Orange Cookies Recipe with Creamsicle Frosting

a plate of orange cookies topped with frosting

5 from 3 votes

Orange Cookies Recipe with Creamsicle Frosting

These orange cookies are like sunshine in dessert form - chewy, bright, sweet, and perfectly tart! Bursting with the flavors of freshly squeezed orange juice and vibrant orange zest, they’re topped with a velvety orange cream cheese frosting that takes them to a whole new level. Each bite is tender, luscious, and downright wonderful.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1 egg yolk
1½ cup + 2 tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp orange juice plus more if needed
1/2 tsp orange zest plus more for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt then cook for 5-8 minutes while stirring often. The butter will begin to foam and turn golden brown. Once the foam reduces and you see brown milk solid bits at the bottom, pour into a large mixing bowl.
1/2 cup butter
Cool the browned butter for about 10 minutes, then add in brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice, and egg yolk. Whisk until smooth.
1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 egg yolk
In a separate bowl, stir together gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt until combined.
1½ cup + 2 tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp sea salt
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined.
Scoop dough with 1½ tbsp scoop and roll into balls with your hands. Place them on the parchment lined baking sheet, making sure they are about 2 inches apart (you may need to bake in 2 batches).
Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are the golden and the centers are puffed up with slight cracks. Cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Combine all ingredients for the frosting in a bowl, and mix until smooth and creamy. Add a bit more orange juice if the mixture is too thick.
4 oz cream cheese, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp orange juice, 1/2 tsp orange zest
Frost the cookies generously, then top with more orange zest if you wish.

Video

Notes

The best way to frost these cookies is to wait until they’re fully cooled; frosting them while warm will cause the frosting to melt.
To make these cookies dairy-free, use vegan butter instead of butter, and dairy-free cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese.
Freshly squeezed juice and zest give the best flavor.
If your dough feels sticky or soft, chilling it for 20-30 minutes can make it much easier to handle.
Make sure the browned butter is cool enough before adding other ingredients to avoid melting the sugar.
If you want to switch things up, try mixing in some white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts like pecans or almonds.
Get creative with these cookies by shaping them for different occasions! While the recipe calls for rolling the dough into balls, you can chill the dough slightly, then roll it out and use cookie cutters for festive shapes like hearts or stars.
Refrigerate in a single layer for a few hours so the frosting can set, then stack in an airtight container with parchment paper between them for 3 - 4 days.
Freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer for 2 hours, wrap in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer bag or container (add parchment paper in between layers if frosted). You can thaw overnight in the fridge.

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