Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (2024)

by Julia | Appetizer Addiction / 11 Comments

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Chocolate covered orange peels are the perfect treat for any occasion! Great for gifting, snacking or as a healthier treat. This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (1)

Chocolate covered orange peel is altogether with peanut butter stuffed chocolate covered dates my favorite treats this winter. Not only they taste delicious but they also look pretty and when packaged nicely, they are the perfect gifts for your friends or family.

There is no doubt that they would also disappear fast from your Holiday table. Now when it comes to Holidays we all love the dinner and cookies but we also need something that keeps us going until the dinner is served.

Appetizers always come to rescue and one of my favorites are bacon wrapped dates and roasted garlic jalapeno dip. Parmesan asparagus twists are also a popular appetizer in my family. What about yours? What is your favorite appetizer?

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (2)
Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (3)

How to make chocolate covered orange peel – step by step

So how do you make candied orange peel easy you ask? The whole process is simple and easy. First you wash the oranges well. Second, you peel the orange. To do it, cut of the top and bottom.

Then run your knife from top to bottom (make about 4-5 incisions into the peel). This will help you remove the peel without any flesh.

Then all you have to do is slowly peel the orange. Cut each peel into thin strips. I like the strips thin so I get about 30 strips out of one orange.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (4)

The peel is pretty bitter which some people like but I don’t. That is why I boil them for 5 minutes, drain them, change the water and boil for a further 5 minutes. You can boil them longer, especially when the peels are very bitter.

Then place the drained orange peels in a pot where you have already prepared simple syrup. Simmer them for 45–60 minutes or until they are translucent.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (5)

Transfer them onto a wire rack so they can cool down and more importantly the excess syrup can drip off.

The last step to making chocolate-covered orange peels is dipping them in melted chocolate and placing them onto a sheet of baking parchment or aluminum foil. I place them in the fridge so the chocolate sets faster.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (6)
Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (7)

How can I store candied orange peel?

The cooled candied orange peel can be stored in a glass jar covered with a lid. Store it in the refrigerator and it will last up to 2-3 weeks.

Chocolate covered orange peel does not last that long in my house as I keep on “snacking” on it throughout the day once it’s been made. However, it will last for at least a week, if stored in the fridge in an air-tight container.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (8)

What you should know before making chocolate covered orange peel

  • The most important thing for me here is to make sure that I buy organic oranges for this recipe so I am not using peels with a possible pesticide residue on them. Now there are ways how to get rid of the chemicals from fruits and vegetables so if you follow them before you cut your fruits, I’d say you should be fine.
  • I am using dark chocolate (70% cocoa content) which makes it a healthy snack as well.
  • You can use candied orange peel in baking. It adds great flavor to quick breads or muffins.
  • The chocolate will set in the fridge already after 15 minutes but to make sure it is set on the inside as well, leave it in for at least an hour.
  • Do not skip the boiling. This will help reduce the bitterness that is “present” in the peels. It will not remove it completely though. Now some orange peels might be more bitter than others that is why I prefer dipping them fully in chocolate. The chocolate balances the bitterness.
Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (9)

More chocolate covered treats:

  • Chocolate covered cranberries
  • Chocolate dipped mandarin slices
  • Frozen chocolate banana bites

Yield: about 60 pcs

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels

Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (10)

Chocolate covered orange peels are the perfect treat for any occasion! Great for gifting, snacking or as a healthier treat. This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large oranges
  • 1 cup water (250 milliliters)
  • 1 cup sugar (250 milliliters)
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cocoa content (90 grams)

Instructions

  1. Wash the oranges thoroughly under running hot water.
  2. Cut the top and bottom off. Make 4 or 5 vertical incisions running all the way from top to bottom of the peel and into the flesh.
  3. With your hands, remove the peel carefully. Cut each piece into thin strips and transfer them into a pot. Pour over about 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain. Pour fresh water (2 cups) in the same pot and add the peels in. Repeat the same process. This will remove some of the peel’s bitterness.
  4. In a small saucepan, dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water, add the peels and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the peels are translucent.
  5. When done, spread them out on a wire rack so the syrup can drip off and the peels can cool completely.
  6. Melt the chocolate over a pot of simmering water. Dip the peel in chocolate and using a fork, transfer it onto a baking parchment or aluminum foil. Let them set completely in the fridge (for about an hour) before serving/enjoying them.

Notes

  • Count one orange per person if you want to give this as a gift.
  • These keep in the fridge for at least a week.
  • The overall time does not include time needed for the chocolate to set (about 1 hour) nor the time needed for the peels to cool (time may vary but count with 30 minutes).
  • You will get about 30 strips out of 1 large orange.
  • In 15 mins already hardened but slightly soft on the inside. Depending on the thickness of the peels this time can vary. I recommend 1 hour in the fridge.
  • I recommend reading the post for more tips and detailed instructions.
  • Optional: Sprinkle the chocolate covered peels with salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

60

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 25Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paula

    Thank you

    Reply

  2. RitaB

    Julia, thank you so much for this recipe, the photos and the detailed instructions!! I made theses today and they were perfect!! I probably could have cut the strips a little wider (next time) but other than that these were absolutely delicious and easy to make. This is definitely a keeper!!!
    PS-I have loved these for as long as I can remember and I would always have to buy these by the piece as a treat if I happened to be at a candy store that had them. Thank you, thank you!!

