DIY: How to Easily Dehydrate Citrus At Home

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Have you ever wanted to learn how to dehydrate citrus at home?! We’re approaching the holiday season, and that means so many fun and fancy kitchen DIYs!

One of my favorites is dehydrated citrus. You can use it in so many ways! Here are just a few:

• Cocktail garnish (I recommend using these in a Cinnamon Spiced Manhattan!)
• Cheese board garnish
• Infused citrus tea
• Holiday decorations

Plus, they make your entire house smell delicious!

Now, you could buy a dehydrator to do this, but if you want in on a little secret, it’s super easy to dehydrate the citrus without any fancy gadgets, right in you own home!

The easiest way to dehydrate lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit is already in your home: your oven!

The citrus may vary depending on the fruit, but overall, if you have a free afternoon where you’re not going anywhere, turn your oven to low, slice up some citrus, and let it cook away!

In a few hours, your house will smell amazing, and you’ll have these fun garnishes to celebrate the holidays!

How to Easily Dehydrate Citrus At Home

1. Slice your fruit. You can use any type of orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, or any other citrus! You’ll want to slice them very, very thin, so use a very sharp knife or a mandolin. If you use a mandolin – please, PLEASE use a protective kitchen glove so you don’t slice a finger off!
2. Line baking trays with parchment paper. Line the paper with your citrus slices.
3. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, or any other slice you’d like to flavor them with. I definitely recommend at least using sugar if you’re going to be using this as a drink garnish.
4. Bake at 200 degrees F for at least 3 hours. After three hours, check on your citrus slices. You’ll want them to be dry but still a little malleable.
5. If needed, bake longer, until your citrus slices are completely dehydrated. Use in cocktails, as cheeseboard garnishes, or in teas. I recommend you use the citrus in 7-10 days.