Recipes with lemon zest

Cranberry mousse with whole cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, sour cream, and pecans set in a gelatin mold. A tangy, creamy holiday dessert or side dish.

Silky homemade apricot honey butter with fresh lemon, lemon zest, and crystallized ginger. No added sugar, no pectin, and keeps frozen for up to 6 months.

Composed citrus salad arranges fresh orange and grapefruit segments over salad greens with a bright teriyaki-ginger-honey vinaigrette. Light, elegant, and a perfect winter starter when citrus is at its peak.

Blueberry streusel muffins with a pecan-brown sugar-cinnamon crumble topping and a lemon glaze drizzle. Bakery-style muffins with lemon zest in the batter and the streusel.

Gingerbread bears: classic rolled and cut gingerbread cookies with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, molasses, and a lemon zest brightener. Chill the dough, roll thin, decorate as bears for the holidays.

Red, White and Blue Cheesecake with a chocolate wafer crust, orange and lemon zest filling, topped with fresh raspberries and blueberries. The showstopper 4th of July dessert that chills overnight.

Grilled shrimp skewered on fresh rosemary branches, marinated in lemon, garlic, and chili, then served over a bright cherry tomato and black olive salsa. A showstopping Mediterranean appetizer or light main.

Thai-style green curry made with chickpeas, a homemade green chili paste, apple juice, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter, vegetarian take on the takeout favourite, served over rice.

Light summer salad with shredded apples, carrots, crushed pineapple, and lemon zest in a vanilla yogurt dressing over crisp lettuce. Fresh, fruity, and no cooking required.

Lemon buttermilk pie is a silky Southern custard pie, tangy with buttermilk and fresh lemon, baked low and slow in a blind-baked crust until just set. Chill it cold for a clean, creamy slice.

No-bake lemon poppy seed tarts with vanilla pudding filling, graham cracker crusts, and lemon whipped topping. A light, low-calorie dessert that sets in the fridge.

Chilled avocado soup with shrimp, buttermilk, lemon, and garlic blended silky smooth. A no-cook cold soup that's creamy, tangy, and elegant for summer entertaining.

Green chili stew with lamb shoulder, poblano peppers, crushed juniper berries, and shredded lemon zest. A New Mexico-style chile verde with tender braised lamb in a thickened chicken broth.

Little plum cakes packed with currants and raisins, lemon zest, and nutmeg in a rich butter batter. A traditional English drop cake baked at high heat for golden, fruit-studded bites.

Avgolemono is the iconic Greek egg-lemon soup: silky chicken broth thickened with beaten egg yolks and fresh lemon juice, gently simmered with long-grain rice. Bright, creamy, and restorative in every bowl.

Garlic curry vinaigrette mixes garlic powder, curry, mustard, and cayenne with cider and white vinegars. A bold, flavor-packed dressing that scales to a full gallon for catering or party prep.

Broiled flank steak marinated overnight in lemon juice, soy sauce, and oregano, topped with sauteed onions. An 8-hour marinade tenderizes this lean cut into something special.

This recipe is delicious but might be too barbaric for some.

Coconut fluff peaches with a cloud of meringue-like topping made from beaten egg white, coconut syrup, and lemon zest, heaped into peach halves. A light, retro dessert.

Lemon popcorn tossed with melted butter, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stovetop popped in corn oil for a tangy, buttery snack that's ready in 20 minutes.

Versoffene Jungfern: a German dessert sauce of spiced red wine reduced with cinnamon, clove, and lemon zest, poured hot over fresh dumplings. Simple, warming, and ready in 40 minutes.

Vegetarian mincemeat with fresh pears, mixed dried fruit, candied peel, glace cherries, dates, almonds, citrus zest, and whiskey. A meat-free version of the British holiday classic.

Fresh strawberry pie with whole berries set in a gelatin glaze inside a meringue cracker crust with walnuts. A showstopping no-bake filling in a crispy shell.

Miascia is a traditional Italian bread and fruit tart with pears, grapes, raisins, and a surprising hint of rosemary. A rustic Northern Italian dessert with a custard-like cornmeal filling.

