Light, soft shortbread cookies with a hint of orange zest. These Orange Shortbread Cookies are a unique, delicious addition for your holiday treat tray!
12 Days of Holiday Treats: Day 2
Welcome to day 2 of SugarSpicesLife’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats. A 12 day series of holiday candies, cookies and other treats.
If case you missed it, yesterday’s post was Hot Chocolate Cookies.
And if you’re looking for even more holiday recipes, you can check out last year’s series here.
Orange Shortbread Cookies
Today’s recipe is for Orange Shortbread Cookies. Soft, round shortbread cookies with a hint or orange zest. Because every holiday treat box needs a citrus cookie or two!
If you want more orange dessert recipes, here are a few of my favorites:
Orange Chocolate Cookies
Orange Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Orange Banana Bread
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Step One: Creaming
Step one is to use an electric mixer to beat the butter and powdered sugar until it has lightened in color and has a fluffy appearance. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
It is important not to skip this step or under cream the butter and sugar. This process makes the cookies light and tender.
Step Two: Zest
Second, mix in the orange zest. For this recipe I used 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest (about 1 medium sized orange). To zest the orange, I highly recommend using a Microplane grater.
If you want more orangey-flavored cookies, you can certainly use more zest. You may also consider a drop or two of orange extract. If you use orange extract, start with a drop or two at a time – the flavor is quite strong.
Step Three: Dry Ingredients
After beating in the orange zest, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt, then then beat them into the butter mixture. Doesn’t get simpler than that.
Step Four: Chilling and Baking
Chill the dough for at least an hour. This helps to prevent the cookies from spreading.
After the dough has chilled, form into balls roughly 1 tablespoon in size, shaped into discs.
Press each disc with a fork and then top with sprinkles.
Bake the cookies at 300 degrees for 16-19 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are set.
These Orange Shortbread Cookies are quick to put together, easy to make, and add a fabulous touch of citrus to your holiday cookie tray!
Orange Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest from about 1 medium sized orange
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Use electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until lightened in color and fluffy in appearance, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in orange zest until well combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat until butter and flour mixtures are just combined.
- Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Roll dough in balls about 1 tablespoon in size. Flatten balls into rounds that are about 2 inches in diameter.
- Use a fork to gently press down center of the dough. Top each dough round with sprinkles. **I recommend orange colored sprinkles as it gives a hint that the cookies are orange flavored!
- Bake cookies for 16-19 minutes or until cookies appear dried (they will still be a very light color).
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Orange Shortbread Cookies, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Glazed Shortbread Cookies
Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Nutella Filling
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Crème Brûlée Cookies
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
