This sugar-free & keto candied orange peel recipe makes deliciously soft and sweet candied peels, perfect for snacking, baking or gifting! An easy recipe to enjoy the classic candied citrus taste without the added sugar!
Rinse and scrub the oranges under cold water. Using a sharp knife, score the skin into quarters and gently peel each quarter off. If needed, shave off excess irregular or rough looking pith using a small sharp knife.
Cut the orange peel into 1/4 inch wide strips or small cubes, whichever you prefer.
Optional step: blanch to reduce bitterness - Taste a peel to check for bitterness. If it's too bitter, boil the peels in a pan with water for 10-15 minutes. Discard the water and rinse the peels. You can repeat the process if the peels are still too bitter.
Combine the sugar-free sweetener, salt and water in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sweetener is dissolved.
Add the orange peels to the sweetener syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until all the syrup is nearly evaporated. Do not let the pan go completely dry (or the peels will stick to the bottom!)
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the orange peels cool for about 10 minutes.
Remove the orange peels from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the peels so that they are spaced - not touching one another. Let the orange peels dry for several hours or overnight.
After dried, you may store the orange peels in an airtight container as they are, which is perfect to use for baking or adding to recipes. For eating them as snacks or gifting, you might want to add a topping:
Sugar coated candied orange
Place about 3 tablespoons of granulated sweetener (like erythritol) on a small plate or shallow bowl, and roll the orange peels on it, a few at a time, until they are evenly coated.
Chocolate overed candied orange
Melt 2 oz. of sugar-free chocolate chips in a shallow bowl. Use the microwave in the lowest setting / thawing setting or a double boiler. Dip the orange peels in the melted chocolate, and use a small spoon to scrape off the excess as needed. Transfer the chocolate coated peels to a parchment paper lined pan until the chocolate sets before storing.
Notes
You can use any citrus peel for this recipe: Try lemons, limes, grapefruit, mandarins or tangerines, or pomelo.Use only allulose, or equal parts allulose and erythritol for the syrup for soft and sticky orange peels. You can use erythritol only, but the peels will set hard and dry, and granulated sweetener won't stick to them. They'll still be tasty and good to use in baking.