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Orange Sugar Cookies

Orange Sugar Cookies Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 145
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (for glaze)
  • Pinch of orange zest (for topping)

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla. The mixture may look curdled.
  3. Add dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until combined. Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls, roll in sugar, place on sheets 2 inches apart, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  4. Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just golden and centers still look soft. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
  5. Whisk powdered sugar with 2 tbsp orange juice until smooth. Drizzle or spread over completely cooled cookies, top with zest, and let set 10 minutes.

Notes

The prep time includes mixing and shaping; the 30-minute chill is hands-off. If baking multiple batches, each sheet takes about 10 minutes, and you can rotate pans as one sheet cools. Cool the cookies completely before glazing to prevent the icing from melting.