Dehydrated Citrus Slices in the Oven

Why You’ll Love These Dehydrated Citrus Slices

• Easy Preserved Citrus Fruit: dried citrus slices can be stored in a glass jar for tea, cocktails, or a healthy snack later.
• DIY Citrus Garland: create festive Christmas or Holiday decor with cinnamon sticks and dried citrus fruit!
• Step-by-Step Photos & Video Tutorial: follow along and learn about the best way to dry oranges without a dehydrator.

What Citrus Can I Dehydrate?

Oven drying citrus takes longer than drying citrus slices in a dehydrator, but most of the time is passive and it’s a relatively easy process!

Air frying citrus slices is much quicker than oven drying. But you aren’t able to dehydrate as many slices at a time (because of the air fryer’s small size).

If you have an air fryer, I recommend using it over an oven. The air fryer did a better job at dehydrating the citrus and orange slices without browning them.

Ingredients for Dried Citrus

• Oranges or Citrus of Choice

📌 This can be any type of fresh orange, like: blood oranges, navel oranges, cara cara oranges, or mandarin oranges

You can also use other citrus with this same method. See the chart above (or in the recipe card below) for notes on the baking times.

I’ve used these drying methods to make:

• Dried Limes
• Dried Lemons and
• Dehydrated Grapefruit Slices

Add-ins:

• Granulated Sugar or Brown Sugar: to create candied dried orange slices, sprinkle a little sugar on them prior to baking.
• Spices: you can make spiced slices by sprinkling on ground cinnamon, nutmeg or clove.

Helpful Equipment

• Parchment Paper or Wire Cooling Rack
• Paper Towels or Tea Towel
• Large Baking Sheet
• Sharp Knife (preferably serrated) or Mandoline Slicer
• Food Dehydrator, Oven, or Air Fryer

🎥 *Video Tutorial is at the link listed above!*

How to Tell the Citrus Wheels are Done Drying

Let the citrus slices cool for about ten minutes before testing them.

While the slices are warm, they may be soft and pliable. Once they cool, they’ll firm up and be easier to test.

Look for the following indicators to tell if the oranges are finished dehydrating:

• No stickiness or glossiness on the surface
• Leathery
• Slightly pliable, but very firm

Dehydrated Citrus Fruit Uses

Now that you have your dry orange slices or dried citrus, you get to use them! Oven dried oranges are so versatile. They can be used in recipes, drinks or as decorations around your home. Here are a few ways to use them:

• Cocktail Garnish
• Tea: place the dried slices in a warm cup of tea for extra flavor
• Decoration: place the dried fruit in a bowl as potpourri
• For Cakes or Cupcake Decoration
• Garnish: dehydrated orange peels are a great garnish for other meals like salads
• Dipped in Melted Chocolate: for a fun snack