When the weather turns chilly, my kitchen needs to smell like a holiday bazaar! You know those simple candied oranges you see around? They’re nice, but honestly, they lack punch. That’s why I have perfected these wonderfully aromatic Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise).
We spent ages testing the ratios for the cloves and star anise because I wanted flavor that hits you right away, but I absolutely refused to let the spices overpower the beautiful bright taste of the orange itself. Trust me, once you try this intense, sweet, and earthy version, you’ll never go back to plain vanilla canning. My original recipe for candied citrus is so close to this one, but this version is just divine for gifting.
If you want to learn the secret to making them perfectly translucent without that bitter bite, you’ll want to stick around. You can check out my simpler version for classic candied orange slices later, but for now, let’s get spicy!
Why This Recipe for Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) Works So Well
So, why should you bother with my extra steps when there are so many easy orange desserts out there? Simple: depth of flavor! Baking is all about chemistry, and these steps ensure you get something truly gourmet rather than just sweet peel.
This particular recipe for Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) stands apart because we address the two main pitfalls of candying fruit: bitterness and texture. I’m telling you, the results are worth the extra few minutes!
Aromatic Spice Blend
When you use whole cloves and star anise, you get this warm, deep perfume that just screams holidays. Plain candied fruit is lovely, no doubt, but these whole spices infuse the syrup slowly, giving the orange slices a complex layer of flavor that you just can’t get from ground spices. It’s rich, sophisticated, and intoxicating!
Perfect Translucent Texture
We do a quick dip in boiling water first—that’s the blanching stage. It pulls out any lingering bitterness from the pith. Then, that long, slow simmer in the spiced syrup is what changes the cell structure of the peel. When they are done cooking, they should look almost like stained glass. They won’t be hard like jerky, nor will they be squishy; they’ll have that glorious, slightly chewy bite.
Gathering Ingredients for Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
Okay, listen up! For these Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise), ingredient quality matters more than you think. Since we aren’t using heavy flavor masks—just pure sugar and intoxicating spice—everything needs to be spot on. I always buy organic oranges if I can, just because we’re eating the peel, right?
You can’t just throw anything in the pot. We need actual, tangible spices that release flavor slowly. Don’t even think about reaching for ground cinnamon; it’ll make your syrup muddy! You need the real deal.
Ingredient Clarity and Preparation Notes
When you slice the oranges, this is critical: they need to be thin—about 1/8-inch thick, maybe slightly less. Use a sharp knife or, if you have one, a mandoline, but watch your fingers! If they are too thick, they take forever to get translucent, and if they’re too thin, they dissolve in the syrup. Oops!
For the spices, you must use whole cloves and whole star anise pods. That subtle difference really allows the citrus flavor to shine through the candy. For other ideas on using citrus peels, check out my tips on mixed peel recipes!
We need two cups of water and two cups of good old granulated sugar. That 1:1 ratio is what creates that perfect crystalline coating once everything dries out.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
This recipe for Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) moves fast at the beginning, but then asks you for patience during the simmer. Don’t rush the pot! I promise you, the results are worth waiting for, which is why we have that big drying time built into the schedule.
The Blanching Process
The very first thing we absolutely must do is get rid of any harsh, bitter oils hiding in the peel. Don’t skip this! You’ll bring a pot of plain water to a rolling boil. Carefully drop in your thinly sliced oranges—try not to overcrowd them—and let them boil hard for exactly two minutes. We call this blanching. After two minutes, drain them immediately and give them a good rinse. See? No bitterness, just pure orange potential, ready for the next step!
Creating the Aromatic Syrup
Now for the magic part! Grab your nice big pot—you want room so the slices can float happily. Pour in two cups of water and two cups of sugar. Stir this gently over medium heat until every last grain of sugar disappears. It has to be totally clear before you proceed. Once it’s perfectly clear, toss in your four whole cloves and the two star anise pods. Let that aromatic mixture just start to bubble slightly.
Simmering Until Translucent
Gently place your blanched orange slices into that beautiful spiced syrup. You aren’t looking for a violent boil here; we want a very happy, sleepy simmer. We simmer this mixture for a solid 45 to 50 minutes. Keep an eye on them! You’ll know they are done because the white pith will disappear, and the slices will look gorgeously translucent, almost glowing. If they are totally opaque, keep going a little longer.
