How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland

Dried orange slices have always fascinated me. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Florida, but I remember seeing potpourri, garland, and even Christmas ornaments with dried orange slices. I remember taking a slice and holding it up to the light and seeing all those segments no longer fruit but frozen in time yet beautifully colorful. Now, as an adult, I wanted to make my own orange slice garland to stand out against the white of the New England Winters.

---

This recipe does take time but is amazingly simple to do. I’m extremely pleased to say that I made these last year, and the dried oranges survived even in winter storage! Like with most dried things, it’s best not to re-hydrate them, so please keep these away from water.

How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland by autumnbecomes.me

1. 4-5 Navel Oranges

2. A sharp knife and cutting board (please use caution when cutting)

3. Parchment Paper

4. A Cookie Sheet

5. Ornament hooks, twine, or fishing line (depending on how you’d like to display them)

How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland by autumnbecomes.me

1.) Preheat your oven to the lowest setting or 250 degrees Fernheight.

2.) Take your cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper.

3.) Be sure you have enough prepared cookie sheets to cover the number of slices you’ll have.

4.) Take your oranges, leaving the skin on, and cut them very thinly; anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1/8 of an inch is perfect.

5.) Lay them flat on your baking sheet and blot them with a paper towel. Since this is all about drying them out, it’s good to remove as much excess liquid as possible.

How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland by autumnbecomes.me

6.) Place them in the oven and allow them to cook for 5-6 hours. I flipped mine about halfway. If you find that your oranges are still wet or sticky feeling, then they are not done. The orange’s skin should turn a dark orange, almost brown color when they’re done with the pulp inside. Once they are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

7.) Depending on how you wish to decorate with these, the following will be different. Of course, you can always just put them in a bowl with some whole cranberries and little sprigs of fresh pine, or you can use the ornament hooks, twine, or fishing line to make them into ornaments for your Christmas tree, or you can do as I have done and poke two holes on opposite sides of the slices and string them all together. They can decorate windows, mantels, Christmas trees, or anywhere you’d think garland would look nice. Also, don’t be afraid to combine these with even artificial pine garland to dress it up and give it the illusion of life.

How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland by autumnbecomes.me

I really hope you liked this simple yet elegant craft. If you’d like to be informed of future posts, be sure to SIGN UP HERE. Feel free to browse my SHOP especially if you’re looking for Christmas gifts for that special someone, or leave a comment below! I do hope this gorgeous garland adds some beauty to your holiday season. Thank you so much for reading, and I wish you a wonderful day. -Heather Astaneh

How to Make this Stylish Orange Slice Garland by autumnbecomes.me