How to Dehydrate Citrus

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Learn to dehydrate citrus to step up your culinary game, stock your pantry with flavor, and create beautiful food art for your family!

Jar of dehydrated citrus rounds in front of a bowl of fresh citrus, along with cut limes on a cutting board.

While citrus season is in the late winter and early spring in North America, good citrus varieties are available all year around. You can take advantage of a great harvest season or a good sale at any time.

Citrus of all varieties (lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, kumquats, etc.), make an easy first project for dehydrators. A simple slice and dry is all that is needed!

Let's get started!

How to Dehydrate Citrus

Quick-drying FAQ: Dry at 125°F/52°C for 18-36+ hours, until slices snap when cooled.

Step one

Wash citrus well. Even if using organic, you need to soak and wash the citrus to remove any residue and wax that may be on the skins.

Soak in a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar for about 15 minutes. Scrub with baking soda if you feel it necessary.

Step Two

Slice into ¼" slices (6-7 mm). A sharp, serrated bread knife makes a good knife if cutting by hand.

Tip: If using a mandoline or meat slicer, cut the end of the citrus fruit to give yourself a flat surface.

Tip 2: PLEASE remember to wear a protective cutting glove when using a mandoline. Even if you can use the guard that comes with the machine, hands and surfaces become slick.

Step Three:

Place slices on trays. You can pack them fairly close together without overlapping. Some airflow is nice, but they don't need a ton of space, nor will they shrink much.

Dry at 125°F/52°C or lower for 18-36+ hours.

While the recommended temperature for fruit is 135°F/57°C, citrus often browns during the drying phase as the sugars brown from the heat. Dropping the temperature can help prevent that, though you do have to add a little more time to the drying process.

Dehydrated lemons and limes at three different temperatures to show how they brown — Showing the difference in temperature drying for lemons and limes. This image is a little contrast heavy, as the natural colors are lighter for the lowest temperature in real life.

You can use a liner such as silicone mesh or parchment paper, but it's not generally necessary.

Tip: Flip your slices after the three to four hour mark, and every five hours to keep them from sticking to your trays.

Step Four:

Test. Allow a sample or two to come to room temperature. It is fully dry when you can snap it in two easily, and there is no moisture in the cells of the flesh.

Step Five:

Condition. The conditioning process is important to allow all of your slices to come to a median humidity and to check for any moisture issues. This helps prevent molding in storage.

Step Six:

Store in an airtight container for up to eighteen months, though you'll likely get a much longer time with proper storage techniques.

How to Use Dried Citrus Slices

Your dehydrated slices will look so pretty in your containers on their own, but they have so many more uses than simply throwing in a bowl of potpourri.

Roast chicken: Place slices in the cavity or make a bed for the chicken to sit on.
Place slices on fish to bake.
Slip into a glass of water or tea to bring a bright citrus flavor.
Dip in chocolate to eat as treats or share as gifts
As a garnish on cocktails
Decorating (Remember to spray with a protective coating if displaying citrus on a wreath or other decoration for any period of time to seal it)
Potpourri

How to Dehydrate Citrus Zest

If you want the zest from any citrus variety, you can do it on its own, and still dehydrate the leftover citrus slices.

Simply use your favorite zester to remove the zest (minus the white pith), lay between two paper towels and allow to air dry for a day or so.

You can also place them in a coffee filter on your dehydrating trays and dry at 95F until dry.

Store in an airtight container and use in place of fresh zest if you're out.

Dehydrating Citrus Varieties

You can get more specific information on drying your favorite type of citrus here:

Citrus
Grapefruit
Lemon
Lime
Orange (Blood orange, mandarin, navel, Cara Cara, etc.)

How to Make Citrus Powder

Canning jar of dried citrus slices, a dish of citrus powder and a bowl of citrus in the background. — Watch the video of how to make and store citrus powder here

Dry fruit thoroughly with the instructions above. It's important that your citrus slices be completely dry before powdering.

Break slices up into the grinder of your choice. I happen to use a NutriNinja most often, but a coffee grinder or large blender works well, too.
Pulse your grinder four or five times before commencing to a sustained grind.
Strain out the powder with a fine-mesh strainer, then grind the leftover bits again.
Condition: Place powder on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a warmed (but off) oven OR back into your dehydrator in coffee filters, muffin papers, etc. to dry for 15-30 min
Allow to come to room temperature, then store in an airtight container, preferably with a moisture absorber. Follow these tips to prevent clumping in citrus powder

LEARN MORE: 25+ Ways to Use Fruit Powder

Commonly asked questions

How long does dried citrus last?

Typically, most dehydrated foods are best within a twelve to eighteen month window that you dry them, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. However, with proper airtight storage techniques, you're likely to get much longer time from them.

Can I eat the peels?

While citrus peels are edible, you need to weigh the organic vs. conventional citrus debate about clean fruit.
Rinds can also be very bitter depending on the pith within the fruit and how much there is. I personally find the citrus peels too bitter because of the pith, and I dry the slices, then peel the rind off and eat the flesh of the fruit.

It's been 24 hours and my citrus still isn't dry!

Time is relative when dehydrating. It depends on your machine, your home's humidity, the moisture in your fruit, how thick you've cut the slices, etc. Use the time mentioned as a window of time, not an exact. Keep drying if they aren't fully dried, yet!