How to Dry Apples and Oranges for Inexpensive Christmas Decorations

Oh what to do with all those apples and oranges you find on sell and buy this time of year.  If your family is like mine, I sometimes have so many, they all don't get eaten! Whether yours eat them up as fast as you can buy them or not, drying apples and oranges for Christmas/Winter decorations is cheap and easy!!  (My two favorite subjects)!

I've been drying both for years.  You can add the dried slices to potpourri, flower arrangements, Christmas present toppers (tied on), string in a garland, hang as ornaments , or just sitting in a bowl or mason jar as a decoration.

Below is a tutorial followed by pictures of the finished product!!

Materials:

Pizza pan with holes OR cookie sheet
parchment paper
1 medium sized apple --6 slices
1 medium size navel orange--6 slices
lemon juice
ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg  (optional)
Raffia in any color you like (I like the natural)

1.  Line the pizza or cookie sheet with parchment paper (so the slices won't stick).  My pizza pan is well worn!  I like the pizza pan because it has holes on the bottom and aids in the drying time.

2. Slice the apple and the orange as thin as you are able making sure it is a whole slice,  Arrange on the pan.

3.  Brush or dab lemon juice on the apple slices to aid in keeping their "white" appearance" as they dry.

4.  Sprinkle lightly the tops of the slices with ground cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg.  This is optional.  One of my bff's does NOT like the smell of any of those spices so this step would be cut out for her!!

5..  Now there are two ways to dry these:  Air dry, which will take several days OR using your oven which takes about 6 hours set at 150 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.   The air drying is cheaper of course. Turn after one day.  Oven drying, turn over after a few hours and sprinkle with spices again.

When you are finished drying, using raffia or jute string, string through the natural holes that the fruit makes and knot. 

You can also add the dried oranges and apples to potpourri, dried arrangements, or whatever you wish.  Simple, cheap, easy.  And they smell divine!! 

(The pinecones are from my own yard which makes this arrangement even cheaper!!!  Feliz Navidad!