These Orange cookies have a soft melt-in-your-mouth texture and a delicious fresh orange flavor. These are simple butter biscuits with a fantastic zing to them. They are simple to make yet deliver amazing zesty flavors. These cookies have orange zest, fresh orange juice, and orange extract to ensure you get a great orange flavor. They make an excellent cookie for afternoon tea, and as there is no need to chill the cookie dough, you can eat the finished citrus cookie in 30 minutes!
Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (See note 4)
Use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to mix the sugar and zest of the orange together until it looks like wet sand. This will take around 4-5 minutes.¾ cup/ 150g granulated white sugar1 zest of an orange
Add the butter to the sugar mixture and cream together until it is light and fluffy.8 tbsp/ 115g salted butter
While the butter, sugar, and orange zest are creaming, measure out the flour and add the baking soda. Mix to combine. 1½ cup/ 190g AP flour¼ tsp baking soda
Add the orange juice and orange extract, then mix to combine thoroughly.1 tbsp orange juice1¼ tsp orange extract
Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix well.1 egg
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and mix slowly until the dough just comes together. Don't overmix.
Use a tablespoon measure to scoop out cookie dough balls. Roll them in your hands to create a neat ball.
Place the rolled ball onto the lined baking sheet and use something flat to flatten the cookies.
Bake your cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges turn light golden and the center is still slightly soft.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes when you first remove them from the oven. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack.
Notes
Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You want to be able to push your finger into the butter easily. If you have unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to your flour when you add it to the mix.
All-purpose flour is plain flour for those not in the US.
I use a large room temperature egg.
The oven temperature is for a conventional oven on the bake setting. If using a fan oven, reduce the temperature by 70ºF/20ºC.