Orange Butter Cookies
With a rich flavor of butter and burst of bright citrus from orange zest these orange butter cookies have the perfect balance of sweet and tangy in every bite. With a melt-in-your mouth texture, these soft cookies are easy to make from scratch and perfect served with a cup of tea!
These orange butter cookies are a cross between my light and airy powdered sugar cookies and classic butter cookies but with a touch of citrusy indulgence! They are soft, tender and will brighten your day with their refreshing taste.
They are not only the perfect orange cookie to make year round to serve at tea time but they would also be perfect for any springtime occasion or even to place on a holiday cookie platter. The fresh orange flavor is not only infused throughout the cookie itself but also in the simple orange icing as well.
One bite and everyone will be begging you for this simple cookie recipe! Other ways I love to use orange zest include adding some to this walnut cranberry bread or cranberry cream biscuits.
Table of Contents
Orange Cookies Ingredients
- Butter: Your unsalted butter will need to be softened to room temperature.
- Powdered sugar: These orange cookies use confectioners’ sugar for a melt-in-your mouth texture.
- Orange juice and zest: Fresh orange juice will taste best. Zest your orange before using it to squeeze the juice.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure to the eggless cookies.
- Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavor of these buttery orange cookies.
- Sweet orange glaze: Powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest and room temperature butter.
How to Make Orange Butter Cookies
Make cookie dough: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat softened butter with the powdered sugar until very smooth. Beat in the fresh orange zest and juice, then beat in remaining dry ingredients only until just combined.
Chill dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for an hour.
Roll dough: Roll or scoop cookie dough into 1-1½ inch balls and place cookie balls 1-inch apart on the prepared parchment lined baking sheets. Gently flatten each cookie.
Chill again and bake: While the oven is preheating to 350°F, chill the orange cookie dough balls. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and just firm.
Cool cookies completely: Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make citrus glaze and ice cookies: In a small bowl combine together the powdered sugar with the orange zest, orange juice and butter then whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or juice to ensure glaze is not runny. Spread on cooled cookies and garnish orange zest!
Variations for Orange Butter Cookies
- Creamier frosting: Add a few Tablespoons of softened cream cheese to the glaze.
- Chocolate orange: Chocolate with orange is the perfect pair! Melt milk or dark chocolate and drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Type of citrus: Try lemon juice and lemon zest, lime juice and lime zest or even grapefruit juice and zest!
- Vanilla glaze: Skip the orange juice and zest in the glaze and use milk and vanilla extract instead.
- Roll in sugar: Alternately, skip the glaze and roll the cookies in coarse sugar that has been infused with orange zest!
- Sandwich cookies: Sandwich two cookies together with vanilla buttercream for a creamsicle cookie. You could also use vanilla ice cream!
Orange Butter Cookies Baking Tips
- Maximum orange flavor: Add up to a teaspoon of orange extract to the cookie dough for even more bright citrus flavor.
- Room temperature butter: Softened butter will cream better with the powdered sugar for light and fluffy cookies.
- Cookie scoop: A cookie scoop can help your orange cookies bake evenly as they will all be a consistent size!
- Don’t skip chilling the dough: Otherwise your orange shortbread cookies will spread too thin.
- Use parchment paper: It not only makes for easier clean up but ensures that the orange butter cookies don’t stick to the pan.
Make Ahead
Since orange butter cookies already need to chill they are great to make ahead of time!
If you are planning to bake them within a day or two, you can store the assembled dough covered in the refrigerator for up to two days until you are ready to bake them. To make them easier to scoop, let the dough sit at room temperature for up to 20 minutes.
You can also freeze the dough! Once your dough is made, chilled and then scooped into cookie balls, flash freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then transfer to a freezer safe bag and store frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, increasing the baking time by a few minutes.
FAQs
What is the best way to zest an orange?
There are a few different ways to zest an orange! You can use a microplane, the small holes on a grater or even a vegetable peeler. If you use a vegetable peeler you will need to cut the orange peel pieces into fine shreds with a sharp knife.
Can I slice the cookies instead of rolling them?
Yes. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log shape. Place each log onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap dough tightly and chill in the fridge until firm or in the freezer for an hour.
How to store leftover cookies?
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To prevent sticking, place parchment or wax paper between the layers.
Can I freeze orange cookies?
Yes. Cool completely and ensure that the glaze has set. Place cookies in an even layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them until frozen. Transfer to an airtight container with parchment paper between cookie layers and freeze for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Orange-Infused Recipes
Orange Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Orange Butter Cookies
- ½ cup butter – room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ½ tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup flour
- 1 pinch salt
Orange Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon butter – room temperature
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, using a hand held electric mixer, beat the butter with the powdered sugar until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and juice, then beat in the flour and salt until just combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Roll the dough into 1-1½ inch balls. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each cookie with your fingers or a small glass dipped in flour. Chill the cookies while the oven is pre-heating at 350F (180C). Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and just firm.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Orange Glaze
- In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with the orange zest, orange juice and butter until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or juice to make the mixture thick enough to your liking. Make sure the glaze is not runny.
- Spread the orange glaze on the cooled cookies and garnish with more finely grated orange zest if desired. Let stand until the glaze has set, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
So buttery & delicious! Wish single batch made more. Definitely one of my favorites!
I’m so happy to hear you like these cookies! enjoy! 😊