Oh my gosh, I used to toss all my citrus scraps without a second thought, but seriously, we were wasting so much potential flavor! If you’re looking for a way to transform those humble orange and lemon peels into something truly special, you’ve found it. This recipe for Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup is my new obsession. Forget that slightly sharp, biting taste you sometimes get with plain candied peels; the vanilla syrup just whisks everything up into this beautifully smooth, fragrant candied wonder.
Trust me on this—the vanilla doesn’t just make it smell incredible; when we tested it in different bakes, the vanilla-infused peels just melted right into the batter, giving everything a luxurious finish. It’s simple, it takes about an hour and a half total, and suddenly, you have this sophisticated candy that elevates everything!
Why You Will Love This Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup Recipe
I know, I know, peeling citrus can feel like a chore you save for when you’re making a big batch of marmalade, but I promise you this recipe is worth the little bit of effort upfront. It’s just so versatile!
- It completely eliminates that harsh bitterness you sometimes get from peels.
- The vanilla infusion adds a gorgeous, subtle depth that tastes expensive, even though it’s super easy!
- You end up with two things: chewy, delightful candy, AND leftover vanilla syrup. Double win!
- It works so well in baking—it’s like an instant upgrade to any fruitcake or scone you happen to be making.
Aromatic Vanilla Infusion
This is the part I get most excited about! Most recipes just use straight sugar syrup, but adding a real vanilla bean—or even just some good quality extract—transforms the whole experience. The low, slow simmer lets that warm, creamy vanilla fragrance soak right into the citrus. It makes the kitchen smell unbelievably cozy; it’s honestly heavenly.
Simple Blanching Technique for Perfect Texture
If you’ve ever made candied peel and ended up with something that was either rock hard or mushy, the problem was likely the bitterness still hiding in the pith. We fix that here by boiling the strips twice before they ever see the syrup! It might sound redundant, but this blanching process washes out those strong essential oils that taste sharp. What you get is a wonderfully pliable, chewy texture that’s tender on the inside.
Equipment Needed for Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
Okay, good news time! You don’t need any fancy gadgets for this recipe at all. I love that about transforming scraps like this—it uses stuff you probably already have sitting around. We aren’t doing any fancy candy thermometer gymnastics here, which is a major relief on busy days.
For making sure your Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup turns out just perfect, you really only need two main things from your kitchen arsenal. Having these ready means you’re only 15 minutes away from starting the simmer!
- A good sturdy saucepan. This is where all the magic happens—the blanching and the simmering soak. Make sure it’s big enough to hold all the peels submerged in the syrup comfortably so they cook evenly.
- Parchment paper. This is essential for the drying stage! You need a non-stick surface so your sticky, gorgeous peels don’t glue themselves to your countertop when they cool down.
That’s it! Grab your knife, your board, and those two crucial items, and we can get started on preparing the citrus. See? Doesn’t that feel easy already?
Ingredients for Citrus Peels and Vanilla Syrup
When you’re making candied anything, the ratio of sugar to fruit is super important—it’s what actually preserves the peel and gives it that chewy, shiny finish. Since we are focusing on that smooth vanilla note, we need to make sure the syrup component is perfect. When you’re gathering your supplies, you’ll notice we’re keeping the citrus mixture simple, which lets that vanilla really shine through.
I always buy slightly thicker-skinned oranges and lemons when I know I’m going to zest them, because the pith is easier to manage and less likely to dissolve into the syrup during that long simmer. If you’re curious about using lime and orange together, check out my recipe for Orange and Lime Mixed Peel, which has a slightly different balance!
For the Citrus Peels
We’re keeping this straightforward because the vanilla is our star player here. You only need 4 pieces of fruit total, but they do need to be treated right—meaning, we only want the colorful skin, not the bitter white layer underneath!
- Oranges: 2, peels only. Make sure to get as little pith as possible when you cut them!
- Lemons: 2, peels only. These add a nice little counter-punch to the sweetness.
For the Vanilla Syrup
This syrup is what makes this whole thing worthwhile! It needs to be thick enough to candy the fruit but liquid enough to saturate it evenly. Don’t skimp on the sugar here; it’s doing all the heavy lifting of preservation.
