I love for my house to smell good all year. During the holiday season, I love drying oranges and apples. I love burning candles and making displays in my home with natural materials. They usually include orange or apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Today I’ll show you how to dry orange slices. It’s easy and they look and smell great in display.
You will need the following:
- oranges (use large or medium oranges, the slices will shrink)
- cinnamon sticks
The first step is to preheat your oven to its lowest setting. Mine is 170 degrees. Slice your oranges medium to thick, you don’t want them to be too thin. You also don’t want the slices to be too small. The slices will shrink as they’re drying and will fall through the cracks of your racks. If you have a large cookie cooling rack you can layer your slices on the cooking rack. Otherwise your oven rack will work just as well. A cookie sheet will also do.
Allow the slices to dry for 2-3 hours. I usually dry my slices on a Saturday when I don’t have to rush or run errands. I set the timer for 2 hours and determine if they’re dry enough or if I want them to dry longer. If so, I set the timer for another 15 – 30 minutes.
Once I’m satisfied with the texture of the slices I add cinnamon and or cloves. You can also add fresh greenery. Spruce, Pine or Cyprus will work great. You can also add cinnamon pine cones. Be creative and enjoy this wonderful smell. The slices will darken as time goes on. Also the longer you leave them in the oven, the darker they will get.
Orange aromatherapy has some amazing benefits.
I’m like you — I love the smell of oranges!
I am drying oranges today Rhonda! I so agree with you…using nature to decorate is the best! Thanks for visiting my blog…having fun going through your posts…so much inspiration!
~Lori
Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by Lori. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your posts.