Adding pieces of cut up orange slice candy to snack bars is a delicious treat. This is a recipe for old fashioned Orange Slice Bars. If you’re a fan of orange slice candy, you’re going to go crazy over these chewy dessert bars. They’re over the top kid friendly and popular for any age.
About This Recipe and Why It Works
When’s the last time you had some of those sugary gooey orange slice jelly candy???
I used to love those things as a kid. So no wonder I would love these orange slice bars.
Orange slices are chopped and then soaked in water before mixing with the dough and baking.
The dough isn’t too sweet which compliments the bright taste of the orange slice candy.
The end result is chewy cake like bar that has a crunch of pecan. Dusted with powdered sugar and everyone you make these for will flip.
History of Orange Slice Bars
My mom has had this recipe for as long as I can remember. Notes indicate the recipe came from our neighbor who lived about a mile from us. They made an appearance at every church supper pot luck plus my mom made them often.
My memory tells me that the recipe came from the manufacturer of this candy.
With all that said, these Orange Slice Bars recipe is a crowd pleaser.
Easy Way To Cut Up Orange Slice Candy
The hardest thing about this recipe is chopping up those packaged orange slice candies. Even the sharpest of knives doesn’t work well against that thick gooey sugary candy.
I find that if you place the candy in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. They’re easier to chop. Use a knife or a good pair of kitchen shears to cut the candy into eight pieces. Dipping the shears or knife in cold water helps with the process.
How To Make This Recipe
Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.
- Large Eggs
- Flour
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Unsalted Butter
- Orange Slice Candy
- Pecans
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Step 1: Freeze whole orange slice candy for 20 – 30 minutes. With a very sharp knife, cut the candy into eights.
- Step 2: Place the pieces of candy in a bowl and pour 6 tablespoons of boiling water over the candy. Let it stand for at least 2 hours and even overnight if you’re not in a hurry.
- Step 3: Chop the pecans. I like using my chef’s knife.
- Step 4: Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and blend well.
- Step 5: Mix together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Using the paddle attachment, gently mix together and then add orange candy and pecans.
Spread the batter into greased and floured 15 ½ x 10 ½ inch jelly roll pan. Bake 34 – 40 minutes at 325 degrees.
While the bars are still warm, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Let the bars cool completely before slicing.
Storage:
- Orange slice bars can sit covered at room temperature for up to three days. Refrigerate in an air-tight container after that. They will stay fresh for up to a week.
- They will also freeze very well. Wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to six months. Defrost in refrigerator overnight.
Recipe for Orange Slice Bars
I hope you give this recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give it a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have any favorite recipes using orange slice candy or for dessert bar recipes, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Related Recipes
And if you’re looking for even more dessert recipes, don’t miss my Dessert Category. You’ll find lots of mouthwatering recipes including the most popular dessert recipe on my site for No Bake Key Lime Pie.
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Orange Slice Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound orange slice jelly candies
- 6 Tablespoons boiling water
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ¼ cups sugar
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Cut orange slice candies into eights; pour boiling water over candy slices and let stand 2 hours or overnight.
- Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until it seems fluffy. Add eggs and mix on low until blended.
- Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture. Add orange slices and pecans and gently mix until well blended. Batter will be thick.
- Using a spatula, put into greased and floured 15 ½ x 10 ½ inch jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes at 325 degrees or until done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Let the bars completely cook before cutting into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Old Fashioned Orange Slice Bars … They’re what’s for dessert.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
love those orange slices have fun cooking your mums recipes
You know I will, thanks for stopping by Rebecca
Haha, how creative and delightful is that? I love chewy gummies…and baked into a cookie bar? Splendid! Orange I glad I stumbled onto this post!
As always, thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I could never make this because I’d never get past eating the orange slices straight of the bag. That would be like trying to make something out of chocolate covered cherries.
I hear ya Chris. My husband kept sneaking orange slices. I’m actually a Dot fan…a Dotaholic you might say. If these were Dot Bars, I’d be in trouble.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
Sounds really tasty… I’ve never had them… I’ll have to try them
They are tasty. Thanks Linda
I have nothing clever to say using the word orange. I’ll leave the humor to the experts 😉 These look yum! How do you think these would hold up if packaged in boxes a bit in advance for christmas gifts? I’m looking for ideas here.
And I’m being a good girl and remembering to subscribe to the comments this time!
I just came home with a sack full of food gift containers from The Container Store. Do you have a Container Store? Really cute stuff and a fairly decent price. I did cut some of those Orange bars in squares and plan to fill a couple of containers and freeze until Christmas. Yes, they are solid enough not to goo all over a container. This recipe does freeze well by the way. I also have some cellophane type paper to line the gift boxes= CUTE. I’m also going to make some fudge and a recipe called Boston Crème. I love giving food gifts and also receiving them.
