Recipe

Cinnamon Oranges with a Touch of Cuban Rum (Optional)

Name: Cinnamon Oranges with a Touch of Cuban Rum (Optional)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 6 medium, juicy sweet oranges (4 for slicing and 2 for juicing); 1 to 2 tablespoons white sugar; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, to flavor the juice; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, for sprinkling when serving (optional); 2 tablespoons (30 ml) aged Cuban rum ( optional , adult version only); 1 pinch of finely grated orange zest (optional)

Peeled orange slices bathed in their own juice with sugar and cinnamon, served very cold. A no-bake Cuban dessert with optional aged rum.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation15 min
Total time45 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

Cinnamon oranges are one of those classic homemade desserts: sweet orange slices without the peel, bathed in their own juice with a little sugar and cinnamon, and served very cold. They require no oven, no heat, and no syrup: just good fruit, a sharp knife, and some time in the fridge.

In the Cuban version, you can add a splash of aged rum, always optional, for the adults' table. Without alcohol, it is just as delicious and perfect for the whole family, especially on hot days when you want to end the meal with something fresh and aromatic.

The secret lies in peeling the orange well: you must remove all the white part (the albedo), which is what makes it bitter. We explain how to do this without wasting any pulp.

Ingredients

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6 medium, juicy sweet oranges (4 for slicing and 2 for juicing)
1 to 2 tablespoons white sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, to flavor the juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, for sprinkling when serving (optional)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) aged Cuban rum (optional, adult version only)
1 pinch of finely grated orange zest (optional)

Method

Wash the six oranges and dry them. If you are going to use the zest, grate a pinch of peel from one of the oranges before peeling it, using only the colored part and avoiding the white layer.
Peel four oranges with a knife, removing all the external white part without wasting much pulp. Cut them crosswise into slices 5–7 mm thick, remove the seeds, and place them in a shallow dish in a single layer or slightly overlapping. Do not use peels or loose segments.
Squeeze the other two oranges and strain the juice to remove the seeds. Reserve the natural juice.
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In a bowl, mix the juice with 1 tablespoon of sugar until dissolved. Add the ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and, if you like, the pinch of zest. Taste and add the second tablespoon of sugar only if necessary. For the adult version, add the 2 tablespoons of rum (or sweet wine) now; for the family version, omit the alcohol. Mix well: the cinnamon remains suspended and does not dissolve completely.
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Pour the mixture over the slices, trying to coat them evenly. Cover the dish and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes so they absorb the aromas. Halfway through the resting time, drizzle them again with the liquid from the bottom.
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Serve very cold, with a tablespoon of the maceration juice poured over them. If you prefer a more intense flavor, sprinkle a little of the remaining cinnamon just before serving.
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Tips and variations

Choose your fruit well. Use sweet, ripe, and firm oranges; sour cooking oranges are not suitable.

Remove the white part. To peel with a knife, first cut off a cap on top and another on the bottom, stand the orange upright on the cutting board, and remove the peel in strips from top to bottom, following the curve and removing all the white layer. Then check for any remaining white bits. Cut with a sharp knife without pressing hard so as not to break or crush the slices.

Cinnamon with measure. The cinnamon should perfume without overpowering the flavor of the orange; start with a small amount and add more at the end only if you prefer a more intense taste.

About the alcohol. The rum is entirely optional, and the version with rum is not suitable for children. For all audiences, prepare it without alcohol; nothing is missing. You can also use 2 tablespoons of sweet wine instead of the rum.

Note: this is not a sugar-free or diet dessert, as it contains added sugar.

Storage. Keep them covered in the fridge and eat them preferably on the same day. Do not leave them at room temperature for hours.

To serve. They look very nice in cold bowls, with a little of the maceration juice poured over them.