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!
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!
Notes
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To prevent sticking, place parchment or wax paper between the layers. You can also freeze the Orange butter cookies. 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.