- Water: 2 cups. Plain old tap water is perfect for the syrup base.
- Granulated Sugar: 2 cups. Yes, it’s a 1:1 ratio with the water, which is necessary for candying!
- Vanilla Bean: 1, split lengthwise, or 2 teaspoons of high-quality vanilla extract. If you use the bean, scrape those seeds right into the syrup! If you’re planning on dipping these later, you might also love checking out the techniques in this candied citrus peel guide for dipping inspiration.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
Alright, we’ve got our ingredients ready, so now we move on to the actual cooking! This part is mostly hands-off, which is great, but you do need to pay attention during that first simmering phase to make sure the peels are ready for the vanilla bath. If you’ve ever made classic candied orange slices, the initial prep here feels very familiar!
Preparing and Blanching the Citrus Peels
First thing’s first: you need to slice those peels! You want nice, thin strips—about a quarter-inch wide gives you the best result. Don’t worry about them being perfectly uniform; we’re keeping this homey! Once they are cut, we get rid of the bitterness. Put the peel strips into a saucepan, cover them with water, and boil for 10 minutes. That’s boil one! Drain them completely. Then, you repeat the whole process: fresh water, boil for 10 minutes, and drain thoroughly again. This double blanching is non-negotiable for delicious peels!
Creating the Vanilla Syrup Bath
While your peels are draining after the second boil, focus on the sweet part! Toss your 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar into the clean saucepan. Set it over medium heat and stir occasionally just until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture starts to simmer gently. Now, this is where the luxury comes in: add in your split vanilla bean—make sure to scrape those seeds in!—or your vanilla extract. Let that base get fragrant for just a minute.
Simmering and Candying Time
Time to combine forces! Gently add your drained, blanched citrus strips into your simmering vanilla syrup. You’ll reduce the heat to low—we want a very gentle bubble, not a rolling boil. We need to let these simmer for a good 45 to 55 minutes. The visual cue you’re looking for is when the peels look beautifully translucent, almost see-through, and the whole kitchen smells like vanilla heaven. Keep an eye on the liquid; if it looks like it’s getting too thick or evaporating too fast, just add a tiny splash of water to keep the peels submerged.
Drying and Storing Your Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
Once they look perfect, turn off the heat! Carefully use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the candied peels from the syrup and lay them out on that parchment paper you set aside earlier. Spread them out so they aren’t touching; this is key so they can dry evenly. Let them air dry completely, which might take several hours or even overnight depending on your kitchen humidity. And don’t you dare toss that leftover syrup! Store the peels in an airtight container once dry, and use that fragrant vanilla syrup in your morning coffee!
Tips for Perfect Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
Now that you know the basic process, let me share a few little secrets I picked up after making batches of this over the years. When you’re dealing with citrus pith, you have to be respectful; it can easily turn your beautiful candy into something inedible if you rush things! These nuggets of advice ensure you get that soft chew every single time.
Avoiding Bitterness: The Blanching Key
I mentioned it before, but honestly, this deserves repeating because it’s the make-or-break step for great candied peels. You absolutely must boil and drain those strips *twice*. I’m talking about peeling them, putting them in fresh water, boiling them for 10 minutes, draining them completely, and then doing it all over again with fresh water and another 10-minute boil. What you are doing is forcing out all those intense, bitter compounds locked in the white pith. If you skip that second boil, trust me, your Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup will have a sharp edge that masks that gorgeous vanilla we worked so hard to infuse!
Using the Leftover Vanilla Syrup
This is the best part of the whole process, in my opinion—you get candy *and* a fantastic flavoring agent left over! That syrup is thick with vanilla now, and you cannot let it go to waste. What I usually do is filter it through a fine-mesh sieve just to catch any stray sugar granules or rind bits, and then pop it in a clean jar. It keeps beautifully in the fridge for weeks. First, it’s fantastic drizzled over plain yogurt or ice cream. Second, if you like a little something boozy, it makes an unbelievable simple syrup replacement in cocktails—it’s divine in an Old Fashioned! And finally, if you are planning on making perfect scones next week, use the syrup instead of milk or cream in the dough for a hint of vanilla sweetness. If you want some other inspiration on how to use citrus peel after candying, check out this excellent guide on candied citrus peel techniques!
