Orange dessert recipes make the most of the sweetest citrus fruit. From cakes to candies, these treats will brighten even the gloomiest day!
While maybe not as popular in the dessert realm as their lemon counterparts, orange dessert recipes are utterly irresistible. What better way is there to let the sweetest citrus fruit shine than to turn it into a bright, vibrant dessert that explodes with juicy flavors?
Oranges come in many varieties, all of which work beautifully in desserts. From clementine cupcakes and mandarin orange bread to tangy orange marmalade and candied orange slices, the possibilities are endless!
While oranges are very often used to inject flavor into cakes, don’t be shy about stepping outside of that comfort zone. Oranges make for utterly delightful frozen desserts just bursting with juiciness. Try simple gelatos, sorbets and even semifreddo.
And how drab would our mornings be without orange preserves? Tangy marmalade on a slice of orange loaf cake or orange curd slathered on a chocolate orange scone will elevate any breakfast, brunch, or afternoon coffee break.
Don’t forget the decadent (and very popular) chocolate-orange flavor combo. This works beautifully with candies like chocolate-covered peel or orange slices but also in stunning (but easy!) orange dessert recipes such as my blood orange and dark chocolate fondant cakes.
Pssst… If you love citrus desserts as much as I do, be sure to check out my Citrus Desserts ebook with 16 well-loved and meticulously tested citrus desserts!
by Food Nouveau
This deceptively easy recipe for orange yogurt cake produces a light and fluffy treat you can enjoy as-is or garnish more creatively for special occasions.
by Style Sweet
This pretty-in-pink, glazed Blood Orange Bundt Cake is tender with a burst of citrus. Be sure to make this blushing beauty while blood oranges are in season!
by Family Style Food
This simple Italian-inspired almond cake is baked with spoonfuls of fresh orange-infused ricotta. Delicious, from breakfast to dessert!
by Food Nouveau
These fine-crumbed orange and carrot cupcakes are filled with good-for-you ingredients and topped with a citrus fruit-infused creamy cream cheese frosting.
by Mangia Bedda
Orange Ciambella is an easy, “last-minute” orange dessert recipe to have on hand when company is coming over. Fragrant and infused with orange flavor, this is the perfect simple dessert to enjoy with your coffee!
by The Forked Spoon
Quite possibly the easiest cake you will ever make, this Blood Orange Upside Down Cake takes only 10 minutes to prepare, giving you the perfect excuse to make a cake (and eat it too!) whenever, whereever!
by Addicted to Dates
This deliciously zesty vegan orange loaf cake is drizzled with an irresistible orange icing. This cake is moist, fluffy, and bursting with citrus flavor. Perfect for making the most out of citrus season!
by Food Nouveau
These delightfully tender squash cupcakes are infused with aromatic clementines and topped with an elegant maple-flavored Italian meringue buttercream.
by An Italian in My Kitchen
This easy-to-make Mandarin Orange Bread is beautiful and delicious! It makes the perfect breakfast, snack, or even dessert bread. Leave it plain, or serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or a simple mandarin orange glaze?
by Food Nouveau
This delightfully moist cardamom carrot cake is infused with bright spices and citrus flavors: it’s the perfect combination of comforting and refreshing.
by Fresh April Flours
This moist and flavorful orange vanilla cake is full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. A sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this orange creamsicle cake simply irresistible!
by Food Nouveau
These indulgent chocolate fondant cakes combine slightly acidic blood oranges with rich dark chocolate, which delightfully highlights the complementary flavors of both ingredients.
by Addicted to Dates
This no-bake vegan chocolate orange cheesecake recipe is the BEST you’ll ever try! Made with dairy-free cream cheese, dark chocolate, and fresh oranges to create an intense chocolate orange flavor explosion. This decadent cake is perfect for any occasion!
by Food Nouveau
These orange and maple madeleines deliciously combine citrus and maple products, demonstrating the two flavors are a match made in heaven.
