The Absolute Best Recipes To Try If You Love Oranges

Orange might not be the most unique flavor in the food world. After all, is there a candy or sports drink that doesn't come in an orange flavor? But just because we're used to it, that doesn't mean we should overlook it when trying out new recipes. Part sweet, part tangy, part zesty, and overall completely delicious, you can always count on orange to deliver a welcomed pop of flavor to your tastebuds.

What gets overlooked the most about orange is how extremely versatile it is. This flavor can spruce up a beverage or cocktail, add some sweetness to a delectable marinade, and put some of your favorite desserts over the top with a touch of citrusy zest. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dessert — or dessert served for breakfast, because that's always a good idea — these are the best recipes to try if you love orange. Drink up and dig in.

Sometimes, the best things in life are the simplest. Take, for example, the Orange Julius. This rich, delicious beverage has just six ingredients — which can likely all be found in your kitchen — and requires four extremely easy steps to follow.

Get started by putting your ice cream, orange juice, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and ice into a blender on high for 30 seconds. Then, pour your fruity, creamy concoction into a serving glass, add some whipped cream if you wish, and enjoy! Since this is a recipe for orange lovers, feel free to garnish it with an orange slice or some orange zest. An Orange Julius can be sipped any time of the year, but it's particularly refreshing in the summer.

Chocolate doesn't need much of a supporting cast when it's the star ingredient of a cake, but adding orange into the mix provides a bright, citrusy complement that only enhances the chocolate flavor. That's precisely what this orange chocolate loaf cake recipe does. The cake includes orange zest in the batter, and even more exciting for citrus aficionados, is topped off with an orange glaze.

The cake makes for a perfect dessert — but don't limit yourself. "I like loaf cakes and pound cakes because they're delicious and very versatile," says recipe developer Mark Beahm of the Sunday Baker. "You can have them for dessert or a snack with some coffee or even for breakfast. And who doesn't secretly love cake for breakfast?"

There's no dessert quite as indulgent as a rich cheesecake, but our simple no-bake cranberry orange cheesecake recipe takes this sweet treat to another level by adding the tart, citrusy flavors of cranberry and orange.

What makes this recipe even better is that it requires no baking and the eight required ingredients are likely already in your kitchen. The crust is a simple combination of melted butter and crushed Nilla Wafers, although feel free to swap the Nilla Wafers out for graham crackers or Oreos. The filling is a tasty mixture of cream cheese, sugar, whipped cream, cranberries, lemon juice, and orange zest. After two to three hours in the refrigerator, your new favorite cheesecake will be ready to go.

Chinese food is the ultimate takeout treat. But what if you could get that same great taste without ever leaving your house? With our orange chicken recipe on deck, that dream can become a reality.

The orange in this dish comes from the sauce, which is a mixture of orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili flakes, garlic, scallions, and brown sugar. This sauce serves as both a marinade and a topping sauce. The chicken should marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking and then tossed with the remaining orange sauce once it's done frying.

Serve this delicious dish over a bed of rice. Top with some orange zest for an extra citrusy douse of flavor and aroma.

This recipe for cranberry orange oatmeal cookies takes something that was already delicious — a warm, thick, chewy oatmeal cookie — to another level with orange zest and dried cranberries. Together, they create a slightly sweet, slightly tart, delectable snack. We also include toasted pecans in this recipe to give the cookies a nutty taste, and cinnamon for a touch of spice.

The recipe takes less than 30 minutes to complete. We doubt the batch of 24 cookies will last very long.