How to Use Clementines in Everyday Cooking

Clementines are a variation of a Mandarin orange, and are usually smaller and sweeter than traditional Mandarin oranges. The growing season for Clementines is usually from the middle of November until the end of January, which makes Clementines perfect for holiday gift baskets and holiday stockings. But Clementines don’t have to be reserved for holiday gifts. They are wonderfully sweet and tangy and are a great addition to many everyday meals that you might not think about. With all of the health benefits that Clementines have it’s worth making an effort to get more Clementines into your daily diet when they are in season, and taking the time to preserve them or freeze the juice so that you can enjoy the unique taste of Clementines all year round.

One of the ways that you can enjoy Clementines everyday and give your family a nice treat is to substitute Clementine juice for water when you’re making pancakes, waffles, crepes, or dessert breads and muffins. Using Clementine juice instead of water in your baking will change the flavor of your baked goods but only slightly. The items you bake will have a sweet, slightly richer taste with just a hint of citrus. Adding Clementine juice to baked goods and breakfast bread products will also give you a nice boost of energy and give you all the benefits of drinking a glass of Clementine juice. Clementine juice freezes beautifully so if you want to enjoy that tangy juice all the time you can invest in a juicer and juice your Clementines then freeze the juice and use it during the rest of the year when Clementines are unavailable.

Another great way to use Clementines is in salads. Clementines can be used in almost any green salad because the tangy flavor complements the taste of salad greens really nicely. You can make a salad that tastes really wonderful and has a beautiful exotic look just by tossing salad greens, Clementine orange segments, some nuts and a dressing made with a little Clementine orange juice and balsamic vinegar. Fruit salads made from berries and Clementine segments are sweet and just a bit tart which makes for a great dessert. You can also make delicious Clementine preserves like marmalade or jam and use that as a topping for cake or ice cream or pancakes. If you have an ice cream maker you can use frozen Clementine juice and homemade Clementine preserves to make your own orange sorbet during the summer. Clementine sorbet is a luscious summer treat that is relatively low calorie and healthy so you can indulge without any guilt.

Clementine zest also can be used in beverages throughout the year. Zest a lot of Clementines all at once and then store the zest in a cool dry place for the rest of the year and it should be useable throughout the year. You can use Clementine zest as a topping on hot drinks like hot chocolate, coffee, or tea or you can use it in the summer as a refreshing citrus twist on iced tea, soda, or smoothies.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

Shop Now