Christmas Decorations
Dried Orange slices are beautiful and easy to make for Christmas ornaments, string together for mantel garland, or add to Christmas presents for lovely gift wrapping.
This is the ultimate guide for how to dry oranges in the oven or dehydrator, including the best tips and tricks for best results!
I love making homemade Christmas decorations and think these dried orange slices look especially beautiful on a full and beautiful mantel garland or as a garnish on top of this gorgeous gingerbread cake.
They would also be pretty on any of these Christmas trees or in this easy 10 minute holiday centerpiece.
Dried orange slices are fresh oranges that have been sliced so the cross-section of the oranges show the triangular pattern of the flesh.
They're dried so that the resulting orange slice will last all season long (or longer). When dried correctly, orange slices are translucent, kind of like little natural stained glass windows.
These dried orange slices are gorgeous and can be used for so many things! Here are a few of my favorite ways:
• string together for garland on a mantel• ornaments on a Christmas tree
• add to a wreath
• add to a centerpiece
• add to desserts as a garnish
• gift wrapping embellishment
• wrap in cellophane and give as neighbor Christmas gifts
• Mix in a bowl with cinnamon sticks and pinecones for easy potpourri decor
• add in a flower arrangement
They look especially stunning up against a white backdrop or mixed in with fresh greenery. Dehydrated orange slices are the perfect way to create simple, elegant holiday decor in your home.
Method of Cooking
The oven tends to make them darker and more cooked looking. If you prefer a more primitive style, then the oven is the way to go. The oven is also the faster way, only taking a couple hours to dry out the orange slices. Dehydrated oranges tend to stay truer to their original color and have the prettiest peel color, in my opinion. The white part also stays white, keeping the oranges more natural and bright. Dehydrating takes longer than cooking in the oven- closer to 8-12 hours.
•Preheat oven to 190°.
•Slice each orange into roughly 1/4" slices, or smaller if you can (for
the
oven method). This usually gives me 8-10 slices per orange.
•Lay orange slices in a single layer
on
a baking sheet. Note- if you would like them to dehydrate more quickly, place on an oven-safe cooling rack
placed on top of a baking sheet (or just lay directly on the oven racks). This has the potential to add
lines to
your dried oranges, so you will need to keep an eye on them and flip them as needed.
•Bake for
2-4
hours; flip once, after an our or so of baking.
•Once dried, remove from oven and allow to cool
on
the rack.
