17 Citrus Recipes to Brighten Your Winter Days

Brighten up your winter days with this collection of 17 sunny, citrusy bakes. From tried-and-true classics to new twists you’ve never seen before, these recipes will have you celebrating with citrus all season long. 

The beauty of the Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake is its versatility. You’ll love this bright citrus cake. Save the citrus syrup from your candied oranges and lemons to use as a delicious glaze for cupcakes and muffins.

Zesty orange and bittersweet chocolate may seem like an odd couple, but just like in the classic film, each makes its counterpart even better. Acidity from the Candied Orange Peel cuts perfectly through the rich decadence of the chocolate and enhances the bittersweet notes in this delectably fudgy, faultlessly chewy cookie. 

The classic cocktail popularized by Count Camillo Negroni consisting of gin, vermouth, and the perfect pour of Campari gets a makeover in this Layered Grapefruit Cake. It’s an impressive ombré layer cake. The herbal bitterness from the ruby-hued liqueur creates citrus alchemy, magically enhancing the grapefruit and balancing the creamy sweetness of the Vanilla Whipped Topping.

This quick and easy take on the many-layered (though not quite the thousand the name promises) French classic, Mille Feuille, delivers creamy richness with a citrus twist.

If you love lemon bars, you will LOVE this Meyer Lemon-Olive Oil Coffee Cake. Meyer lemons are less acidic and slightly sweeter than the standard lemons found in the grocery store, and provide a perfect balance against the tart lemon curd swirled into this silky batter.

The classic Key lime pie receives an irresistible makeover with our baked Key Lime Doughnuts. Perfectly crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside, these vibrant and tangy treats add a bright pop of color, with flavorful lime juice found in each inviting bite.

A celebration of both citrus season and the glorious ridged design of the Nordic Ware Brilliance Bundt pan, this chocolate olive oil cake receives a bright boost of color and tang from fresh blood orange juice and zest.

Inspired by the orange-infused morning buns available at Tartine in San Francisco, California, we decided to imbue our sunny version with the reigning star of winter citrus: Meyer lemon. Packing just a hint of warm cardamom within its tight spiral, we like to finish off our Meyer Lemon Morning Buns with a bright Blueberry Sugar coating. 

For this twist on the Italian classic, our Lemon Curd Tiramisu begins with ladyfingers dipped in boozy lemon simple syrup and then layered with a creamy, incredibly smooth lemony mascarpone filling. Topped with an extra swirl of Lemon Curd, this dessert will be the perfect light and airy reprieve in the middle of a cold, snowy winter.

This is the modern classic version of Key Lime Pie—nubbly graham cracker crust filled with tangy, zest-flecked custard and topped with billowy whipped cream. Each bite is equal parts sweet, tart, creamy, and crunchy, and always a crowd favorite.

The addition of zest, glaze, and a candied citrus garnish heightens the subtle blood orange flavor in this orange loaf cake, which manages to be moist without being dense. 

Boasting a double dose of Meyer lemon zest and juice, these chewy crinkle sandwich cookies are the ultimate citrusy indulgence. A touch of cardamom and ginger rounds out this crinkle sandwich cookies with sweet heat, and a tangy Cream Cheese Frosting plays up the Meyer lemon’s sweetness.

These domed Lemon Curd Muffins are warmly spiced with the bold flavors of cardamom and ginger and then filled with Lemon Curd for a sweet and tangy surprise. Topped with a buttery and crunchy Oat-Pecan Streusel and drizzled with a sweet Lemon Glaze, these muffins might just become a new year-round favorite.

Bitter with bright acidity, this oversized citrus works well in baking because it pairs so beautifully with vanilla. The key to a successful soufflé is confidence. This recipe is approachable enough for the novice soufflé-maker, and will have you whipping up the tallest, fluffiest, most delicious grapefruit soufflés in no time. Serve warm from the oven; break the top of the soufflé gently table side and spoon crème anglaise liberally into the center.

These fudgy stir-together brownies get rich, sophisticated notes from a blend of mulling spices and port-soaked orange peel. 

When life gives you Meyer lemons, something more epic than lemonade is called for. These muffins zip with lemon, poppy seeds, and a double dose of pomegranate with arils in the dough and a generous drizzle of homemade Pomegranate Molasses on top.