Drying Your Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
Once they look like jewels, it’s time to rescue them! Use your slotted spoon—very carefully—to lift the Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) out of the syrup. Spread them out single file on a sheet of parchment paper you have waiting for them. Make sure the whole spices stay behind in the pot! Resist the urge to eat them right away; they are hot and sticky! They need about two hours—that custom time you saw—to dry completely before you can store them or use them in any of your other wonderful recipes!
If you need ideas on what to do with the leftover spiced syrup, that’s where great tips on what to do with orange peels come in handy!
Expert Tips for Perfect Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
You followed the steps, but now you want to elevate your game, right? That’s what separates a good home cook from a great one! Achieving that professional finish on your Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) really just comes down to paying attention to a couple of details during the process. These tips are what I learned after burning through about twelve oranges testing this recipe!
Choosing the Right Oranges for Candying
You want an orange with a decent amount of sweet flesh and a peel that isn’t paper-thin. Thicker-skinned oranges, like naval oranges, hold up better under that long simmer time without completely collapsing into mush. If your orange peel is super thin, definitely cheat on the blanching time—maybe just 90 seconds instead of two full minutes. This helps preserve the integrity of the peel so your final Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) look gorgeous.
Managing Syrup Consistency
If, mid-simmer, you notice your syrup is thickening too quickly—maybe you got distracted and let the heat creep up a tiny bit—don’t panic! Just add a splash, maybe a quarter cup, of plain hot water to loosen it up. You still need the liquid to move around the slices and infuse them properly. On the flip side, if after 30 minutes it still looks watery, carefully turn the heat up just slightly to encourage some evaporation. You want that thick, syrupy texture that clings perfectly to the fruit!
These little tricks are why my advice on baking always sounds like I’m talking about scone secrets—it’s all about technique and temperature control!
Storage & What To Do With Orange Peels
Once your beautiful candied slices are totally dry—and I mean totally dry, no stickiness left!—storing them is the easy part. Put them in an airtight container and keep them somewhere cool and dark. They are surprisingly sturdy and will last for weeks, making them perfect for making ahead for the holidays. I often keep mine in a tin to keep that lovely clove and star anise aroma locked in.
But wait! Don’t toss that pot of leftover spiced syrup! That liquid is liquid gold, sweetie. That’s where we tackle the question of What To Do With Orange Peels by making sure none of that beautiful flavoring goes to waste. You can pour that spiced syrup into a jar and use it instead of simple syrup in your cocktails, or even drizzle it over my cranberry orange muffins! It’s fantastic for sweetening tea, too. Don’t waste a drop!
Serving Suggestions for Orange Desserts Easy
Okay, so you nailed the candying—they look like jewels, they smell incredible, and they are totally dry. Hooray! Now comes the fun part: eating them! While just popping them straight off the parchment paper is my favorite way to sneak a taste test, you can absolutely use these to elevate lots of other orange desserts easy.
Honestly, sometimes a simple garnish is the perfect finishing touch. Try dusting your cooled slices with a tiny bit of fine granulated sugar right before serving them on a platter. It gives them that beautiful frosty, fresh-from-the-garden look. They really pop against a dark plate, you know?
For something truly decadent—and this is perfect for gifting—you have to try dipping half of the dried slice into melted dark chocolate. It makes the most amazing dark chocolate fondue companion or just a fancy treat on its own. I recommend using high-quality bittersweet chocolate to balance the intense sweetness of the candy. Think of it like a built-in flavor contrast!
You can also chop up a few of the dried slices finely and sprinkle them over vanilla ice cream or use them to replace standard orange zest in things like cheesecakes or frostings. Even chopping them up and folding them into a lovely, simple orange rolls homemade dough before the final proof adds an incredible chew and bursts of concentrated flavor. See? Easy ways to make something special!
Frequently Asked Questions About Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
I know you probably have a few things swimming around in your head after reading all about the simmering process. Candying can seem intimidating, but once you’ve made one batch of these Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise), you’ll be an expert! Here are the questions I get asked the most.
