stomach discomfort.
Orange peel powder is rich in fiber, vitamins, and disease-fighting polyphenols. They also contain limonene, a chemical that may protect against skin cancer. - Healthline (Can You Eat Orange Peels, and Should You?)
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Why You'll Love Making Orange Powder
- You can add dried orange peel to your soups for a nuance of citrus flavor.
- When making jams, jellies, and preserves, dried orange peels can be simmered with the fruit to enhance the flavor, including candied figs.
- Mix dried and ground orange peel powder into this cake batter, especially in this orange bundt cake, your morning smoothie, or protein shake.
- Brew some strips in hot water to make a delicious orange peel tea.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The only ingredient you need for this recipe is oranges! You can also use tangelos, tangerines, navel oranges, blood oranges, mandarins, or your favorite citrus.
How to Make Dried Orange Peel
Pro Tip: Before you begin, thoroughly wash the oranges, especially if they're store-bought. You'll want to remove any pesticides that may be on the peel. If you can use organic oranges or homegrown oranges, even better!
Step 1 | Peel Oranges
Use a vegetable peeler to peel oranges, tangelos, or tangerines into very thin strips. Avoid cutting into the bitter white pith.
Step 2 | Dehydrate Oranges
If you have a food dehydrator, arrange the orange peels on the trays. Make sure to keep them in a single layer so that the air can circulate around them. Choose the 135-degree F setting and dehydrate for approximately one hour or until the peels are dry and crispy. The small pieces will start to curl as they dry.
Oven Drying Directions
An even easier and faster option to make dried orange peels is to use the oven. Spread the orange peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes in a 200°F oven. If after 30 minutes the peels are not crispy, turn the oven off and place the tray back in the oven for 15 minutes or so.
How to Store Dried Orange Peels
Make sure the dried orange peels are completely cooled before storing them in a spice jar or an air-tight container.
How to Make Dried Orange Powder
Once the orange peels are completely dry, simply add them to a spice grinder or a food processor and pulse until they turn into a fine powder. Store dried orange powder in a spice jar and store it away from direct sunlight.
Pro Tip: It's important to make sure the peels are completely dry before grinding them into a powder. If there is any hint of moisture remaining, it can promote mold growth.
FAQs
Add the dried strips to brown sugar to keep it from hardening, or use them to flavor white sugar or salt. Another idea would be to infuse olive oil, which can be used to make Citrus Salad Dressings.
You can also use them in sangria, cocktails, or to flavor simple syrup when making various pastries, including Baklawa. You can even add it to homemade bitters.
If stored properly, dried orange peels can last for years. If you make a larger quantity, I recommend freezing them in air-tight freezer bags for longer storage.
Although the dried peels won't go bad, they will lose their potency and flavor over time. Luckily, they're very easy to prepare, so the best option is to dry them in small quantities as needed.
To dry the peels naturally, spread the orange peels on a plate or tray and place them somewhere where they won't be disturbed.
It will take approximately 2 days for the orange peels to completely dry and become crisp. At that point, you can store them in a spice jar or a ziplock bag. You can also grind them into powder.
Place the peels in a saucepan and cover with water. You can also add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and cardamom pods.
Simmer the ingredients over low heat. In no time, your house will smell absolutely delicious and very inviting!
Pro Tips
- If the orange peels retain any of their moisture, they will eventually mold.
- When ready, the dried orange peels should not be pliable. Instead, they should be crispy, brittle, and easily snap when bent.
- Another option is to grind the peels into an orange powder that can be used when baking cookies, cakes, and more.
- The same process can be used with lemons to make dried lemon peel and dried lemon powder.
If you enjoy making your own spices and seasonings, you may be interested in learning how to make your own Corned Beef Spices, Biryani Spice, Pork Rub, and Shawarma Seasoning.
More Dehydrator Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, check out these other related recipes!
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How To Make Dried Orange Peel Powder
Equipment
- 1 dehydrator (or oven)
Ingredients
- 4 oranges
Instructions
- Before you begin, make sure to thoroughly wash the oranges, especially if they're store-bought. You'll want to remove any pesticides that may be on the peel. If you can use organic oranges, or homegrown oranges, even better!
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel oranges, tangelos, or tangerines into very thin strips. Avoid cutting into the white pith.
- If you have a food dehydrator, arrange the orange peels on the trays. Make sure to keep them in a single layer so that the air can circulate around them. Choose the 135°F setting and dehydrate for approximately one hour or until the peels are dry and crispy. The small pieces will start to curl as they dry.
- An even easier and faster option is to use the oven. Spread the orange peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes in a 200°F oven. If after 30 minutes the peels are not crispy, turn the oven off and place the tray back in the oven for 15 minutes or so.
- Make sure the peels are completely cooled before blending them into a powder. Store them as is in a spice jar or airtight container for up to a year.
How to Make Dried Orange Powder
- Once the orange peels are completely dry, simply add them to a spice grinder or a food processor and pulse until the dried peels turn into a powder. Store dried orange powder in a spice jar and store away from direct sunlight.
Notes
- If the orange peels retain any of their moisture, they will eventually mold.
- When ready, the dried orange peels should not be pliable. Instead, they should be crispy, brittle, and easily snap when bent.
- Another option is to grind the peels into an orange powder that can be used when baking cookies, cakes, and more.
- It's important to make sure the orange peels are completely dry before grinding them into a powder. If there is any hint of moisture remaining, it can promote mold growth.
- The same process can be used with lemons to make dried lemon peel and dried lemon powder.
Kathy Fisher says
Thanks Hilda for adding the health information. And, what a variety of ways to use the orange powder. The scent and taste of citrus fruit can change the atmosphere in a room and bring your senses to life. Invigorating. We had lots of citrus to enjoy in SoCal where I was raised. The acre my folks had was a test orchard with grafted orange into grapefruit trees and the best tangarines I've ever had. We had a lemon tree with year around fruit that all the neighborhood enjoyed. No wonder I love this recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Kathy! I'm glad you found this article informative. It's an old post that I updated today. I miss fresh oranges. My neighbors had a tree and used to bring us large bags full of oranges!
Annette says
When I juice my oranges, I put the pulp into a cheese cloth to drip until no more juice comes out, I gave the bag a bit of a squeeze also, then placed the pulp onto the fruit leather sheets for the dehydrater in a thin layer. Dried at a high temperature until dried and crisp then put into a blender until a fine powder. Great for dusting a pork roast or belly pork or for baking
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Annette, Thanks for the tip! A lot of people would say that's too much work, but I say, you're my kind of people, ok, person, but you know what I mean!
Geraldine says
Thank for sharing.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Geraldine!
JUDITH YAMADA says
Great use for those of us that have many oranges and like the flavor all year round. Thank you.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to leave your comment and review!
Heidi says
I simply dried the peels at room temp under a protective mesh cover. It took a few days and they were crisp.
Hilda Sterner says
Great job, Heidi!
Terry Smith says
Just made your vegan Biryani rice Recipe
It is amazing! I didn’t have egg plant, so I used yellow squash and zucchini, carrots, and green peas, but no potatoes. I also used leftover chicken broth I had in the refrigerator. The spices were mild and delicious. For the two of us, I halved the recipe and have plenty of leftovers. My husband loved it, and I will pass it on to others, and make it for a friendly gathering. Thanks, Terry
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Terry, I'm so glad you guys enjoy it and sounds like you made some good substitutions. Would love it if you gave it a star rating! ❤️
Hilda Sterner says
I also just noticed you left the review on the orange peels recipe. Maybe copy and paste when you get a chance? 😬