The Easiest Holiday Side : Dried Oranges
I’m calling it a side dish because whether you use dried oranges as a garnish or as decor, they’re the perfect addition to your holiday. We’re drying extra this year to have for garnishing drinks and side dishes, stringing in garland, or adding to the tablescape. They look like little stained glass ornaments and require very little effort to create. Friends, buy a bag of oranges and another bag of mandarins and get ready for the easiest of holiday joyful preparations! Let’s make dried oranges together.
Here’s how to make your dried oranges :
First preheat your oven to 175 degrees (if your oven can go even lower to 135 that is the best temperature, set it as low as it will go)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Then slice oranges and/or mandarins as evenly as possible at about 1/4 inch thick.
Next bake for 3-4 hours flipping every hour until they’re turning a darker orange, they’ll dry at different rates depending on how thick they are.
Remove the slices as they’re done and allow to fully cool on a cooling wrack.
Make sure to store in a dry location and use generously!
If you have a dehydrator, use it!
Set the dehydrator to 135 degrees
Line the drying wracks with your evenly sliced oranges
Allow to dry for 3-4 hours. You won’t need to flip then since the dehydrator circulates the air different than the oven.
Once they’re feeling brittle, remove the tray from the dehydrator and let them sit in a cool dry place until they’re cooled.
Store in a dry location and have fun decorating and garnishing.
I’m telling you. It is the easiest treat for the holiday and is sure to have your house smelling lovely and your holidays sweeter. It’s also a perfect thing to do as a family. Have the kids pull up a chair and get their fingers sticky from laying out the oranges. Then once they’ve cooled sit around a table and chat while you string them up for a garland. It’s those little traditions together that make the holidays special.
Have fun creating the prettiest decor and best hosting garnishes! If you are hosting this holiday season make sure to check out our cookbook, Dinner Changes Everything, for all the menus and tips for hosting a crowd! And if you need even more hosting inspiration here is our Thanksgiving menu post about hosting and having fun! And here is our post about our thanksgiving table with all the other decor DIY’s blog post with all the details!
