Learn how to dry orange slices for your Christmas decor. They’re so pretty and add a traditional Christmas touch to garlands, Christmas trees, and more!
Dried Orange Slices for Christmas Decor
I’ve actually been wanting to incorporate dried oranges into our Christmas decor for a few years now. I’m usually all about the red for Christmas, but this year I’m doing more neutral tones in our kitchen and living room and thought it was the perfect time for a little pop of orange!
How to Dry Orange Slices
I’m excited to show you all of the ways that I’m using the dried oranges in our Christmas decor this year, but today I thought I’d start with the basic process of how to dry orange slices. It’s a super easy project, so if you’re looking for a quick and inexpensive way to change up your Christmas decor, this is it!
- Preheat the oven to 200F. Slice the oranges into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Try to get them as uniform as possible for even dehydrating. Remove any seeds if your oranges have them.
- Use a towel to blot as much of the juice from the oranges as possible. This will make the drying process much quicker.
- For a more translucent look, you can sprinkle the orange slices with a little bit of white sugar but this is optional.
- Place the orange slices on a cookie sheet. You can either place them on parchment or lay them out on a cookie cooling rack over the cookie sheet. This allows the air to circulate better and you won’t have to turn the slices as often.
- Place the oranges in the oven on the middle rack. I turned mine every hour for the first 2 hours and then checked on them every 30 minutes after that. Mine took about 4 hours. You want the oranges to be completely dehydrated and not sticky. It’s always better to err on the side of caution and take them out earlier rather than later though, as they will dry out on room air as well.
I know this really isn’t a recipe {although I guess it could be as you can eat them!}, but I thought a printable version might be helpful for you. Here it is if you’d like it…
Dried Orange Slices
These pretty dried orange slices are perfect for your Christmas decor! Use them for garlands, hang them from the tree, or dress up your Christmas gifts.
Ingredients
- oranges I got about 5-6 good slices per orange, but this will depend on the type/size of oranges your use.
- sugar optional
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 200F. Slice the oranges into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Try to get them as uniform as possible for even dehydrating.
-
Use a towel to blot as much of the juice from the oranges as possible. This will make the drying process much quicker.
-
For a more translucent look, you can sprinkle the orange slices with a little bit of white sugar but this is optional.
-
Place the orange slices on a cookie sheet. You can either place them on parchment or lay them out on a cookie cooling rack over the cookie sheet. This allows the air to circulate better and you won't have to turn the slices as often.
-
Place the oranges in the oven on the middle rack. I turned mine every hour for the first 2-3 hours and then checked on them every 30 minutes after that. You want the oranges to be completely dehydrated and not sticky. It's always better to err on the side of caution and take them out earlier rather than later though, as they will dry out on room air as well.
How Do You Decorate with Dried Oranges?
I think the dried oranges go perfectly with more neutral Christmas decor or more natural elements such as fresh greens, pinecones, or cinnamon sticks. They also look so pretty against metallic tones and reflect light perfectly from Christmas lights. There are lots of different ways that you can use your dried oranges for your Christmas decor, but here are a few ideas to get you started…
- string them into a garland
- hang them from the Christmas tree with ribbon or Christmas tree hooks
- tie them onto Christmas presents for a pretty topper
- place them in a bowl with greenery or Christmas ornaments
- decorate a basic wreath
- add cloves to the oranges for added interest
How Long will Dried Orange Slices Last?
As long as your oranges are completely dehydrated, they should last for years. They will become darker over the years, however, so if you like a brighter look, you might want to make new ones every year or two. Either way, they’re so pretty! {P.S. You can also find the Gnome Printable HERE}.
Can You Eat Dried Oranges?
Yes, you can actually eat dried oranges! To be honest, they’re definitely not my favorite dried fruit, but I did try them. If you want to eat them, you obviously, don’t want to eat the ones you’re using in your decor. To help preserve dried oranges, store them in a mason jar or other air-tight container for up to two years. You can apparently even eat the rind but I just snapped mine in half and ate the inner part.
Where did the tradition of oranges for Christmas come from?
Oranges have been a traditional Christmas gift for hundreds of years. I remember reading Little House on the Prairies when I was a child and how excited Laura was to receive an orange in her stocking for Christmas. {Oh, how times have changed! lol!} There are a few different theories about how the tradition of Christmas oranges began {and evolved over the years}, but here are a few references that I found.
- It has been said that Saint Nicholas {the Bishop of Myra} gave three bags of gold to three poor maidens to use as dowries one Christmas Eve. This was left in their stockings which had been hung out by the fireplace to dry. The oranges were then used as a symbol to represent the gold.
- During the Great Depression, money was extremely tight for many families and the orange was seen as an affordable luxury that could be enjoyed during the holidays.
- Oranges were a rare and coveted treat in many parts of the world, so the gift of a sweet orange was extra special.
- Since Christmas is known as the season of giving, the segments of the orange fit in well with sharing.
I’d love to hear if you have oranges as part of your Christmas traditions!
Here are a few ideas of what I did with mine…
Orange Slice Christmas Ornament
DIY Orange and Cinnamon Ornament Garland
I hope you have fun with this project and try a little orange in your holiday decor this year!
More Christmas Decor Ideas
For more Christmas decorating projects, check out these posts…
Cinnamon Ornaments {This is the tutorial I made the cinnamon stars from.}
Bleached Pinecone and Cranberry Garland
So lovely 🙂
Thank-you!
I just dried my first oranges last night. They look so pretty with anything Christmas and I especially love the gift wrapping you did.
Thanks so much! I love the oranges – especially when the lights are behind them and they glow!