I love this post! I almost pmp (pithed my pants) reading all your clever puns! It’s great that you’re making your mom’s recipes and also great that you’re taking her down memory lane. I love traditions. Sounds fun and memorable.
Thanks Vickie! 🙂
Lee Ann, I can hardly wait to try your recipe. It sounds delicious! My mom used to make an Orange Slice cake in a bundt pan. Sadly, I never got her recipe, but it was heavenly! Actually, your bars sound similar in that the cake had both pecans and the orange slices in it, and it was always dusted with powdered sugar!
Sweet memories. Thank you for reminding me.
Hi Patti. Thanks for sharing your memories about the cake. I’m going to have to look for a recipe, as I’ve had several notes about an orange slice cake recipe.
Oranges are such a weird fruit to me because I associate citrus with summer and yet they are in season in the winter. Odd. But true.
I love these gummy candies. I am so much more of a gummy fan than anything else. Those Sour Patch Kids watermelon gummies – my absolute favorite.
These bars sound delicious. Yay for moms and I can’t wait for that dinner you cooked up!
Hmmm, never had the Sour Patch Kids Watermelons – Sounds like a new gummy in my future. 🙂 I love and am addicted to Dots.
I used to love those orange candies! How clever of your mother to include them in a bar recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for stopping by Barbara!
What a wild bar! I have never had anything like it. Sounds tasty!
Thanks for stopping by Natashya
I’ve been hearing about how ya’ll are get slammed with snow and there’s more to come. in a way i wish i could be home creating delicious holiday treats like you!
I associate orange with christmas and this is so perfect. You have inspired me!
Thanks Katherine. 🙂
I love jellied candies, but the tart, multi flavored ones that look like a slice of fruit are a personal favorite!
Well, we could switch out high fructose corn syrup orange candies for the high fructose tart multis and call them: Tart Multi-flavored Bars. Such a versatile recipe. LOL and as always thanks for stopping by BD
Those orange slice thingys. YES!
That’s so cool that you decided to whip out an orange slice candy recipe.
Take that, any stuck up sophisticated gourmet bloggers out there!
(Even though all the people who interact on your blog seem way cool. I just had to throw that out there in case anybody turned their nose up)
LOL Dan. And LOL about the disclaimer.
orange you just a little ashamed of your self for bragging about beating up the KC Chiefs this year… Like bragging that Your car beat my bicycle in a road race…
But wait til next year (and next year, I wont need to write the same thing, just assume in mud December, 2010 I tell you to wait til next year again… saves time and energy)
LOL Dave, my husband made me take out what I really said about that victory, I did mention you and something about flat out kicking butt. He said I was being mean. Geez. Isn’t that what football rivalry is all about???
My grandfather was a citrus grower for Sunkist in California, and always had these orange slice candies in their home. I think my grandmother even had a similar recipe she made each year for Christmas. Thank you for this post! It brought back lots of lovely memories.
Very Cool! In that case, I wonder if this recipe came from the back of a Brach’s Orange Slice package??? I tried to Google Brach’s before I posted this and couldn’t come up with anything. This recipe has to be over 30 years old
Do you know, I wondered later where the recipe might have originated. It’s possible that it came from the candy manufacturer, but hers were always from Sunkist in a big red box. Grandma always called ther bars ‘Lucilles’ because she got the recipe from a friend named Lucille.
I like the name Lucilles much better than Orange Slice Bars! How fun to find someone who has had these! They are very tasty.
Mom recipes are always fun! 😉 I have not had an orange jelly slice in ages. I love how creative these are–they look delicious.
I can’t believe they still make them. Each year I’m afraid I won’t be able to find them.
Orange you going to eat a few slices before cutting them up?
Would chilling the slices in the freezer make them easier to slice?
You know I did Carol! This idea of freezing them abit is genius – that’s why they pay you the big bucks!
Oh I love Mom recipes. My Mom doesn;t get here until closer to the holiday but she’ll be cooking!!! These look wonderful.
Thanks for stopping by Cathy and you know I can’t wait for more of your mom’s recipes. I’m still drooling over the last posts.
I loved those orange candies as a kid. I may have to search them out. Can you buy them at the local grocer?
P.S. I hate the Broncos and John Elway is a (deleted)
Yes Chilebrown, I find them at Safeway and at Walgreens. As I mentioned in another reply, each year I make them I’m always afraid I won’t be able to find them anymore. AND how on earth can anyone hate our adorable Broncos!!!!! 🙂
6 tablespoons of boiling water and 1 pound of orange slices? is that like a third of a cup of water? I have a lot of questions.
It’s not real orange slices, it’s those orange slice gooey candies. Sold on the candy isle of grocery stores.
is the orange skinned and peeled of the white stuff? did you use butter or margarine – you list butter but you say ‘cream margarine’ – I want to make these!
I do not use Margarine. Butter only. I forgot to change the original recipe from margarine to butter. Sorry. There is no real orange. It’s the Orange slice candy pieces.