How to Dry Marjoram: 4 Methods, Times and Temperatures

Marjoram (Origanum majorana, mint family) is one of the easier herbs to dry.¹ The University of Wisconsin’s guidance lists it among the sturdy herbs well suited to air-drying,² and America’s Test Kitchen names it among the hardy herbs that hold up dried.³ The simplest method is to hang small bundles in a warm, dry, airy room out of direct sun. A dehydrator is faster and gives you control of the temperature. The settings below come from university extension guides; where they disagree, the disagreement is shown rather than averaged.

At a glance

Method	Settings from named sources	Time	Notes
Air-drying	Bundles of 5–6 stems, hung at 70–80°F in a dry, ventilated spot out of direct sun²	Generally 2–4 weeks²	Cheapest; needs dry air
Dehydrator	95–115°F, up to 125°F where humid⁴; Penn State says 95–110°F⁵	1–4 hours⁴	Most control
Oven	Lowest setting, not above 180°F, door open⁵	3–4 hours⁵	Or overnight with only the oven light on⁴
Microwave	On high, from 30 seconds to 3 minutes depending on the source (table below)	Minutes	Small batches only; paper towels can catch fire⁵
Sun	Not recommended⁵⁴⁶		Costs color and flavor⁴

Before you start

The extension guides agree on timing: the best point to harvest most herbs for drying is just before the flowers first open,⁴⁶ picked in the early morning once the dew has evaporated.⁶ Oregon State adds that cut herbs should not lie in the sun or sit unattended after harvest.⁶

Rinse the stems in cool water and shake off the excess,⁵⁴ then remove all visible water with towels or paper towels.² A widely repeated claim says rinsing rids herbs of pathogens; the extension guides present it as cleaning and make no such claim.

Air-drying

Air-drying is the easiest and cheapest method,² and marjoram is one of the herbs it suits. The Wisconsin method: tie washed branches into small bundles of 5–6 stems and hang them upside down in a warm (70–80°F), dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight until the moisture has gone, generally 2–4 weeks.² Keep the bundles small, because the University of Tennessee warns that herbs in bundles that are too large will mold.⁷

Where you hang them matters. Penn State says to keep drying herbs away from the sink, stove and dishwasher, where the air is moist.⁵ Oregon State suggests an attic, a kitchen or any warm place with air circulation,⁶ and NCHFP says drying indoors usually gives better color and flavor than drying outdoors.⁴

A paper bag is optional. Penn State recommends a bag punched with holes to keep dust off the herbs.⁵ If you use one, gather it around the stems and tie it, cut holes in the sides for air, and pick a bag big enough that the leaves don’t touch its sides.² It also catches leaves as they fall (common practice).

Dehydrator

A dehydrator gives the most control, because you set the temperature. NCHFP’s instructions are to preheat with the thermostat at 95–115°F, going as high as 125°F where humidity is high, and to expect 1–4 hours, checking periodically.⁴ Penn State’s range tops out lower, at 110°F.⁵ Spread the sprigs in a single layer (common practice) and start checking at the one-hour mark.

Oven

An oven works only if it can run cool. Penn State’s method is the lowest temperature, not above 180°F, for 3 to 4 hours with the door open,⁵ and the Wisconsin guide gives the same figures, with the herbs in a single layer and stirred now and then.² Oregon State warns that drying herbs at too high a temperature can cause flavor loss.⁶ Short, hot oven sessions of an hour or so at 200°F circulate widely; none of the extension guides we checked recommends one.

If your oven’s lowest setting is above 180°F, use the cool-oven method instead. Lay leaves on a paper towel so they don’t touch, cover with another towel and another layer of leaves, and repeat for up to five layers. Leave them overnight in an oven warmed only by the light of an electric oven or the pilot light of a gas one.⁴⁷ Penn State notes that in some ovens the light alone gives enough heat.⁵

Microwave

The microwave is fast and suits small amounts only.⁴ The guides do not agree on the timing:

Source	Amount	Time on high	Method
Penn State⁵	Per cup	2–3 minutes	Start with 1 minute, mix every 30 seconds, keep checking
University of Tennessee⁷	Per cup	2–3 minutes	Start with 1 minute, mix every 30 seconds
Oregon State⁶	1 cup (never more than 1–2 cups)	1–2 minutes	Stir every 30 seconds after the first minute until almost dry, then finish at room temperature
University of Wisconsin²	4 or 5 branches between paper towels	2–3 minutes	Another 30 seconds if not brittle
America’s Test Kitchen³	Not stated, on a paper towel	30–40 seconds	Crumble and store

As a starting point (Method), begin with a minute or less, then check every 30 seconds until the leaves crumble.

