If you're looking for a tasty way to preserve grapefruit skin, look no further than this easy recipe for candied grapefruit peels! This recipe turns bitter peel into a sweet and tangy candy that is perfect for snacking.
Looking for more candied peel recipes? Make sure to try these recipes for candied lemon slices and candied orange slices.
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Why This Recipe Works
- We share the best way to prep the grapefruit. Although you can cut the skin off with a knife, this means you'll have more irregularly shaped pieces. The best way to get a uniform strips is to juice the fruit and scrape out the membranes from the peels, then slice.
- The peels are blanched 5 times. This step is essential to making candied peel that isn't bitter, so don't skimp on doing it five times.
- The peels are dried quickly. Waiting for the peels to air dry can take 1-2 days depending upon the humidity and temperature, so it's much faster to dry them in the oven at a low heat in just a couple of hours.
Ingredients
Want to know what ingredients you'll need to make candied grapefruit peel? Fortunately, you only need three simple ingredients that you'd already have at home! Let's talk about those before we get started.
- Grapefruit: Use ruby red or white ones in this recipe. When selecting the fruit, make sure they are heavy, smooth-skinned, and free from blemishes.
- Sugar: You'll need basic granulated white sugar for this recipe. Some will be used for the simple syrup, and a little extra will be needed to roll the peel in once it's candied and dried.
- Water: You'll need a lot of tap water for blanching the peels, but you'll also need some filtered water for making the simple syrup.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Want to try this with lemons or oranges? Use our mixed peel recipe.
- Can I use a sugar substitute in this recipe? Sugar is a crucial ingredient in this recipe, as it preserves the fruit and pulls water out during the candying process, so it can't be substituted. This recipe hasn't been tested with any alternative sweeteners.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients.
- Cut the fruit in half with a sharp chef's knife. Make sure to cut them crosswise (at a 90° angle to the stem ends) to make them easy to juice.
- Use a large citrus press or reamer to extract the juice from each half.
3. Use a serrated spoon to scrape out the flesh and membranes left behind in the shells.
4. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut each half into four pieces, then slice each piece into 1 cm strips.
5. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then add the peels and simmer them for 5 minutes. This blanching process removes the bitterness from the peels, making them palatable.
6. Immediately drain the peels and shock them in an ice bath to halt their cooking.
Repeat the boiling and shocking process an additional 4 times for a total of 5 blanchings. Do not do fewer than 5 blanchings, or you will have bitter peels.
7. Once the peels have been blanched five times, pour the filtered water into the pot, then add the sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is simmering.
8. Add the drained, blanched peels, cover, and simmer over low heat for 45-60 minutes. The peels should be soft and translucent as in the photo above.
9. Drain the peels and spread them on wire racks set over cookie sheets to catch drips of syrup.
10. Let them air dry overnight (or up to 1-2 days), or speed up the drying process by baking them at 180°F for 1 ½-2 hours. They should be mostly dry but still slightly tacky.
11. Roll the peels in granulated sugar to reduce stickiness and for a prettier appearance.
12. Let the candied peels cool completely, then enjoy as a snack!
Recipe FAQs
In moderation, candied grapefruit peel is good for you, but it does contain sugar. Grapefruit peels contain a higher concentration of fiber, vitamins, and minerals than the fruit itself does. However, they are extremely bitter on their own, so when they're candied with sugar, they are much more palatable.
There are several things you can do with grapefruit peels, so don't throw them away! The tastiest way to use them is to candy them into a tasty treat, but you can also use them to make infused spirits or extracts, add flavor to meat dishes, or even to make cleaning supplies. The essential oils in the skin have many health benefits as well.
Yes, it's definitely safe to eat a grapefruit peel! However, it's best to only eat peels from organic, unsprayed ones to minimize pesticide exposure. If you can only get conventionally grown ones, make sure to clean the peels thoroughly before eating or candying them.
You can dry grapefruit skin in a dehydrator, but the best way to preserve it is to candy it. Otherwise, it will be very bitter and not pleasant to eat. To do this, you'll blanch it several times to remove its bitterness, then simmer it in sugar syrup and dry it out.
Serve
Looking for creative ways to use candied grapefruit peel? Here's some delicious serving suggestions and recipes that use this delightful treat!
- As a garnish for mocktails, like this grapefruit ginger fizz or this Cinderella mocktail.
- In baking, like cookies, muffins, quick breads, or yeasted doughs. It would taste lovely in hot cross buns, stollen, panettone, or julekake.
- As a snack on its own!
- In salads like this spinach apple salad or cranberry orange relish.
- As a topping for yogurt or porridge.
- Package the candied peel in a glass jar, add a ribbon and gift tag, and give to family and friends as a unique gift.
Store
Leftovers: Candied grapefruit peel will keep for several months if it is stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.
Freezing: Seal in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 year. Defrost at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Blanch the peels 5 times before simmering in the sugar syrup to prevent a bitter result.
- Keep the sugar syrup left over from simmering and use it to sweeten mocktails, tea, or in poke cakes.
- Don't want to dry them in the oven? Air dry instead. Depending upon the humidity, it could take as few as 8 hours or as long as 1-2 days.
- Roll in sugar while still tacky to reduce stickiness and to have a better presentation.
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Recipe
Candied Grapefruit Peel
Ingredients
- 3 large grapefruit, preferably organic
- 3 cups filtered water, plus extra for blanching
- 3 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
Instructions
Prepping the Grapefruit
- Clean: Soak the grapefruit in a large bowl of hot, soapy water and scrub them well to remove any wax or other residues. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a towel.
- Juice: Use a sharp knife to split the grapefruit in half crosswise. Juice them with a large citrus press or reamer, and reserve the juice for another use.
- Scrape: Use a grapefruit spoon (one with serrated edges) to scrape out the flesh and membranes left behind in the grapefruit halves. Discard the pulp.
- Slice: Cut each half into four pieces, then slice each piece into 1 cm strips.
Blanching the Peels
- Boil: Fill a large Dutch oven with enough water to cover the peels, then bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium, add the peels, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Shock: Immediately drain with a skimmer and shock them in a bowl of ice water to halt their cooking.
- Repeat: Repeat the blanching and shocking another 4 times for a total of 5 blanchings. Do not skip this step, as it is crucial to removing bitterness.
Candying the Peels
- Simple Syrup: Rinse out the pot, then pour in the filtered water and add the sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is simmering.
- Simmer: Drain the peels and add them to the syrup. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until they are translucent and soft.
- Drain: Use the skimmer to drain the peels, then spread them on wire racks set over rimmed cookie sheets to catch any drips of syrup.
- Dry: Bake at 180°F for 1 ½-2 hours, checking halfway through. They're done when they're mostly dry but still tacky. Alternatively, you can let them air dry, which can take from 8 hours up to 3 days.
- Roll in Sugar: Once they have dried out, roll them in extra granulated sugar to reduce stickiness. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place or in the freezer.
Notes
- Blanch the peels 5 times before simmering in the sugar syrup to prevent a bitter result.
- Keep the sugar syrup left over from simmering and use it to sweeten mocktails, tea, or in poke cakes.
- Don't want to dry them in the oven? Air dry instead. Depending upon the humidity, it could take as few as 8 hours or as long as 1-2 days.
- Roll in sugar while still tacky to reduce stickiness and to have a better presentation.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Alex
The peel is soft and the crunchy sugar on the outside is lovely. I like the slight hint of bitterness at the end.
Emma
Thank you so much, Alex!
Beth
This candied grapefruit peel is very tasty, chewy, and with a light grapefruit taste. Delicious and very pretty!
Emma
Glad you enjoyed it, Beth!