How to Make Orange Sugar (Simple, Easy Recipe!)
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Learning how to make orange sugar will take your dessert and drink recipes up a notch. Plus it’s so simple and easy to make! You can make several jars in advance and give them away as thoughtful and economical gifts, too.
I don’t think most of us use flavored sugars, but they really are a cheap treat that can make your dishes really shine!
When I buy citrus fruits, I buy them in season and in bulk so that I can get the cheapest price per pound. My family loves to eat citrus fruit.
Useful Tips
Follow these tips to make a delicious citrus sugar that will give your recipes an extra burst of orange flavor.
Oranges
Use orange peels either from a navel orange or mandarin oranges. I like buying organic mandarin oranges because there is hardly any white pith, which leaves a bitter taste.
You don’t necessarily need to use fresh orange peels, though. Simply save the zest in a freezer bag when you’re eating orange slices, and pull the zest out when you need them for a recipe! I do the same thing with lemon zest.
Sugar
Different types of sugar have different flavors. Choose organic raw cane sugar if your budget allows, because the added molasses flavor is wonderful with the orange flavor.
Other options include turbinado sugar, coconut sugar, and and date sugar. Simple white sugar also works, too, so use what you have.
Container
Choose a clear container for your orange sugar so that you can easily see the contents. Mason jars work great, but you can also recycle jelly jars or salsa jars for your sugar infusion.
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How to Make Orange Sugar
It’s easy to learn how to make orange sugar, and there are multiple ways to achieve the same effect. The recipe I’m sharing will make a delicious topping on your sugar cookies, cupcakes, and even your drinks!
Ingredients
Orange zest – Use good orange zest (the colored part of the orange peel). It can be previously frozen and thawed, but avoid using zest that has any brown or other color blemishes on them.
Sugar – Use the best granulated sugar that you have. I prefer organic cane sugar because it tastes better and isn’t as highly processed, but regular sugar works great, too.
Tools You May Need
Vegetable peeler – This sharp tool makes it easy to zest your orange into sheets of workable zest. Avoid tiny zesters like a microplane zester that only give you fine shreds of zest. Alternatively, a sharp paring knife will work in a pinch.
Cup – You will need to soak your orange zest in ice water.
Spoon – You will need a spoon, ladle, or scoop to pour the sugar into your container.
Funnel – This is optional, but would come in handy if you’re a bit messy with the sugar.
Air-tight container – I love using 8 ounce glass mason jars but you can use any size jar as long as it has an airtight lid.
Kitchen towel – After your orange zest soaks, you will need to dry it off on a clean towel.
Easy Orange Sugar Recipe
First, get your orange zest, sugar, and the container and spoon you plan on using. If you haven’t zested your orange yet, wash it and then use a vegetable peeler to cut wide strips of zest.
Then put the zest in a cup and add water and a few ice cubes. Let the zest soak in the ice water for about 10 minutes.
This soaking will remove any extra bitterness from the zest if any bits of white pith are left behind. It will also help remove extra chemicals if your oranges are not organic.
Next, scoop up your zest and set it on a clean kitchen towel to dry it off.
The zest will still be moist even when it’s dried, but you don’t want any extra water in your sugar.
Soak up the extra water the best that you can. A few pats dry should do.
Then get your airtight container and spoon ready, and add a couple scoops of sugar into your container.
Next, add a few pieces of zest to your sugar. You may need to rip the zest in half to get it to lay flat on your sugar.
Then top the orange zest with a couple more scoops of sugar to cover the zest. Add another layer of orange zest. You are building layers of orange zest and sugar.
Keep adding layers of orange zest and sugar until your container is full, and then top it with a final layer of sugar to completely cover the last of your orange zest.
And that’s it!
Place a lid on your jar, label it, and set it out of direct sunlight. For best results, store it at room temperature until you’re ready to use it.
You can use your orange sugar after a few days, but the scent and flavor get stronger the longer it sets.
Ways to Use Orange Sugar
Pancakes and Crepes – Add some of this orange sugar to your pancake or crepe recipe for a sweet orange flavor! I have a terrific pancake recipe using freshly milled flour if you want to make it.
Cookies – Add sprinkles of orange sugar to top sugar cookies, thumbprint cookies, butter cookies, and shortbread cookies when you want a hint of orange flavor.
I have a delicious recipe for cream cheese sugar cookies if you want to give them a try.
Drinks – Use orange sugar in any hot or cold drink when you want to add delicious orange flavor. These could include hot toddy, coffee, a cup of tea, and fruity drinks.
Try moistening the rim of a glass and dipping the rim in a bowl of orange sugar to add a pretty touch to homemade lemonade or limeade. I have a recipe for a healthy honey lemonade if you want to learn how to make it.
Cakes and cupcakes – You don’t need food-dyed sprinkles when you can add sprinkled orange sugar to the top of your cakes and cupcakes. You can also use your orange sugar in baked treats like fruit breads.
Homemade gift – Flavored sugars are a thoughtful, beautiful, and cheap gift. Give a jar of this sugar to the entertainers and cooks in your life during the holiday season.
Sugar scrubs – You can exfoliate your skin with sugar and orange zest. I really like using sugar scrubs. I will often add some vanilla extract but you can also add vanilla beans to make it extra pretty if you’re giving it away as a gift.
Alternative Method for Making Orange Sugar
Sugar Cubes – Infusing sugar with orange zest takes a few days to get the full effect, but there’s another way to make orange sugar if you need it quickly.
First, wash and dry your orange. Then take a sugar cube and rub it firmly on the peel of the orange on all sides of the sugar cube. You can use your orange sugar immediately, serve it on the side with hot tea, or store it in an airtight container for future use! Turbinado sugar cubes have a wonderful molasses flavor and they are very reasonably priced.
Food Processor – Add a cup of sugar to a food processor along with fresh orange zest. Then, simply mix it all together until the orange zest and sugar are well combined, and store it in an airtight container!
You’ll have tiny bits of orange zest mixed in with your sugar, but that’s fine for making quick bread and other recipes where you will be baking with your orange sugar. It’s not as desirable, however, for drinks because the sugar dissolves but not the zest.
Recipe Card
How to Make Orange Sugar
Equipment
- 8 ounce mason jar or other airtight container
- vegetable peeler
- cup (or small mixing bowl)
- spoon (or ladle or scoop)
- funnel (optional, but great for keeping messes to a minimum)
- kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 8 oz granulated sugar
- zest from one orange
Instructions
- First, get your orange zest, sugar, and the container and spoon you plan on using. If you haven’t zested your orange yet, wash it and then use a vegetable peeler to cut wide strips of zest.
- Put the zest in a cup of ice water and let the zest soak for about 10 minutes to remove bitterness.
- Next, scoop up your zest and set it on a clean kitchen towel to dry it off. The zest will still be moist even when it’s dried, but you don’t want any extra water in your sugar. Soak up the extra water the best that you can.
- Add a couple scoops of sugar to your container. Then add a few pieces of zest to your sugar.
- Top the orange zest with a couple more scoops of sugar to cover the zest. Add another layer of orange zest. You are building layers of orange zest and sugar.
- Keep adding layers of orange zest and sugar until your container is full, and then top it with a final layer of sugar to completely cover the last of your orange zest.
- Place a lid on your jar, label it, and set it out of direct sunlight.
- You can use your orange sugar after a few days, but the scent and flavor get stronger the longer it sets.
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