A dried orange garland is one of the few DIY projects that's cheaper, better looking and better smelling than anything you can buy. It costs a few dollars in oranges and spices, fills the house with a warm citrus smell while it dries, and works from October right through to the Christmas tree.
Here's the oven method, plus how to string it with bay leaves and cinnamon.
Supplies
- 6 to 8 navel oranges (makes about a 6 foot garland)
- A sharp knife or mandoline
- Paper towels
- 2 baking sheets and parchment paper or wire racks
- About 30 dried bay leaves
- 8 to 10 cinnamon sticks
- Jute twine or natural cotton string
- A large darning needle
Blood oranges and grapefruit work too and add different colors.
Step 1: Slice evenly
Slice the oranges about a quarter inch thick. Even slices dry evenly; a mandoline helps. Too thin and they curl and burn. Too thick and they take forever and may mold.
Skip the ends. You'll get about 8 good slices per orange.
Step 2: Blot
Press each slice between paper towels to soak up as much juice as possible. This cuts the drying time and keeps the color bright.
Step 3: Dry in the oven
Heat the oven to 200°F. Lay the slices in a single layer on wire racks set over baking sheets, or on parchment. Bake for about 3 hours, flipping them every 45 minutes.
They're done when they look translucent and feel dry to the touch, not sticky. They'll crisp up more as they cool. If some are still tacky, give them another 20 minutes.
Let them cool completely on the racks.
Step 4: String it
Thread the darning needle with twine and knot one end, leaving a long tail for hanging. Push the needle through each orange slice near the top edge, about half an inch from the peel. Between slices, add two or three bay leaves (pierce them through the middle) and a cinnamon stick tied on with a short piece of twine.
A good rhythm is: orange, bay, bay, orange, cinnamon. Space the oranges about 3 inches apart.
Hanging it
On a mantel, drape it in two or three shallow swags, attached with small command hooks. It also looks good on a stair rail, across a window, or hung from a kitchen shelf.
Keep it away from direct heat. Above a lit fireplace is fine if it's at least a foot above the opening, but it shouldn't dangle in front of it.
Into December
Take the garland down after Thanksgiving, add a few sprigs of dried pine or small pinecones, and wind it around the Christmas tree. It's one of the prettiest tree garlands there is.
Storing it
Wrap it loosely in tissue paper and store it in a box in a cool, dry place. Humidity is the enemy. If kept dry, it'll last for another season. Refresh the scent with a drop of orange oil.
Adding other dried elements
Once you have the basic rhythm down, you can vary the garland. Dried apple rings add a pale cream color and dry in the same oven at the same time, although they take closer to 2 hours. Star anise, tied on with thread, adds a nice shape. Small pinecones, wired on with a loop of twine, give the garland more weight and make it feel more wintry. Keep to three or four elements in total so the oranges stay the star.
A shorter garland for smaller spaces
Not every mantel or window needs 6 feet. A 2 foot strand made from two oranges hangs nicely from a kitchen cabinet knob, a door handle or the corner of a mirror. It's also a good gift, rolled loosely in tissue paper and tied with twine.
Mistakes to avoid
- Uneven slices. Thin ones burn, thick ones stay wet.
- Skipping the blotting. It adds an hour and dulls the color.
- Too high a heat. The slices brown instead of glowing.
- Storing it damp. It will mold.
What it costs
Oranges cost about $6 to $10, bay leaves $4 and cinnamon sticks $6. Jute twine is a couple of dollars. The whole garland comes in under $25.
Dried orange garland DIY FAQ
How long do you dry orange slices in the oven?
About 3 hours at 200°F, flipping every 45 minutes, until translucent and dry to the touch.
How long does a dried orange garland last?
Through the season if kept dry, and often into a second year if stored in a box somewhere cool and dry.
Can I dry oranges without an oven?
Yes. A food dehydrator at about 135°F takes 8 to 10 hours. Air-drying works in a dry climate but takes a couple of weeks.
