How to Dry Citrus and Citrus Peels
Dried citrus slices and peels add a bright, tangy flavor to your pantry staples. Perfect for teas, baking, charcuterie boards, or homemade bitters, this simple drying method preserves citrus naturally while enhancing its aroma and taste.
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Serving Size:
80-90 dried citrus slices
6 hours
Total Time:
Drying citrus is an easy way to preserve fresh flavors while creating versatile ingredients for your kitchen. Whether you’re using dried slices to garnish drinks, adding zest to baked goods, or making citrus-infused salts and sugars, this method ensures you always have vibrant citrus on hand. Plus, separating the zest, pith, and peel allows you to make everything from bitters to spice blends.
What You'll Need
Equipment:
3 baking sheets (half-size sheet pans)
Cooling racks
Parchment paper
Ingredients:
12 medium oranges (or other citrus like lemons, limes, or grapefruits)
Cook Time: 6 hours (on average)
Small citrus (lemons, limes): 5–6 hours
Medium citrus (oranges): 6 hours
Large citrus (grapefruits): 7–8 hours
How to Make It
Step 1
Prepare the Baking Sheets: Line three baking sheets with parchment paper, then place a cooling rack on each sheet. Set aside.
Step 2
Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 175°F (79°C).
Step 3
Slice the Citrus: Wash and dry the whole citrus fruits, then slice them into even ¼-inch (0.65 cm) slices. If using grapefruits, halve or quarter each slice for smaller pieces.
Step 4
Arrange the Slices: Lay the citrus slices flat on the cooling racks, making sure they are not overlapping.
Step 5
Start the Drying Process: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven.
Step 6
Rotate & Check for Sticking: After 2 hours, rotate the baking sheets to different racks and check if any slices are sticking to the cooling racks. If needed, gently loosen them.
Step 7
Check for Doneness: After 4 hours, test a slice:
If the interior fruit looks like stained glass and the slice feels firm, it may be ready.
Try snapping a slice in half—if it breaks crisply, the citrus is fully dried.
Step 8
Continue Drying if Needed: If the slices are still soft, rotate the baking sheets again and continue drying for up to 4 more hours, checking periodically until they reach a crisp texture.
Step 9
Cool & Store: Remove the dried citrus from the oven and let them cool completely. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark pantry or cabinet. For the best flavor, use within 6 months.
Additional Notes:
🔥 Oven Temperature Adjustments
If your oven’s lowest setting is 200°F (93°C), you can still dry citrus, but it may take less time and result in slightly darker slices.
At 200°F, check the slices at the 3-hour mark instead of 4 hours.
🍊 Drying & Storing Citrus Peel
If you also want to dry citrus peel, follow the same process, but note that:
Thin peels may dry faster than sliced citrus.
Thicker peels (like from navel oranges) may take slightly longer to dry.
🍋 How to Dry Citrus Zest
Air-drying method: Spread finely grated zest on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in a warm, ventilated area. Toss occasionally and let it dry over a few days.
Oven-drying method:
Place zest on a parchment-lined baking sheet and dry in an oven set to 170°F (77°C) for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
If your oven’s lowest setting is 200°F (93°C), keep an eye on the zest to prevent browning.
To preserve color, you can dry zest in an oven that is off but has the pilot light or electric light turned on—this takes 12 hours.
🧂 Citrus Salt & Sugar
Once dried, zest can be ground into a powder and mixed into salt or sugar for flavorful citrus seasoning blends.
🍂 How to Dry Citrus Pith for Bitters
The pith (white part of the peel) is best dried at 170°F–200°F (77°C–93°C).
Once dried, store in an airtight container in a cool pantry for use in homemade bitters.