Creative Uses for Your Vanilla Flavored Mixed Peel
So, you’ve got these gorgeous, jewel-toned strips of peel bathing in delicious vanilla syrup, and now you’re staring at them wondering, “What next?” That’s the fun part! While they are absolutely divine just eaten straight off the parchment paper (I won’t judge if you sneak a few before they’re fully dry!), the real magic begins when you start folding them into other things. This is how we answer the question of what to do with orange peels, turning them into luxury ingredients!
Since these are so fragrant and pliable thanks to that vanilla syrup, they behave almost like a candied fruit rather than just a bitter rind. Here are my favorite ways to use them once they’ve dried a little bit.
Incorporating into Baked Goods
When I’m making something simple, like muffins or a quick bread, adding these strips is like instantly dressing up the recipe. They provide bursts of intense citrus flavor, but the vanilla smoothness keeps it from being overwhelming. They are wonderful folded into a yeast dough if you happen to be making something similar to Orange Rolls Homemade—the vanilla and orange combination is just classic comfort food.
I chopped up a bunch recently and folded them into a batch of my favorite chocolate cookie dough—they cut through the richness beautifully, almost like a sophisticated version of a chocolate chip cookie. You can find that recipe here if you’re looking for a place to start experimenting!
Dipping in Chocolate
If you want something that screams “gift-worthy,” this is it. You boil your peels, you make your vanilla syrup, you dry them, and then you dip them into perfectly melted chocolate. Seriously, nothing beats Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels sitting on a platter. It’s gourmet candy, and you made it from scraps!
Quick tip for dipping: If you’re using bars of chocolate, you want to temper it if you want that nice, shiny shell that snaps clean off. If you want to keep it super simple, use high-quality chocolate chips (melting wafers work wonders, too) and just melt them slowly over a double boiler until smooth. Once they are dipped, let them set up on a fresh sheet of parchment paper. The vanilla-infused peel adds an unexpected warm backbone to the dark chocolate. It’s heavenly!
Storage and Shelf Life of Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
So you’ve managed to resist eating all of your beautiful, shiny Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup right away? Awesome! Now we just need to make sure we store them correctly so they stay soft and don’t get sticky or, worse, start growing something fuzzy—yikes! Candied fruit is shelf-stable because of all that sugar, but humidity is our real enemy here, so we have to be careful.
The absolute best way to keep these is totally dry and totally sealed. You want them to air dry completely on the counter first, as I mentioned, because any trace moisture in the peel, combined with the sugar coating, will make them clump together into one giant sticky orange mess.
Airtight Containers are a Must
Once you are 100% certain the peels are dry to the touch—they shouldn’t feel cool or damp anymore, just slightly firm—it’s time to jar them up. Use a clean, dry, airtight container. Mason jars are fantastic for this because you can really screw that lid down tight. If you have a humid basement or a kitchen that naturally collects moisture, consider dropping a tiny, clean food-safe silica gel packet in with them, just to absorb any rogue water vapor. I only do this if I’m storing them for months, though!
Where to Store Your Candied Peels
Think dark and cool, but not the fridge! Storing candied fruit in the refrigerator is a common mistake people make because the cold air condensation will make them draw moisture from the air inside the fridge, leading to stickiness fast. Keep them in a pantry or a cupboard that stays away from the stove or the dishwasher vents where it gets warm and steamy.
Expected Shelf Life
If you’ve dried them perfectly and they are stored airtight, these little vanilla-infused gems should easily last for 2 to 3 months. Honestly, mine usually disappear way before then because I toss them into everything! If you notice they are starting to get a little damp or soft after a month or so, just spread them back out on a dry sheet of parchment paper for a few hours to dry out a bit more before resealing. That usually does the trick!
