How-To Dry Orange Slices for Potpourri Gifts!

I love to dry oranges to use for the holidays.
-Dried oranges are perfect for adding to Simmering Potpourri gifts, see my simmering potpourri recipe and you can make the gifts using a jar or a clear bag. They are so well loved! (see the recipe link for it below)
– Orange slices can be tied on gifts especially when wrapped in brown wrapping paper and tied on with a sprig of greens – so simple & festive!
-You can also use orange slices to hang on small trees and in lots festive & decorative ways during the holidays.
Bagged in cellophane, they themselves would make a lovely Christmas gift or fall hostess gift!

You can Watch how I dry oranges, in this 3-minute video!

Directions:
You can dry them in the oven, but if you have a dehydrator most definitely get it out and use it for these, they’ll turn out lovely!
1. Wash your oranges, slice them and lay on dehydrator trays. Set temperature at 115 and that’s it! I told you these were easy.
2. I do mine somewhere between 12-24 hours…… basically, I run them overnight, and just check them in the morning to be sure they are completely dried, with no juice or wetness to them. (see in the video).
*Remember they’ll shrink a bit when dried so don’t cut them paper thin.
Store in a glass jar until ready to use. They keep their color well and smell amazing when dried this way!

For the video How-to for Cranberry Potpourri jar & bagged gifts watch here

and for the Cranberry Simmering Potpourri full post go here.

There are so many festive ways to use dried orange slices besides inside of jars of cranberry potpourri gift jars, but also on small Christmas trees, on wrapped packages, even added to bowls with greens & lil cinnamon ornaments!

I know you’ll find so many festive ways to use dried orange slices! Love to have you share in the comments ways you love to use them. And yes, home dried organic orange slices are certainly edible, you could float them in teas or wassails or warm cranberry or apple cider drinks!

Enjoy!