14 Favorites with Citrus Fruits

How, oh how would we get through winter without citrus fruits? I’m serious about this. While I’m in favor of preparing food with as many locally-produced ingredients as I can, I make a considered exception when something bright and cheery like an orange, lemon, or tangerine from many, many miles away has the power to enliven a totally dreary winter day. Plus, we probably are all aware of just how loaded these fruits are with vitamin C and fiber. One must think of one’s health, you know.

It doesn’t hurt that citrus fruits are at their best when so many other fruits are at their worst. They’re there in the dark and cold days to save a cake, cookie, muffin, sauce or even a main dish for dinner. Here are my favorite recipes from The Messy Apron Archives that celebrate that special seasonal ability. Featured here are lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, kumquats, and tangerines. They lend their special charms to many kinds of recipes, sweet and savory.

Ok, it is true that most of my favorites here are recipes for sweet treats. I especially love to put citrus zest in cookies like Lemon, Lime, and Basil Cookies (this time of year, look for some hot-house fresh basil from a producer near you, or grow your own if you have a sunny windowsill.), or these similar Orange Butter Cookies.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well these Orange and White Chocolate Cookies reinterpret the flavor of Creamsicles.

There’s also this delicious recipe for Lime Bars with Graham Cracker Crust.

Cakes are probably an even better vehicle for perky citrus flavors. This Glazed Orange Pound Cake is fairly simple to put together and packs a punch of sweet orange goodness.

Another simple cake is this Rosemary Raisin Tea Cake with Lemon, which also features one of my other favorite winter saviors: dried fruit.

For a fancier dessert, there’s Lemon Layer Cake,

which gets its lemony goodness in multiple forms, including Lemon Curd.

If you’ve already got some plain cake, like this yogurt cake, or some vanilla ice cream, this Kumquat Riesling Sauce is just the thing you need to dress it up for winter.

If something less sweet is needed, say, for breakfast, there’s this recipe for Orange Millet Waffles.

And my favorite way (so far) to use a grapefruit is in these Grapefruit Scented Muffins with Warm Spices.

Sugar and spice shouldn’t get all the fun, though. I really like this savory application of kumquats, clementines, and lemon: Celery and Citrus Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan.

And I like to mix this Roasted Meyer Lemon Chutney into cream cheese for a fabulous veggie dip or bagel spread.

Finally, there’s Pork and Tangerine Stir Fry for getting some citrus into a main dish.

However you like your citrus, sweet, savory, or simply peeled and eaten straight, I hope you have as much fun with them this winter as I plan to have. Enjoy!

Another post like this one: 10 Favorites with Fresh Cranberries