Fall Through Christmas: 8 Ways To Use Beautiful, Aromatic Oranges
Easy, beautiful ways to use oranges from fall through Christmas, plus tips for drying orange slices vibrant for decor and recipes.
Discover eight creative ways to use beautiful, aromatic oranges in your fall and Christmas decor and recipes. From learning how to dry oranges, to making festive centerpieces, to delicious seasonal treats, find tips and inspiration to make the most of oranges throughout the holiday season!
Every Christmas, my Mom and grandmother, Nani, told me the story of how they got oranges in their stockings on Christmas morning every year. And I could see the wistfulness of this sweet memory in their eyes every time they told it. As a child, I never got oranges because they were plentiful and did not carry the same prize status as they once did.
When my children were young, Santa started the tradition again. But the orange in their stockings was not a fresh one, but a chocolate one. Santa tucked a chocolate orange in their stockings to keep the tradition alive.
In the post today, let’s celebrate 8 beautiful, delicious, and aromatic ways to use oranges.
8 Ways To Use Orange From Fall Through Christmas
- Dry orange slices for garlands, ornaments, and wreaths
- Style a dough bowl centerpiece with dried oranges
- Add dried slices to a Thanksgiving coffee bar
- Simmer a fall potpourri with orange, cinnamon, and clove
- Bake orange oatmeal muffins
- Make cranberry orange sauce
- Bake a cranberry orange holiday Bundt cake
- Simmer Christmas mulled cider with orange slices
The Best Way To Dry Oranges So They Stay Vibrant
Dried oranges are a perfect way to add natural beauty and a pop of color to your fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decor. Drying oranges so they stay vibrant and beautiful is not hard to do! In this post, The Best Way To Dry Oranges So They Stay Vibrant, I walk you through the simple steps to achieve the best results. And I share a secret for keeping these beautiful fruit slices gorgeous, vibrant color.
From the types of oranges to use, to drying methods that lock in their stunning color, to ideas for using oranges in your decor, as well as recipes, you will love using dried oranges! Here are 8 ways to use oranges from fall through Christmas!
Drying oranges is easy to do and a little addictive! It’s an ideal project to start now.
Thanksgiving Morning Coffee Bar Your Overnight Guest Will Absolutely Love
Creating a cozy and inviting Thanksgiving coffee bar is a thoughtful way to welcome overnight guests during the holiday season. This coffee bar is a simple yet special touch that will make mornings feel even more festive. But don’t just save this until overnight guests arrive. A fall into Thanksgiving self-serve station is perfect for any type of gathering!
In this post, I’ve shared some great ideas on how to set up a Thanksgiving morning coffee bar that your guests will absolutely love, filled with seasonal flavors and essentials to make their stay extra comfortable and festive.
I used dried oranges as a decorative accent and also to be broken in half and added to the coffee. The dried oranges infuse the coffee with a mild orange flavor and a little sweetness.
See the full set-up here: Thanksgiving Morning Coffee Bar Your Overnight Guests Will Absolutely Love.
Holiday Dough Bowl Centerpiece With Dried Oranges
A Christmas dough bowl centerpiece is a wonderful way to bring natural beauty and holiday cheer to your table. Using a variety of seasonal elements, like greenery, pinecones, and candles, you can create a stunning focal point in just a few simple steps. I used four candles in this arrangement as an Advent Wreath.
I believe this dough bowl could easily work as a Thanksgiving centerpiece in November. With Christmas falling later this year, I love including pheasant feathers for a Thanksgiving touch. It’s the perfect November through December accent!
Adding dried oranges to this arrangement brings an extra touch of warmth and color, making the display feel even more festive and inviting. For full details, see: Christmas Dough Bowl 7 Easy Steps For Creating A Holiday Centerpiece.
Easy To Make Simmering Potpourri
Nothing says fall quite like the comforting scents of simmering potpourri, filling your home with the warm, charming scents of the season. A fall simmer pot is an easy and delightful way to bring comfort and coziness into your home using natural ingredients like oranges, cinnamon, and cloves. You can use dried oranges instead of fresh ones for a deeper, more concentrated aroma.
