Orange You Glad You Found This List of Fresh, Tangy Desserts?

a plate of food and a bowl of pasta
15 Orange Desserts to Make the Most of Your CitrusMike Garten


"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

While lemon desserts often steal the spotlight for their zingy freshness, there's another citrus that's just as bright and flavorful: orange! And much like their tart cousin, oranges can be pretty much found year round. They can add a refreshingly sweet twist like other fruit desserts to your spring or summertime spread. But even come wintertime, when there's not much else on the shelves, oranges will add a much needed fresh burst of flavor.

You'll find plenty of orange desserts on this list for every single season! Looking for an easy no-bake dessert when it's just too hot to cook? Try the classic creamsicle combination of vanilla and orange in cheesecake bars, an ice cream pie, or a nostalgic Orange Julius. Maybe you want a sweet treat for your brunch or afternoon tea spread. In that case, go for the few scone recipes or make a fruit salad that will surely be a crowd pleaser. You'll also find cakes, cookies, and even creative crepes!

Just a refresher to squeeze in here before we get on with all the delectable orange dessert recipes: When using whole fruit, remember to zest it before juicing it. Like zesting a lemon, it is much easier when the orange is still in tact. You will also get more juice out of it if you roll it on the counter back and forth a few times with the palm of your hand. Now orange you so excited to get started?

Olive Oil Cake

A simple yet luxurious cake, this one-layer marvel is moist and perfumed with orange essence. It's not overly sweet or fruity, just a perfect treat to have with coffee or tea.

Get the Olive Oil Cake recipe.

Shop Now

orange desserts olive oil cake
Danielle Daly

No-Bake Orange-Vanilla Cheesecake Bars

Creamsicle lovers, this one is for you! Cream cheese meets three bursts of orange (extract, zest, and juice) for an unbeatable bite that doesn't even require an oven.

Get Ree's No-Bake Orange-Vanilla Cheesecake Bars recipe.

orange desserts cheesecake bars
David Malosh

Petite Orange-Vanilla Scones

Are scones technically a dessert? Well, they go well with coffee or tea and have just enough sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth, so that's a yes! There is orange in the scone and the glaze for an extra orange burst.

Get Ree's Petite Orange-Vanilla Scones recipe.

orange desserts scones
Ryan Liebe

Fruit Pizza

Have pizza for dessert! Here, you'll find a sugar cookie base topped with marshmallow frosting and then a rainbow of fresh fruit options. Skip the peeling and use canned mandarin oranges.

Get the Fruit Pizza recipe.

orange desserts fruit pizza
Caitlin Bensel

Orange Julius Milkshake

Time for a cool sip of nostalgia! A mix of frozen orange juice concentrate and vanilla ice cream creates a creamy, dreamy milkshake―no trip to the mall required.

Get the Orange Julius Milkshake recipe.

Shop Now

orange desserts orange julius
C.W. Newell

Sunrise Fruit Salad

If you're looking to highlight the natural sweetness of ripe fruit, make a fruit salad. Toast some coconut and sprinkle it on top of watermelon, cantelope, mango, pineapple, and of course, oranges.

Get Ree's Sunrise Fruit Salad recipe.

orange desserts sunrise fruit salad
Ralph Smith

Orange-Vanilla Ice Cream Pie

Turn ordinary store-bought ingredients into an extraordinary homemade dessert. Vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet are swirled together in a vanilla wafer cookie crust and topped with white chocolate shavings.

Get Ree's Orange-Vanilla Ice Cream Pie recipe.

orange desserts ice cream pie
Mike Garten

Candied Orange Peel

Fresh oranges and granulated sugar: That's all you need to make impressive and sophisticated candy. It's great to serve at parties or to gift during the holidays. You can also dip them in chocolate.

Get the Candied Orange Peel recipe.

orange dessets candied peel
Caitlin Bensel

Sourdough Cranberry Orange Rolls

If you're looking for seasonal sweet rolls to make during the colder months, look no further than these. Homemade dough is filled with cranberry-orange jam and topped with a decadent cream cheese drizzle.

Get the Sourdough Cranberry Orange Rolls recipe.

orange desserts sourdough cranberry orange rolls
Erica Kastner

Ambrosia Salad

Part picnic side dish and part sweet dessert makes for a fully nostalgic treat. Ambrosia is a creamy taste of the tropics featuring coconut, pineapple, and citrus segments. You'll definitely want a second scoop.

Get the Ambrosia Salad recipe.

Shop Now

orange desserts ambrosia
Caitlin Bensel

Rainbow Fruit Skewers

Another great idea that you can have for dessert as well as breakfast or a snack are these fun rainbow skewers. Sweet fresh fruit, including small tangerine or orange slices, get capped on the ends by doughnut holes.

Get the Rainbow Fruit Breakfast Skewers recipe.

orange desserts rainbow fruit skewers
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange Nutmeg Glaze

Equal parts tart and sweet with a dash of spice, you'll savor ever single bite of these treats. They use dried cranberries, too, so you don't have to wait for fresh bags to appear at the store.

Get the Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange Nutmeg Glaze recipe.

orange desserts cranberry scones
Brenda Score

Chocolate Crepes with Orange Cream Cheese Filling

Like scones, crepes can be served for breakfast or dessert. These from-scratch chocolate crepes are filled with a fresh orange cream cheese whipped cream, which sounds good for any time of day.

Get the Chocolate Crepes with Orange Cream Cheese Filling recipe.

orange desserts chocolate crepes
Erica Kastner

Orange Crush Cake

If you like orange soda, then you have to try this cake. And yes, it has orange soda in the batter, along with orange zest and juice for good measure.

Get Ree's Orange Crush Cake recipe.

orange desserts crush cake
Ree Drummond

Citrus Butter Cookies

Why stop at orange when you can add lemon and lime to cookies as well? This triple hit of citrus will burst with flavor in every bite. You can even add some zest on top.

Get Ree's Citrus Butter Cookies recipe.

Shop Now

orange desserts citrus butter cookies
Ree Drummond

You Might Also Like

Advertisement