When you think of oranges, you may think of summer days playing with your friends and sipping on orange juice to cool you down, or perhaps just the joy of eating a juicy, sweet orange. Oranges are a popular citrus fruit that gets a lot of hype during the summer months; however, oranges have their place among fall and winter recipes as well.

So, in the spirit of just how versatile this wonderful citrus fruit can be, let’s check out sixteen of the best orange desserts that can either be enjoyed during the dog days of summer or any time throughout the year.

Orange Juice Popsicles

Let’s start with the easiest and probably one of the most fun orange desserts ever. We suggest either investing in popsicle making molds from the store or doing it the old-fashioned way – with a small paper cup and a popsicle stick. Pour in your favorite orange juice, put your sticks in, then pop them in the freezer until they’re frozen solid for a great summertime treat.

Orange Bars

Orange bars are similar to lemon bars, but they’re sweeter and less acidic. Orange bar filling is made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, eggs, flour, and granulated sugar. Everything is mixed and poured onto a rich, buttery crust that has been pre-baked, then it’s all baked together for a few minutes before cooling to room temperature and placing them in the fridge to finish setting up. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on top to make them even prettier and to enhance their sweetness.

Orange Jello

While this is also a simple dessert in which you can simply go out and purchase orange Jello mix, you can amp this easy dessert up by cutting up some regular sized oranges or peel and pull apart smaller ones and then throw them into the mix when it’s halfway set for an extra refreshing burst of orange.

Orange Shortbread Cookies

Make these hand-held delights any time of the year by using orange zest to infuse your cookies with that wonderfully bright citrusy flavor. If you’re gifting these lovely cookies, you can drizzle them with chocolate to add a bit of pizzaz to your presentation.

Orange Olive Oil Donuts

These donuts make a wonderful dessert or even a zesty breakfast treat! These moist cake donuts are baked instead of fried, and they can be topped with even more orange goodness via a homemade orange glaze or even some marmalade jam.

Mini Citrus Monkey Bread

You can make this crazy good recipe for hand-held portions of citrus Monkey Bread by using store-bought pizza dough, fresh orange juice, and orange zest. Brush them with an orange glaze or marmalade after they’ve finished baking, then finish them off with a cinnamon roll-type topping. These not only make great desserts but are another wonderful breakfast option.

Orange Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie might be popular, but this variation allows our other favorite citrus fruit to shine! Make it simple by using a pre-made pie crust from the store to fill with your orange curd, then top it off with some amazingly fluffy meringue for a sweet, citrusy dessert without the tart acidity of lemon.

Citrus Fruit Salad

One of the healthier desserts you can make with oranges, you can’t go wrong with a citrus fruit salad at a potluck or a summertime back yard barbecue! Along with your oranges, add in pink grapefruit, pomegranate, or even cranberries for a vibrant, bright, and citrusy delight sure to please a crowd.

Cranberry-Orange Pie

Speaking of adding cranberries in with your oranges, this recipe is a great alternative to the regular pies you’ve been bringing to Thanksgiving every year! The orange and cranberry flavors mingle together and pair so well that it’s like a sweet and tart symphony dancing around on your tongue.

Orange Rolls

Upgrade your regular cinnamon roll recipe with this citrusy mix-up! Instead of the traditional cinnamon roll filling, fill with orange marmalade. Then, make your topping with fresh orange juice and orange extract for a one-two-punch of extreme orange flavor.

Orange Upside Down Cake

Add a new twist to an old favorite by replacing the pineapple rings in your pineapple upside down cake for orange slices, which will add a whole new dimension of sweetness along with a bit of tart with its citrusy notes to this sticky-sweet favorite.

Glazed Orange Bundt Cake

Make a delicious orange cake in a Bundt pan, then whip up an orange glaze made from three simple ingredients to pour over top to add to the sweet yet zesty orange flavor.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

A delicious comfort food, bread pudding is taken to another level by adding fresh orange juice, orange zest, and dried cranberries. This is a great recipe for fall and winter and is best made with an eggy bread. Top with a warm vanilla sauce to round out the flavor profile.

Chocolate Orange Brownies

Oranges and chocolate are another power couple in the world of sweets, and this recipe is no exception to this. The dense, rich, chocolatey brownies are just further enhanced with the addition of orange zest. Serve these at your next bash for a bit of a twist on the classic brownie we all know and love.

No-Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake

Pair the bright and zesty flavor of orange with the cool, heavy sweetness of cheesecake and you’ve got a dessert made in flavor heaven. This dessert is so simple, you needn’t even peel an orange, as you can simply use mandarin oranges from cups or cans that come in a light syrup to achieve this recipe.

Orange Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Topping

Create an even sweeter way to wake up with your morning joe with this twist on coffee cake. This cake calls for shortening instead of butter in order to make a soft, crumbly cake. Top it off with a buttery cinnamon and orange topping and it’s a good morning, indeed!

Orange You Glad for Delicious Desserts?

So, if you’re an orange lover, we hope that we’ve inspired you to try some of these sixteen delicious orange desserts, and to also seek out other recipes for even more orange dessert fun.