Haroset cake with zabaglione sauce turns the Passover walnut-apple-wine condiment into a flourless springform cake, served warm with a whisked Italian wine custard.

Strawberry fool with crushed berries folded into whipped cream and sour cream, drizzled with a spiced port wine syrup. The classic English dessert updated for summer dinner parties.

Lemon tagliatelle, a simple Italian pasta tossed with Greek yogurt, lemon zest, nutmeg, and olive oil. A fresh, summery vegetarian pasta in under 20 minutes.

Fresh fruit dip made from a cooked citrus custard folded into whipped cream. Orange and lemon zest give it a bright, tangy flavor that pairs with any fresh fruit.

Company apple pie is a three-pie batch showstopper with a sugar crust, lemony apple filling, caramel sauce stripes, cream cheese topping, and chopped walnuts. Built to feed a crowd.

Homemade oatmeal citrus face scrub with dried lemon and orange peels, oats, and blanched almonds ground into a fine exfoliating powder. All-natural, 3 ingredients, stores for months.

Pasta with artichoke sauce tosses fettuccine in a quick sauté of artichoke hearts, garlic, oil-cured olives, white wine, and lemon zest topped with Parmesan. Light and Mediterranean.

Flourless chocolate cake made with four kinds of nuts, bittersweet chocolate, and citrus zest, served with honey-glazed grilled orange sections. A Sephardic-inspired dessert.

Zucchini bread with a bright citrus twist from lemon zest and orange extract, spiced with cinnamon and ginger. Moist, tender, and loaded with grated zucchini.

Bakery-style lemon poppy seed muffins with cake flour, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, and zest. Tender crumb dusted with confectioners sugar. Rich and citrusy.

Lemon tea snow with strawberry sauce: a light, airy gelatin dessert flavored with lemon and instant tea, beaten with egg whites into a cloud. Served with a warm-set strawberry-currant sauce. Retro Southern tearoom fare.

Light lemon blitz cake with a tangy lemon curd filling made from skim milk, and a yogurt whipped topping frosting. A low-point layered dessert that tastes rich without the guilt.

Microwaved artichokes transform into edible bowls filled with tangy yogurt-dill sauce and crowned with tender poached shrimp for an elegant appetizer that looks restaurant-fancy but cooks in 45 minutes.

Broiled mussels with a spicy Southeast Asian dipping sauce of fish sauce, garlic, chili peppers, lemon, and sugar. Simple, bold, and ready in minutes.

Start a party in your crockpot with this succulent fish dish that uses grated lemon and orange zest.

Poppy seed ravioli cookies filled with a blended almond-poppy seed-honey filling, folded like tiny ravioli, and brushed with honey after baking. A unique holiday cookie project.

Old-fashioned lemon chiffon pie with a gelatin-set lemon-egg-yolk custard lightened with whipped egg whites in a crumb crust, topped with sweetened whipped cream. A cloud-light no-bake classic.

Cafe Brulot, the classic New Orleans flambeed coffee with brandy, orange liqueur, cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. A dramatic Cajun after-dinner drink served in demitasse cups.

Lemon chiffon pie folds whipped egg whites into a tart lemon-gelatin custard for a cloud-light, no-bake pie filling. Crowned with sweetened whipped cream in a baked shell.

Sour cherry fruit slump: tart cherries and summer berries bubbling under tender buttermilk dumplings, finished with cinnamon sugar. An old-school stovetop dessert that's faster than a pie.

Grilled soft shell crabs basted in a tarragon and lemon pepper marinade. Cooked slow over indirect heat for crispy shells and sweet, tender meat. A Chesapeake Bay summer classic.

Pear bread pudding baked in individual ramekins with currants and Muscat wine, served with a silky lemon-infused Muscat custard sauce. An elegant French-style dessert.

Mulled summer fruits in Chenin Blanc, a make-ahead dessert of peaches, berries, and apricots soaked in spiced white wine syrup. Served chilled with sorbet or whipped cream.

Juicy blueberries and raspberries bubble beneath a buttery lattice crust that shatters at first bite, perfect for celebrating milestones or summer picnics.