Baking With Citrus: Simple Tips for Bright, Flavorful Desserts

Make way for citrus season! This time of year, my sweet tooth is craving flavors that are bright and fresh but still cozy enough for cold winter days. In January, citrus is at its absolute best and it feels right to reach for it after all of the rich, indulgent holiday baking. Citrus adds brightness and warmth in equal amounts which is why it becomes a staple in my kitchen each winter.

Why is citrus so great for winter baking?

Citrus really shines in winter – and honestly, it’s doing us all a favor. After weeks of rich, heavy holiday meals and desserts, these vibrant, fresh flavors feel especially welcome. Baked goods made with lemons, limes and oranges feel like a breath of fresh air without giving up the cozy factor. It’s the season’s way of saying you can still have dessert – just make it lighter.

Citrus we love to bake with

A bowl of citrus on the countertop can go a long way, but each type brings something different to a recipe. Here’s how I like to use the citrus I bake with most – and how each one really shines.

• Lemons – bright and endlessly versatile, lemons are my go-to for everyday baking. They work perfectly in cakes, cookies, muffins and glazes, adding freshness without being overpowering in flavor. For the best flavor, Meyer lemons are my first choice.
• Oranges – oranges bring a softer, sweeter citrus flavor that feels warm and cozy in baked goods. Perfect for recipes like loaf cakes and muffins when you want to add brightness without too much tartness.
• Blood oranges – blood oranges have a brief but beautiful season and add a hint of extra sweetness and a pretty pink color to cakes, donuts and glazes.
• Limes – bold and zesty in flavor, limes are especially delicious with coconut or berries. A little goes a long way to add a delicious depth of flavor. If you can find them, key limes always win for flavor.
• Grapefruit – grapefruit brings a subtle bitterness that works perfectly in glazes, icings or curds.

Citrus baking tips and tricks

These are the simple techniques I use to make citrus desserts bright, balanced, and never bitter. A few easy tricks, like how you zest, juice, and combine flavors, are the key to making your citrus bakes really shine.

Always zest before juicing. Zesting citrus releases aromatic oils from the rind, which is where the citrus flavor comes from. Always zest first, juice second. Zesting the citrus before it’s sliced and juiced makes it easier to handle and you’ll release more zest from the rind.

Use fresh juice. It matters. Fresh juice delivers a clean, balanced flavor. Bottled juice has a “fake” flavor that lacks brightness and depth.

Don’t skip the zest. Zest adds flavor while juice adds acidity. Recipes may call for anywhere between 2 teaspoons to 3 or 4 tablespoons of zest. More zest = more flavor.

Rub zest into sugar. Boost the flavor of your baked goods by rubbing the zest into the sugar by hand for about 30 seconds. This helps to release the citrus oils that deliver extra flavor.

Balance citrus with fat. To keep citrus desserts from tasting too sharp or too bitter, combine the citrus with ingredients like butter, cream cheese, full fat yogurt or buttermilk. The added fat helps to balance out the acidity and liquid from the juice which can often dry out baked goods.

Add citrus to icings and glazes. For added flavor, incorporate both the zest and juice into any icings or glazes used on top of cakes or muffins. Delicious!

Watch the bake time. Not only can the added acid from citrus juice dry out baked goods, but their light color makes them easy to overbake. For the best texture, pull desserts from the oven when just set.

Our favorite recipes to bake with citrus

Citrus season is the best season! Now that you’ve got the basics covered, try a few of these easy and delicious recipes. These are the recipes I return to again and again:

• Lemon Brownies
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
• Starbuck’s Copycat Lemon Loaf
• Lemon Crinkle Cookies
• Key Lime Pie Bars
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
• Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
• Blood Orange Cruller Donuts
• Orange Pound Cake

Shop My Kitchen

These are the kitchen gadgets I use to make baking with citrus quick and easy.

1. Microplane Citrus Grater
2. Citrus Press
3. Citrus Juicer