Two safety points apply whatever the timing. Penn State warns that if the load is too small, the paper towels can catch fire,⁵ and Oregon State says not to use paper towels made from recycled paper, which can contain metal scraps that arc.⁶ The Wisconsin guidance calls the microwave a last resort that cooks the herbs and gives very poor quality, and notes that the heat drives off some of the oils along with the water, so microwaved herbs may taste less intense than herbs dried other ways.²

Where the guides disagree

Question	What named sources say
Dehydrator temperature	95–115°F, up to 125°F where humidity is high (NCHFP, Tennessee, Oregon State)⁴⁶⁷; 95–110°F (Penn State)⁵
Air-drying time	Generally 2–4 weeks for sturdy herbs hung in bundles (Wisconsin)²; usually 5–10 days for tender herbs hung in small bunches inside bags (Oregon State)⁶
Microwave time	From 30–40 seconds (America’s Test Kitchen) to 2–3 minutes per cup (Penn State, Tennessee); see the table above
Oven	Lowest setting up to 180°F with the door open for 3–4 hours (Penn State, Wisconsin)⁵²; or no heat but the oven light or pilot light, overnight (NCHFP, Tennessee)⁴⁷

None of these was tested side by side on the same herb, so we have not picked a winner. Where a range is given, starting low and checking often is the cautious reading (Method).

What drying does to marjoram

A 2022 review of marjoram essential oil credits the herb’s sweet note to cis-sabinene hydrate.⁸ We found no study measuring how home drying methods change marjoram’s oil or flavor, so which method keeps the most of it is not yet measured for this herb. For studies on related herbs, see how to dry oregano and how to dry rosemary, and for the general picture, dried herbs vs. fresh.

How to tell it’s done

Herbs are dry when the leaves are crisp and crumble easily between the fingers⁵ and the stems break when bent.⁴ Oregon State adds that the leaves should fall from the stems.⁶ Strip the leaves and discard the stems.²

Check your work after packing. The Wisconsin guidance is to watch the filled containers for a couple of days; if you see any moisture, take the herbs out and dry them longer.²

Air-dried herbs can carry insects. The University of Tennessee says air-dried herbs and seeds need treating to kill insects and their eggs, either by heating at 160°F for 30 minutes or by freezing at 0°F or lower for at least 48 hours, and it recommends freezing for better flavor.⁷

Storing dried marjoram

Keep the leaves whole and crumble them as you cook; Penn State says storing herbs whole is preferred.⁹ Use airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark place,⁴ away from the stove and sink.⁵ Oregon State adds that dried herbs can also go into airtight containers in the freezer.⁶

How long dried marjoram keeps depends on whom you ask, and none of these figures was measured on marjoram:

Source	Scope	Figure
Penn State⁵	Most home-dried herbs	Keep well for up to a year
Oregon State⁶	Home-dried herbs	Up to one year; for best flavor, use within six months to a year
University of Wisconsin²	Home-dried herbs	Keep for years, but use within a year for best flavor
America’s Test Kitchen³	Herbs dried in the microwave by its method	Up to 3 months, airtight
McCormick¹⁰	Leafy dried herbs, a spice company’s own guidance	1–3 years

We have not averaged these. McCormick defines shelf life as how long spices stay most aromatic,¹⁰ which is the right way to read every figure here: a quality window, not a safety date. The practical test is smell. Crush a pinch, and if the aroma is faint, the marjoram has faded.

Herbs in oil are a separate food-safety question. A 2011 review of home-prepared vegetables and herbs stored in oil advises refrigerating them and using them within four days or discarding them, and calls freezing the safest option.¹¹

Not yet measured

How each drying method changes marjoram’s aroma compounds.
How long home-dried marjoram keeps, measured on marjoram rather than herbs in general.
Microwave times by oven wattage for marjoram.

Origanum majorana L., Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. powo.science.kew.org · Reference work ↩
Drying Herbs, Wisconsin Master Gardener Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison. mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu · Reference work ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵
When You Should Actually Use Dried Herbs, America’s Test Kitchen. americastestkitchen.com · Publication ↩ ↩² ↩³
Herbs (drying), National Center for Home Food Preservation. nchfp.uga.edu · Reference work ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵
Let’s Preserve: Drying Herbs, Penn State Extension. extension.psu.edu · Reference work ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸
Drying herbs (SP 50-921), Oregon State University Extension Service. extension.oregonstate.edu · Reference work ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³
Drying Herbs, University of Tennessee Extension. lawrence.tennessee.edu · Reference work ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
Kakouri et al., Life, 2022. mdpi.com · Peer-reviewed ↩
Preserving Herbs by Drying, Penn State Extension. extension.psu.edu · Reference work ↩
How Long Do Spices Last?, McCormick. mccormick.com · Merchant ↩ ↩²
Nummer et al., Food Protection Trends, 2011. foodprotection.org · Peer-reviewed ↩

How to Dry Marjoram: Air, Dehydrator, Oven and Microwave