This simmer pot is so easy to put together and perfect for creating that inviting autumn ambiance throughout your home. Learn how to make it here: Easy To Make Fall Simmering Potpourri and Christmas Simmer Pot That Will Make Your Home Smell Like Christmas.
My Favorite Fall Through Christmas Recipes Featuring Oranges
The flavor of orange complements fall and Christmas flavors so well. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for this time of year featuring the bright flavor of oranges…
Easy Orange Oatmeal Muffins
Orange oatmeal muffins are a delicious and wholesome treat, perfect for fall mornings or holiday brunches. They would be perfect for a coffee bar, like the one above.
The combination of fresh orange flavor and hearty oatmeal creates a muffin that’s both zesty and comforting. And these muffins aren’t sweet, making them perfect for dunking in coffee or enjoying them as an on-the-go breakfast.
These easy-to-make muffins are a wonderful addition to any seasonal gathering, as breakfast or a cozy snack. You can find the full recipe and tips here: Easy Orange Oatmeal Muffins.
Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce
This cranberry sauce is so easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Cranberry orange sauce is a must-have for any holiday table, combining the tartness of cranberries with the bright, citrusy flavor of oranges. This simple recipe elevates the classic sauce with a fresh twist, perfect for pairing with turkey or spreading on warm rolls.
I love using it as a holiday jam on toast with coffee and fruit for breakfast.
Find the full recipe here: Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce.
Beautiful Cranberry Orange Holiday Bundt Cake
Cranberry Orange Holiday Bundt Cake is a show-stopping dessert that’s perfect for holiday gatherings. The combination of tart cranberries and zesty oranges creates a lovely moist, flavorful cake that’s both festive and delicious.
With its beautiful presentation and rich flavors, this cake is sure to delight your family and guests and become a seasonal favorite. For the full recipe and tips on creating this stunning dessert, check it out here: Beautiful Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake.
Christmas Mulled Cider Worthy of Sipping All Day Long
Christmas mulled cider is the ultimate cozy drink to enjoy during the holiday season and fall season too! It blends the rich flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and oranges, making it a fragrant and flavorful beverage that’s perfect for sipping all day long.
Whether you’re hosting guests or relaxing by the fire, this mulled cider will bring comfort and warmth to your holiday festivities, and delicious aromas will waft throughout your home. Find the full recipe here: Holiday Mulled Cider Worth Sipping All Day Long.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Oranges
When kept in a cool, dry place, dried orange slices can stay pretty for several months — even up to a year. Their scent will fade over time, but their soft amber color remains. If you want to reuse them next season, store them flat in a lidded box with a sheet of parchment between each layer.
The secret is drying them slowly at a low temperature and letting them cool completely before storing. If you dry them too quickly, they can darken or curl. I like to place mine on a wire rack, turn them every so often, and let the warm oven air work its magic. The slower they dry, the prettier they’ll look.
Absolutely! Lemons, limes, and blood oranges all dry beautifully and add variety to your decorations. I often mix them together for garlands or to fill bowls and wreaths. Each color has its own personality — oranges feel cozy, lemons are cheerful, and blood oranges add rich, deep tones for Christmas.
I wouldn’t recommend it. Once oranges have been used in garlands or wreaths, they’re no longer food-safe. But you can always make a separate batch just for cooking or simmering pots. Dried orange slices are delicious in tea, mulled cider, or tucked into a batch of baked goods for a burst of natural flavor.
Oranges are a heavenly match for the fall season and the holidays! It’s not too early to start enjoying all the orange-infused ideas in this post.
Oh your orange slices look amazing as does your simmering potpourri. It sure gets you into the feel for fall which is my favourite time of year. I have been enjoy eating mandarin oranges and had purchased very small cookie cutters. I try to peel the orange which leaves a large(ish) piece and then cut a star or whatever from the peel. I then dry them with a screen above and below (for air flow) so they dry (relatively) flat and save for my Thanksgiving/Christmas simmering pot.
What a great idea, Janice! Thanks for sharing!