by Homemade in the Kitchen
Learn how to make delicate and fruity soft orange cookies using orange marmalade. The orange cream cheese frosting makes the cookies festive and addictive!
by Mangia Bedda
Italian orange juice cookies are classic cookies found on most Christmas cookie trays served by Italian families. With a soft and cake-like texture and subtle orange flavor, they are the perfect accompaniment to your coffee or tea. Enjoy as is, or topped with maraschino cherries or almonds.
by Food Nouveau
These crowd-pleasing honey orange French macarons combine comforting, mellow flavors in a tiny, colorful package. This recipe includes a variety of resources to help you learn how to make French macarons, including a video class!
by Food Nouveau
These clementine French macarons are a lovely way to enjoy winter’s cutest citrus fruit. They offer an incredibly aromatic, juicy flavor in a tiny package.
by The Bake School
This orange pie is a play on creamsicles and summer with a saltine crust, a layer of cheesecake filling, orange curd, and orange marmalade!
by Greedy Gourmet
This French orange tart is easy to prepare and makes a refreshing change from traditional lemon tart! Even better when served with Chantilly cream.
by Occasionally Eggs
Vegan, sugar, and gluten-free, this chocolate orange tart has a silky pour-in filling and crisp date & sunflower seed base. Topped with juicy oranges and whipped coconut cream, this is a seriously decadent, yet good-for-you dessert!
by Food Nouveau
These dairy-free maple oatmeal muffins have it all: healthy ingredients, amazing aroma, and irresistible crunchy top. It’s the tastiest way to start the day!
by Good Things Baking Co.
These chocolate orange scones are simple and come together quickly. It’s a delicious, lightly sweetened orange dessert recipe that’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or tea time!
by Simple Bites
Cool and creamy, sweet and slightly bitter, this blood orange panna cotta is a simple yet sophisticated dessert for two.
by Food Nouveau
This easy orange maple panna cotta dessert is topped with bright citrus pieces and a crunchy maple crumble. An elegant combination of flavors and textures!
by Food Nouveau
This almond and orange gelato combines zesty and juicy with toasty and nutty to create a surprisingly comforting, yet remarkable frozen treat. It will charm your taste buds at the first spoonful!
by Baked The Blog
This easy orange sherbet requires no eggs or cooking. The frozen treat tastes like an orange creamsicle and requires just three ingredients!
by Family Style Food
This bright red tangerine and blood orange sorbet is a simple and beautiful homemade orange dessert recipe you can make with or without an ice cream maker.
by Zoe Bakes
This spectacular creamsicle semifreddo is inspired by a recipe from legendary pastry chef Claudia Flemming from the Gramercy Tavern in New York. Topped with a layer of blood orange gelato and a fluffy orange meringue, this treat is what dessert dreams are made of!
by Food Nouveau
You can use this mood-lifting, bright orange clementine jelly so many ways: fill macarons, spread on a piece of toast, croissants, waffles, brioche and even in between layers of sponge cake for that special occasion dessert.
by The Bake School
Learn how to make the best orange marmalade with this easy recipe that uses whole citrus fruits!
by Good Things Baking Co.
Tangy, vibrant, and lightly sweet, this orange curd recipe is a fresh take on the classic lemon condiment.
by Went Here 8 This
This candied orange peel recipe is so easy to make and perfect for gifts! Sweet, caramelized pieces of orange peels dipped in creamy chocolate are just the sweet treat you need to serve after rich meals.
by Craving Something Healthy
These candied orange slices are the most perfect combination of winter flavors you could dream up. And they’re so easy to make! Great to serve at dinner parties or give as edible gifts.
Love zesty, citrus-centric dessert recipes? Then you’ll love my Citrus Desserts Cookbook! Filled with colorful, irresistible meticulously tested dessert recipes—including cakes, tarts, breakfast treats, and delicious bars, spoonable treats, and candies—Citrus Desserts features mouthwatering photography, countless clever tips, and variation ideas to make the recipes as versatile as possible. LEARN MORE
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