    Reply

    • Julia | Appetizer Addiction

      You are welcome and thanks so much for your feedback! Hope you find more tasty recipes here, even though most of them are savory 🙂

      Reply

  3. Mariamalia

    Hi
    I have a question sometimes my sugar crystallizes , I am using 1:1 water/sugar. Maybe I am cooking it too long? Until the syrups evaporates? Should I just take out the orange peels when they are translucent? And save the syrup?? What can I do, the peels get dry and hard and I can’t coat them with sugar when this happens .
    Thanks my husband loves this recipe !!!

    Reply

    • Julia | Appetizer Addiction

      Hi Mariamalia. The syrup should not evaporate. You only simmer (on low heat) the peels until they are translucent. Yes, you can save the syrup if you like.

      Reply

  4. linda sudimack

    could you use a 1:1 sugar sub unstead of real sugar here?

    Reply

    • Julia | Appetizer Addiction

      Hi Linda, I have never worked with sugar substitutes so I am afraid I won’t be able to help.

      Reply

  5. anoush

    Thanks a lot for the great recipe .i have made it and the flavor of chocolate and orange together is awesome, but i have faced a problem and that is they are good as long as long as they are kept in the freezer, When i bring them out the chocolate cover starts melting. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Julia | Appetizer Addiction

      Hi Anoush. Yes, this can happen if the chocolate has not been tempered properly or tempered at all.

      Reply

  6. Carol Hall

    How long will they keep?

    Reply

    • Julia | Appetizer Addiction

      Hi Carol. They don’t last long in our household so not sure. I also like to freeze them and take a few whenever I feel I need a little snack. They should keep well for at least a week (make sure to cover them completely with chocolate – it will preserve them for longer). Hope this helps!

      Reply

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Chocolate Covered Orange Peels Recipe - Appetizer Addiction (2024)

FAQs

Are candied orange peels safe to eat? ›

Candied Orange Peels are beautiful, festive, and are full of nutrients. The orange peel has more vitamin C than the actual fruit of the orange. Likewise, the fruit peel also has about three times as much the amount of Vitamin A, B-Complex, and minerals such as manganese, calcium, and zinc.

How many calories in a chocolate orange peel? ›

Region: US
ServingIngredientCalories
1/2 tbsporange peel3
1/2 tspsugar8
2.98 gramssemi sweet chocolate14
0.99 gramwater0
Apr 11, 2016

Why does orange work with chocolate? ›

The true magic of the chocolate and orange combination is in its contrast: the chocolate is rich, intense, fatty and lush, and it's balanced by the fresh, fruity and zesty tones of the orange, creating an overall experience that is equal parts nostalgic and exhilarating.

Can you eat too much orange peel? ›

For some people, orange peels can cause an upset tummy, so start with small amounts first,” VenHuizen said. The chewiness of orange peel could pose some problems of its own. “The texture and flavor of orange peels may be difficult to tolerate or aggravate any jaw or chewing issues,” Brownstein said.

Is too much orange peel bad for you? ›

Due to their tough texture and high fiber content, orange peels can be difficult to digest. Eating them, especially larger pieces at a time, could cause stomach discomfort, such as cramps or bloating.

Is orange peel high in sugar? ›

The literature indicates that the orange peel contains 23% sugar, 22% cellulose, 25% pectins and 11% hemicellulose [3,4,5].

Does orange peel have nutritional value? ›

It also contains higher amounts of certain nutrients. For example, 3.5 ounces of orange peel provides 136 mg of Vitamin C. In addition, orange peel contains considerable amounts of copper, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A and dietary fiber.

Is orange peeling good for you? ›

The orange peels are rich in fiber, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6, calcium and other essential nutrients. The skin of the oranges contains a good amount of polyphenols that protect against several diseases. Peels have anti-cancerous properties, due to the presence of limonene, a naturally occurring chemical.

Why are chocolate oranges so expensive? ›

Chocolate navel oranges are also less sour to the taste compared to regular oranges. As of December 2021, only three orange cultivators were growing chocolate navel oranges, all in Spain. The season is generally short and they are generally significantly more expensive compared to regular oranges.

What are those chocolate oranges called? ›

The Terry's Chocolate Orange comprises an orange-shaped ball of chocolate mixed with orange oil, divided into 20 segments, similar to a real orange, and wrapped in orange-skin patterned foil.

Why are chocolate oranges a Christmas thing? ›

While the reason behind this isn't completely clear, some note that Terry's Chocolate Oranges were seen as a luxury for special occasions and holidays back in the day, and the tradition has continued on into modern times.

How do you eat candied orange peels? ›

On their own as a snack, candied orange peels are just like sugar-coated jelly candies but better. Because they're homemade, they taste like real oranges instead of orange flavor. You can also incorporate them into also sorts of recipes: To elevate dessert.

What do you do with candied orange peels? ›

You can eat the candy as is, dip it in chocolate, add to cake, muffins or salads, etc. The syrup can be used in co*cktails or tea. It's popular around the holidays but I will be doing this regularly, holiday season or not. You can use lime or lemon peels too.

Is it OK to eat dried orange peels? ›

It's a shame since there's a lot of good citrus flavor and aroma stored in the peel. You can certainly freeze citrus zest and peel, but one great way to preserve and harness this flavor is by drying lemon and orange peel, which are perfectly edible and can really add a whole lot of flavor to your cooking.

Does candied peel go bad? ›

Store the candied citrus peel in syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. Don't store at room temperature or it can go bad.

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