These yummy orange cookies are tender and buttery, and they absolutely melt in your mouth. They’re bursting with bright, fresh, orange flavors that will knock your socks off.
The buttercream is the perfect topping for these little delights. No chill time makes them quick and easy to put together.
I hope you’ll try my cranberry orange shortbread cookies, orange creamsicle cookies, lemon sugar cookies, and my lemon ricotta cookies next.
Orange Cookies Ingredients
- Flour: All-purpose. I generally use Gold Medal.
- Baking Soda: Works with cream of tartar to give the cookies their rise.
- Cream of Tartar: This activates the baking soda and also makes the cookies soft.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and also affects the tenderness of the cookies.
- Sugar: This recipe uses both powdered and granulated sugar.
- Butter: I like unsalted butter in the cookies.
- Oil: Use a neutral flavor oil like canola oil.
- Eggs: Large eggs are best used at room temperature.
- Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract, not the imitation stuff.
- Orange Zest: This is what gives the cookies their delicious orange flavor.
Tips For The Best Orange Cookies
- Cookie Scoop: For uniform size, I like to use a cookie scoop, then roll them in my hands to finish shaping them.
- Room Temperature: For best results, have all your ingredients at room temperature. They mix together best this way.
- Correct Flour Measuring: Use the spoon and sweep method to measure the flour. Here’s how:
- Fluff the flour in the container with a whisk
- Use a large spoon to spoon the flour from the container into the measuring cup, rather the dipping the cup into the flour and scooping it out.
- Use a small offset spatula to sweep off the excess flour.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- Storing: Allow the orange sugar cookies to cool completely before putting them in a tightly sealed container. Keep them in a cool place for maximum freshness.
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? According to food handling guidelines, the cookie dough will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? You can freeze both the baked cookies and the dough from this recipe.
- To freeze the baked cookies, allow the cookies to cool completely before putting them in a freezer container. For maximum freshness, individually wrap the cookies in cling wrap. Baked cookies are usually good for about 6 months in the freezer.
- For the dough, drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet or plate. Put it in the freezer for about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag. The frozen dough will keep for about 4-6 months.
- Make-Ahead Tips: The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated. Cookie dough will last up to 1-2 days in the fridge. You can also bake the orange drop cookies ahead of time and then make the butter cream frosting the day you serve it.
- Food Safety: Check out this link for more info on food safety. Here’s for cookie dough.
How to Make Orange Cookies With Frosting
- Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Combine oil, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest.
- Mix.
- Add flour and mix.
- Roll and flatten the dough with the bottom of the glass. Bake.
- Make the frosting
- Spread the frosting on cooled cookies. Add sprinkles.
***See the full instructions below
More Fruity Cookies
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Strawberry Bars
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Winks
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Orange Cookies
These yummy orange cookies are tender and buttery, and they absolutely melt in your mouth. They're bursting with bright, fresh, orange flavors!
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg well beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Whisk together flour (2 1/2 cups), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), cream of tartar (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/8 teaspoon); set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, beat together powdered sugar (1/2 cup), granulated sugar (1/2 cup), and butter (1/2 cup) with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in oil (1/2 cup), eggs (1 large), vanilla (1/2 teaspoon), and orange zest (3 tablespoons). Gradually add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
- Roll the dough into ping-pong-sized balls. Flatten with the bottom of the glass dipped in sugar.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the center is set. Cookies will not brown! Don't overbake.
Make Frosting:
- Meanwhile, make the frosting; with an electric mixer, beat butter (1/2 cup) until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until combined. Add orange juice (1-2 tablespoons) and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over completely cooled cookies and top with sprinkles.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Cookie Scoop: For uniform size, I like to use a cookie scoop, then roll them in my hands to finish shaping them.
- Room Temperature: For best results, have all your ingredients at room temperature. They mix together best this way.
- Correct Flour Measuring: Use the spoon and sweep method to measure the flour. Here’s how:
- Fluff the flour in the container with a whisk
- Use a large spoon to spoon the flour from the container into the measuring cup, rather the dipping the cup into the flour and scooping it out.
- Use a small offset spatula to sweep off the excess flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 33mg | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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These cookies are so good! Do you think this recipe could be made into bars? If so, what size pan and time?
Thank you in advance.
Hi, Lily. I’m not sure how to make this into bars. We do have lemon bars.
We loved these cookies. My kids wanna bake this again
That’s so great! Thanks, Mary Anne 🙂
I like learning new things. Going to try this method fluff and sweep
Yaaay! I’m glad you found it here. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out 🙂