Can I use other spices besides clove and star anise in my Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)?
You totally can experiment! That combination of clove and star anise is my absolute favorite because it’s so deep and warm, which stands up beautifully to the citrus. But if you don’t have star anise on hand, feel free to swap it out for a couple of cinnamon sticks or even a few allspice berries. Just remember, you’re aiming for those whole spices that slowly release flavor into the syrup—ground spices just don’t give the same lovely, subtle infusion.
How do I make these like Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels?
Oh, that’s a fun one! Once you finish step six and your candied orange slices are completely dry—this is really important, they have to be dry or the chocolate won’t stick—you just melt down some good quality dark chocolate. I usually use a double boiler, but a microwave works fine if you do short 20-second bursts. Dip about half or two-thirds of the dried slice into the melted chocolate and lay them back down on fresh parchment paper. Let them set up in the fridge for about ten minutes, and boom! You have gorgeous Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels. They make the best little hostess gifts, too!
Can I use these candied slices in other Recipes Using Oranges?
Absolutely! They are fantastic just sitting on a plate, but once you have a batch on hand, they really elevate baked goods. If you’re looking for more recipes using oranges, try chopping up a few of these slices and folding them into your favorite scone or muffin batter. I’ve done this with my cranberry recipes, and the chewy texture is amazing! They also look so festive sprinkled on top of a cheesecake—just make sure whatever you’re baking is close to finished before you add them, as they are delicate!
If you are interested in other ways to preserve oranges entirely, you should read up on my tips for canning mandarin oranges!
Nutritional Estimate for Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
Alright, let’s talk about the good stuff that comes packed inside these delightful orange treats. Since these Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) are mostly fruit sugar and the orange peel itself, you know they aren’t exactly low-calorie, but wow, are they worth it for a holiday treat!
I have to confess, I didn’t send these off to a lab or anything—I just ran the standard recipe through my favorite online calculator based on the 2 cups of sugar and 2 oranges. So, please take this as a general guide, especially since the exact sugar absorption changes every time you cook it!
For one full batch, you are looking at numbers that are fairly typical for high-quality candy. I tried to estimate for about 24 slices, but you might get more or less depending on how thin you slice those oranges!
- Calories: Approximately 120–150 per slice
- Fat: Less than 0.5g (We didn’t add any fat, thankfully!)
- Protein: Less than 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: Around 30g–35g (This is where all that glorious sugar lives!)
See? They pack a sweet punch, just like any good candy should. But remember, you are also getting a little bit of fiber and vitamin C from the peel! Honestly, when you think about the sheer joy these Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise) bring when you serve them up, the nutrition label becomes totally secondary. Treat yourself!
Share Your Aromatic Creations
Whew! We’ve reached the end of this delicious, spicy adventure. I truly hope your kitchen smells as absolutely amazing right now as mine does when I make a batch of these Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)!
I need to hear from you! Did those cloves and star anise play nicely with the citrus? Did you manage to resist popping too many while they were drying? Please, tell me everything!
Take a couple of minutes and drop a comment below. You can tell me your rating—five stars, hopefully!—or just tell me if you tried dipping them in chocolate like I suggested. If you took a gorgeous photo of your finished candied slices, I’d be thrilled if you tagged me on social media. Seeing what you create with these recipes is truly the best part of my day, and it helps other readers feel confident about trying them, too!
About the Author: Emily Mitchell
By Emily Mitchell, Efficiency & Testing Coordinator at Recipes by Betty. I measure things twice, taste everything thrice, and make sure that every recipe works perfectly even when you’re having a crazy day. You can find out more about our testing process over at our About Page. Happy baking!
Spiced Candied Orange Slices (clove + star anise)
Equipment
- large pot
- Slotted Spoon
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 oranges thinly sliced
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise pods
Instructions
- Blanch the orange slices in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain them.
- Combine the sugar and water in a pot and simmer until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add the blanched orange slices, cloves, and star anise to the sugar syrup.
- Simmer the mixture gently for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the orange slices look translucent.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the slices and the whole spices. Place the slices on parchment paper to begin drying.
- Allow the slices to dry completely before you store them.