Frequently Asked Questions About Candied Peels
I always get so many questions about candied fruit because it seems delicate, but once you nail the technique, it’s foolproof! Since we’re using both orange and lemon here for our Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup, people often wonder how flexible the fruit choice is. Let’s clear up some common concerns so your citrus scraps turn into delicious treats!
Can I use only orange peels for this recipe?
Oh heavens yes! You absolutely can stick to just oranges if that’s what you have on hand. In fact, limiting it to just oranges will give you a very sweet, one-note flavor profile—perfect if you don’t want that little tart kick the lemon provides. If you switch entirely to using only oranges, especially smaller ones like those used in Mandarin Orange Recipes, you might want to check them after 40 minutes of simmering instead of waiting the full 55. Thicker peels sometimes need a little more time to go translucent, so just keep an eye on them!
My peels are still bitter, what went wrong?
If you take your peels out of the syrup and they still have that harsh, bitter bite, I can tell you exactly what happened: you rushed the blanching! I know it takes time, but you must boil and drain those strips twice in fresh water for 10 minutes each time before they hit the sugar syrup. That step is designed to physically flush out the bitter white pith oils. If you only did it once, or skipped it entirely, you didn’t give the solvent (the boiling water) enough time to pull out that bitterness. Make sure you use fresh water for both boils!
Can I candy other citrus fruits like grapefruit?
You totally can! This recipe is really a guideline for candying almost any firm citrus outer layer. If you decide to use giant grapefruit peels, you might need to increase your blanching time slightly—maybe even one extra short 5-minute boil—because grapefruit rind tends to hold onto bitterness the longest. But once they are blanched, they go right into that vanilla syrup just like the oranges. If you want more ideas for how to use citrus when you have extra, I have a whole section dedicated to Orange Peels Uses that goes beyond just candying! For more general inspiration on recipes using oranges, be sure to check that collection out!
Estimated Nutritional Information
Now, I have to preface this by saying because we are dealing with homemade citrus peels and a concentrated vanilla syrup, these numbers are definitely an estimate! I calculated these based on the recipe yielding one batch, assuming a standard amount of peels come from two oranges and two lemons, and that you eat about 1/6th of the resulting dried peel for a “serving.” This isn’t meant to be strict dietary tracking, but it gives you a nice idea of what you’re working with ingredient-wise. Since we’re using a lot of sugar for preservation, as expected, the carbs are higher!
This analysis is based on standard ingredient measurements and assumes you are consuming only the dried peel, not the reserved syrup.
- Calories: Approximately 250-280 per serving
- Fat: Less than 1g (mostly trace oils from the rind)
- Protein: Less than 1g
- Carbohydrates: Around 65g (this is where the preserved sugar content sits!)
Remember, if you’re using these candied peels as a small topping—say, dusting them over homemade Candied Apples Recipe slices or sprinkling them over a yogurt bowl—your actual intake per bite is much, much lower. They are intended to be a potent, flavorful addition rather than eaten by the handful!
Share Your Vanilla Peel Creations
Well, that’s it! You’ve tamed the citrus scraps, infused them with the luxurious perfume of vanilla, and you now have a beautiful batch of Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup ready to go. I really hope you enjoy these as much as my family does—they vanish so fast around here!
When you make a batch, I’d absolutely love to hear all about it! Did you use a specific kind of orange? Did you dunk them in chocolate? Leave a rating for the recipe right here on the page, and please drop a comment below telling me how you plan to use them. It always makes my day seeing your results!
And if you’re already looking for what to do with your leftover fresh fruit, I have tons of ideas over in my collection of fresh orange recipes. Happy baking, friends!
Mixed Peel with Vanilla Syrup
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Citrus Peels
- 2 oranges, peels only
- 2 lemons, peels only
Vanilla Syrup
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean split, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut the citrus peels into thin strips.
- Boil the strips in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, and repeat this boiling and draining process one more time.
- Combine the 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the blanched peels and the vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) to the simmering syrup.
- Simmer the mixture for 45 to 55 minutes until the peels look translucent and smell fragrant.
- Remove the peels from the syrup and let them dry on parchment paper.
- Store the dried peels in an airtight container. You can reserve the leftover syrup for use in drinks or desserts.