This orange creamsicle cookies recipe has all the flavors that made the classic ice cream treat an instant sensation. The concept of a creamsicle, vanilla ice cream wrapped in a layer of frozen fruit juice, was created by an 11-year-old kid in 1905. It was a stroke of genius- just like these cookies.
This recipe crosses orange-flavored fruit cookies with white chocolate chip cookies to create the creamy, dreamy taste of creamsicle cookies. These easy drop cookies come together in minutes and are always a hit.
Add lemon white chocolate chip cookies and strawberry chocolate chip cookies together with these cookies for a colorful cookie tray. And a little treat for the baker – a creamsicle drink!
Let’s fire up the oven and get baking!
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What I Love About This Recipe
This recipe nails the orange creamsicle flavor, but it’s got lots more going for it!
- Their chewy texture
- Makes a big batch
- Simple ingredients
- Easy to make
How To Make Orange Creamsicle Cookies Recipe
To make these cookies, begin by mixing the dry ingredients and set them aside. Next, cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix in the flavorings and white chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and bake.
Orange Cookies Recipe Notes
These orange cookies are very straightforward to make, but here are a few tips to make them the best they can be.
Overmixing- Overmixing leads to gluten development, which makes for tough cookies. As you add the dry ingredients, stir until there is a streak or two of flour left. Then, finish mixing as you stir in the baking chips.
Zesting the orange- orange zest brings a big orange flavor. I like to use a Microplane to zest citrus fruit. Be sure to only take the orange rind and avoid the bitter white pith.
Ingredient Notes
Orange extract- to increase the orange flavor, you can use orange extract instead of vanilla.
Butter- Be sure to use real, full-fat butter for the chewiest, most tender cookies. Margarine will not give you the same results!
White chocolate chips- I prefer actual white chocolate chips for the creamy, sweetness they bring. Vanilla baking chips, commonly mistaken for white chocolate chips, will work in a pinch, but you might lose a bit of the smooth, creamy taste.
Storing Tips
Allow the cookies to cool completely before putting them in a tightly sealed container. Keep them in a cool place for maximum freshness.
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 2 months.
Make Ahead Tips
You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Otherwise, the baked cookies hold well for 4-5 days.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
According to food handling guidelines, cookie dough will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
Recipe Variations
If you want to experiment with this cookie, here are some variations to consider.
- Cranberry and orange are a yummy combination. You could add a handful of dried cranberries to this cookie. My cranberry orange shortbread cookies are very similar and totally delicious!
- You can make these cookies into lemon creamsicle cookies by simply swapping the orange for lemon. I’m sure they’ll be every bit as creamy and delicious as lemon ricotta cookies. I love lemon cookies. Lemon sugar cookies and lemon drop cookies are two of my favorites!
Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 - 11 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
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More Fruit Cookies Recipes
Fruit makes a great addition to a cookie. Here are a few more ideas!
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies– All your favorite fall spices in a cookie
- Pineapple Cookies – Sweet, citrusy pineapple flavor
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies – pretty as a picture and delicious too
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies – Simple shortbread with a lemony kick
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies – Coconut and chocolate pair perfectly in this cookie!
Conclusion
This orange creamsicle cookies recipe is always a hit. The creamy undertones with the bright orange flavor always catch people off guard, and they always come back for seconds! They’re perfect for cookie trays, Sunday picnics, or for a quick family snack.
I know you’re going to love them. Be sure to leave me a comment below, and let me know how they work for you!
yummy cookies
Made these this evening. They were very very good. I usually don’t like it when people tweek recipes but I did on this one. The batter was very dry so I added another egg and I also added 1/2 tsp of orange extract along with the orange zest because I wanted a little more orange flavor. Baked at 375 for 10 minutes and they turned out perfect. This recipe is a keeper
Glad you liked them Dale 😉
I love your website! I’ve made the southwest peppers and they are amazing!! My husband ate all of them over a 3 day span and I got 2.
I’m just about to make your orange creamsicle cookies and then the lemon ones next. I noticed the baking soda on this recipe says 3/4 baking soda. It doesn’t specify what type of measurment. Although, I can guess 🙂 Thanks for the great recipes.
Meg, thanks so much for your lovely feedback! I’ve corrected the missing measurement. I appreciate you catching that for me 🙂
All of your recipes are so yummy looking! I'm and avid follower! I'd love for you to share one or more of your dishes on my linky party, Southern Sundays…it's going on right now. Hope to see you there! http://www.alisceofsouthern.blogspot.com
Those sound like melt in your mouth orangeness!
I would love these cookies too!!!! Awesome. Great flavor combination.
Looks delish, I love orange creamsicles!
YUM! Can't wait to try this one!
the photos are gorgeous and you have no idea how happy it makes me to see this post:)
omg…i want some!!!! i'll bet these would be good with dark chocolate too!
Oh my, these sound great and I don't even like white chocolate! I'm printing this recipe as I type…
GENIUS, this is a combo that we learn to love as a little kid, why didn't someone put it into a cookie sooner!