Homemade Candied Citrus makes a beautiful and delicious garnish for cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, pies and more. Use this simple step-by-step guide to make candied fruit slices and peels with just 3 ingredients.
The actual prep time is minimal and most of the time is spent drying in the oven. However it does take some time for these to dry, so just be sure to plan ahead. Also, be sure to make plenty because they store well in the fridge and the freezer.
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Homemade Candied Citrus
If you have never made your own candied citrus, today is your day! The store-bought stuff doesn’t hold a candle to homemade. It’s super sweet, perfectly chewy and has a bright concentrated citrus flavor. Plus, candied fruit smells absolutely divine while it’s bubbling away.
You can use this recipe to play around with all of your favorite citrus fruits, especially during the winter when there are so many to choose from. My absolute favorite is blood orange which look and taste amazing on these Sugar Cookie Bars. Feel free to try other candied fruit slices, too.
Pro-tip: that simple syrup that you use to cook your candied citrus? Don’t even think about tossing it! It’s perfect for making mixed drinks or adding to lemonade.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Sugar - use white granulated sugar for the simple syrup. If you plan to dredge the cooked sliced in extra sugar, place an additional cup or two into a wide bowl.
- Water
- Citrus - you can use any type of citrus that you can possibly find - lemons, limes, oranges or my favorite, blood oranges.
How to Candy Citrus
- Prepare the fruit. To prepare the citrus, wash and slice off each end. Then, using a very sharp knife (serrated knives work great), slice each fruit into ⅕" slices, removing any large seeds, and set aside.
- Boil in simple syrup. In a large pan, add the water and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add slices of citrus to the pan in a single layer, placing just enough in at a time so that the edges touch but don't overlap. Reduce heat slightly and cook at a low simmer for about 30 minutes, turning the slices over half way.
- Drain the citrus. Meanwhile, spray a wire rack with non-stick cooking spray and set it inside a baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon or a fork, remove the citrus slices from the hot simple syrup and place in a single layer on the prepared cooling rack to drain for about 15 minutes.
- Dredge in sugar. Place about 1 cup of sugar in a side bowl and dredge each candied fruit slice to cover completely, then return to the wire rack to dry completely (Note: this step is optional).
- Dry. Let the candied citrus dry for 12-24 hours at room temperature, flipping them over at least once to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Use or store. Once completely dried, you may use to decorate cakes, cookies or even eat plain. Otherwise, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. Enjoy!
How to Make Candied Citrus Peels
This recipe can also be used to make your own homemade candied citrus peels. They taste so much better than the stuff you can buy in the bulk bins at the store. The main difference is how you prep the the fruit:
- Slice off each end of the fruit, then using a very sharp knife, slice the fruit into 4-8 segments (depending on the size of the fruit).
- Peel off the peel, leaving some of the white pith attached, and reserve the fruit for another use.
- Once you have all of your peels removed, slice them into ¼” wide strips and toss into a large pot of boiling water.
- Blanch at a rolling boil for about 5-10 minutes, then discard the water. Keep the strips in the pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil again and let blanch for another 5-10 minutes. (Note: You may repeat this blanching process one more time if you really want to reduce the bitter flavor)
- Remove the peels from the pot and add enough equal parts water and sugar to completely cover the peels. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, add the blanched peels and cook for about 45 minutes or until they become translucent.
- Finish as directed in the original recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are making candied citrus peels and they turn out bitter, chances are you didn’t blanch them or you didn’t blanch them long enough. This process is super critical if you want to get rid of that bitter flavor from the pith.
I have used candied orange peel, lemon peel and lime peel for decorations for cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, cookies bars and more. I’ve also dipped them in chocolate, chopped them up and added to scones or even eaten as is with a bowl of ice cream.
Sure! Toss them in a freezer bag and they will stay good for up to 2 months.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Do not get rid of the simple syrup that you used to cook the citrus! It is so delicious and can be used to make lemonade or even mixed drinks.
- When slicing the fruit, remember that you need it to be just thick enough so that it maintains its shape while boiling. If you slice them too thin, they will either fold in half or fall apart completely.
- If you put parchment paper under your drying racks to catch all of the drips it makes for a quick clean up.
- Be sure and spray your cooling racks with nonstick spray before putting the fruit on so that they do not stick.
- These have the best texture if you let them dry for the full 24 hours before using.
Storing Instructions
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month
- Freezer: store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Candied Citrus Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 3 medium Citrus Fruits oranges, lemons, limes or blood oranges
- 1 Cup Sugar to roll the candied fruit in (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare the citrus, wash and slice off each end. Then, using a very sharp knife (serrated knives work great), slice each fruit into ⅕" slices, removing any large seeds, and set aside.
- In a large pan, add the water and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add slices of citrus to the pan in a single layer, placing just enough in at a time so that the edges touch but don't overlap.
- Reduce heat slightly and cook at a low simmer for about 30 minutes, turning the slices over half way.
- Meanwhile, spray a wire rack with non-stick cooking spray and set it inside a baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon or a fork, remove the citrus slices from the hot simple syrup and place in a single layer on the prepared cooling rack to drain for about 15 minutes.
- Place about 1 cup of sugar in a side bowl and dredge each candied fruit slice to cover completely, then return to the wire rack to dry completely (Note: this step is optional).
- Let the candied citrus dry for 12-24 hours at room temperature, flipping them over at least once to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Once completely dried, you may use to decorate cakes, cookies or even eat plain. Otherwise, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Citrus Desserts You'll Love
- Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
- Orange Sugar Cookie Bars
- Lime Coconut Cookie Bars
- Lemon Curd
- Berry Salad with Citrus Glaze
- Lime Bundt Cake
- More Desserts
- More Cookie Bar Recipes
This homemade Candied Citrus candy is super sweet, perfectly chewy with a bright, concentrated citrus flavor. Use this simple step-by-step candy citrus guide to make candied orange peels, candied lemon slices, candied grapefruit slices, candied limes, blood oranges and more.
Gina
I've always made candied lemons around the holidays for garnishes but these blood oranges are inspiring me to change it up next time around. Great tip on the simple syrup too, I love using the leftovers for drizzling on pancakes and waffles for breakfast but now need to try some drinks with it!
Beth
So many great things to do with this recipe & great tip on blanching them! So pretty and so delicious!