If you’re looking for something special to take to a cookie swap I have just the thing for you. No fussy decorating, simple and easy to make, but these cookies are so good they don’t need any icing.
The addition of fresh orange zest is what makes them amazing, so if you can use the fresh zest instead of dried.
Making them into giant cookies is fun for a gift but either way they will be soft, chewy, and gone in a flash!
ORANGE BUTTER COOKIES
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 cups sugar (plus more for topping)
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 T orange zest (or 1 tsp dried)
1 egg
2 egg yolks
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and egg yolks, mixing until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients until mixed in.
Line cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Form dough into balls and slightly flatten using your fingers spread apart slightly.
Sprinkle with additional sugar.
Can be made into large cookies, about 1/2 cup in size, and baked for about 17 minutes.
Or make into smaller cookies, using about 1 1/2 to 2 T dough, and baked for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from oven while still pale, but baked all the way through.
Cook on sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.
Recipe adapted from “The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread”
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar (plus more for topping)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 T orange zest (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In another bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and egg yolks, mixing until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients until mixed in.
- Line cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Form dough into balls and slightly flatten using your fingers spread apart slightly.
- Sprinkle with additional sugar.
- Can be made into large cookies, about 1/2 cup in size, and baked for about 17 minutes.
- Or make into smaller cookies, using about 1 1/2 to 2 T dough, and baked for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from oven while still pale, but baked all the way through.
- Cook on sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.
