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Zesty Orange Crinkle Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 100 reviews

These Zesty Orange Crinkle Cookies are irresistibly soft, tender, and bursting with fresh orange flavor. Coated in powdered sugar, they boast a delicate crackled surface and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes them perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest (from 2 medium oranges)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Coating

  • 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which typically takes about 2 to 3 minutes using an electric mixer.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, fresh orange zest, and fresh orange juice until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening and seasoning.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop when no streaks of flour remain to keep cookies tender.
  6. Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps intensify the flavors and makes the dough easier to handle when shaping.
  7. Coat in Powdered Sugar: Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar, coating completely. For extra coating, roll them a second time if desired.
  8. Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading during baking.
  9. Bake: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly puffed but the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. Avoid browning to maintain their soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  10. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set perfectly while remaining tender.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies; mix until just combined.
  • Bake cookies just until edges are set but centers remain soft for the ideal tender texture.
  • Chilling the dough helps the flavors meld and makes rolling easier.
  • Rolling cookies twice in powdered sugar can enhance the crinkle effect and sweetness.
  • Do not brown the cookies; removing them slightly underbaked creates the perfect texture.

Keywords: orange cookies, crinkle cookies, soft cookies, tender cookies, citrus cookies, holiday cookies, homemade cookies, orange zest cookies

Find it online: https://bakedbylisa.com/zesty-orange-crinkle-cookies-recipe/