Easy Dried Orange Slices for Holiday Crafts and Decorations

Looking for a natural and festive way to decorate your home this holiday season? Dried orange slices are a simple and beautiful DIY craft that can be used in a variety of ways. Whether you want to create elegant ornaments, fragrant potpourri, or unique gift tags, dried orange slices are the perfect ingredient.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the easy process of drying orange slices and share some creative ideas for using them in your holiday home this season.

How To Make Dried Orange Slices

Pick up a bag of oranges, looking for ones that have a bright orange color. If you are looking for a variety of colors and sizes you can also dry clementines, blood oranges, or even small pink grapefruits.

I sliced up a few oranges with a serrated-edged knife. You want your slices between 1/8 and 1/4 inches wide. The thinner slices dry out quicker but the 1/4 inch slices looked better afterward.

After the oranges were all sliced I blotted the excess juice from them with paper towels (it will help them dry out faster).

I placed the oranges in a single layer on a baker’s cooling rack that was on top of a sheet pan. A sheet pan lined with parchment paper works fantastic for drying oranges as well.

Popped them in a 200° oven…and then waited and waited…no, seriously it takes hours!

It depends on how thick you cut your slices but it took around 4 hours for mine to dry out. Flip the orange slices every 30 minutes during the drying process.

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How To Use Dried Orange Slices To Decorate

Here are a few simple ideas for incorporating dried orange slices to your holiday home. They add a pop of color and look wonderful when used with greenery.

Orange Slice Ornaments

To make my dried orange ornaments I grabbed red ticking fabric that was leftover from making a wreath for my kitchen window.

I ripped the fabric into thin strips.

Using a pencil, I poked a hole through the orange (near the top of the orange) and strung a piece of the ticking fabric through and tied a loop at the end.

Next, I wrapped a cinnamon stick in a piece of jute and tied the end around the ticking fabric to hold it in place.

That’s it!

They look so pretty hanging on my little kitchen Christmas tree along with my Gingerbread Salt Dough Ornaments

I also tied a few of the orange slices onto my window garland. You can see the entire window garland on my Holiday Home Tour.

Simple Natural Garland w/ Orange Slices

If you are drawn to natural-looking holiday decorations here is the perfect simple and inexpensive idea for creating a garland.

Run a length of wire through the top of the orange slices and mini wreaths and twist to hold the wire in place. Make sure to leave enough extra wire so you can secure the oranges and wreaths to a longer piece of wire (or jute twine) to create a simple garland.

Then alternate between the oranges and wreaths, making sure to keep them an equal distance from each other as you work your way across the garland.

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Add Orange Slices To A Wreath

Another great way to use dried orange slices this season is to add them to your holiday wreaths. All you need to do is use floral wire, poke it through the top of the orange slice, then secure it to the wreath by twisting the ends of the wire around the wreath or greenery on the wreath.

Not quite ready for a Christmas wreath? Learn how to make this all-natural Thanksgiving Wreath to hang on your front door.

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Want to transform a basic store-bought wreath into a stunning centerpiece? A few simple, natural additions can make all the difference. For this wreath, I added dried orange slices, pinecones, red berries, and pheasant feathers. To complete the look, I wired on some bronze jingle bells and tied a simple bow.

This tutorial will inspire you with a variety of ideas to customize your own wreath. Let’s turn that ordinary wreath into an extraordinary one!

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Dried Orange Slice Wreath

Here is an easy wreath to make completely using dried orange slices. It’s an easy way to add a bright pop of color to your kitchen for the holiday season (or any time of the year really!)

A Simple Festive Touch

Add a touch of holiday cheer to your gifts this year with a simple, natural detail: dried orange slices.

For this hostess gift of a potted herb garden, I created a custom tag using a piece of jute twine, a brown kraft paper tag, and a dried orange slice. I tied this onto the planter and added a mini pinecone for a festive touch. This quick and easy addition elevates the gift and shows your thoughtfulness.

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I hope these ideas inspire you to incorporate dried orange slices into your holiday decor and gift-giving. Remember, a little creativity can go a long way in transforming simple materials into beautiful and meaningful accents.

If you have any questions or want to share your own dried orange slice creations, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy crafting!

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