Exciting Things To Do With Orange Peels

If you are like me, then you like to make use of everything you can and create as little waste as possible. This list of uses for orange peels is a perfect example of creating a zero-waste life that is fun, easy to manage, and fits naturally into your routine. Oranges themselves are so wonderful for our bodies both inside and out, that it’s an obvious choice for using in tons of ways around the home

 

1. Make DIY Orange Oil

If you want to use the beneficial oils in the orange but don’t want to keep the peels around, you can extract the oil itself to store for use in things like cleaners and scrubs. It takes just a small dropper of this DIY orange oil to brighten a fragrance or clean. This process is very easy to follow and will create a nice bottle of oil that stores for a long time.

 

2. Make Orange Infused Olive Oil

Infused olive oil is a perfect addition to any foodies’ kitchen. I’ve seen a ton of varieties, but orange-infused is a lovely choice for use with those sweet and savory meals. It is especially tasty when cooking chicken or many of my favorite Asian inspired dishes that have a sweet and savory profile.

 

3. Turn Into Citrus Butter

If you’ve never used a compound butter, this is a fun one to try. Mix orange zest into butter and use for cooking fish and chicken. It’s a delicious hint of flavor that is super easy to make and perfect for pan searing.

 

4. Add The Zest to Recipes

Of course, the orange peel is an obvious use in recipes, but do you think about simply zesting it for a little orange flavor in a cookie, cake, drink, or salad? For years I have used lemon zest in tons of recipes, why not just add orange zest since I have that peel on hand more often?

 

5. Place into Brown Sugar to Prevent Hardening

Did you know the oils in the peel will draw moisture from the sugar and keep it from drying into solid rock? I know even if I use my brown sugar quickly after opening, there is always an annoying little clump. This is perfect!

 

6. Make Candied Orange Peel

This lovely little snack is something I never knew about as a child, but am fairly certain would have driven my mom crazy begging for had I known. It’s deceivingly simple to make and a perfect little treat that everyone loves receiving as a gift.

 

7. Make Homemade Orange Marmalade

One of my favorite things at breakfast is a freshly toasted English muffin spread with real butter and a bit of this marmalade. Fresh orange marmalade is a great homemade spread that is delicious and a great way to use up those orange peels.

 

8.Dehydrate Orange Peel for Recipes

If you don’t want to keep it on hand all the time fresh, you can also peel and dehydrate orange peel. I find this best for use in teas or cider, but you can imagine lots of other ways to use this in your kitchen and cleaning supplies. When dried, it’s said they are good for up to 3 years when stored in a dry airtight container!

 

9.Turn into Orange Chocolate Bark

Orange and chocolate go together perfectly. I love the idea of using a chocolate bark recipe. I find it works best with a few shreds of coconut, some chopped pistachios, and a very high quality chocolate. The recipe linked below uses dark chocolate and includes a few other dried fruits.

 

10. Dip in Chocolate

The cousin to that is simply dipping the peels directly into chocolate for a snack. While I have never had these, my friends rave over how good they are. If you like chocolate and orange together, this is sure to be a hit. Plus it makes an excellent foodie gift.