Perfectly Soft Orange Sugar Cookies (Bright, Buttery & Zesty!)
Imagine capturing the bright, cheerful essence of a sunny day and packing it into a soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. That, my friends, is the pure, unadulterated joy of these Orange Sugar Cookies. This isn’t just a simple sugar cookie; it’s a vibrant celebration of citrus, a tender, chewy treat that’s bursting with the flavor of fresh orange zest and juice, all crowned with a simple, sweet orange glaze.
I promise you, there is no greater feeling than taking that first bite and experiencing the perfect harmony of soft, tender cookie and sweet, zesty glaze. The aroma of fresh orange as you bake them is absolutely intoxicating. They are a true show-stopper that’s surprisingly simple to make, perfect for bake sales, after-school treats, or a quiet afternoon with a cup of tea.
Get ready to discover your new favorite sugar cookie variation. This is a recipe that proves simple, fresh flavors are always the most delicious.
Why These Will Be Your Favorite Sugar Cookies!
You are going to be completely amazed by how much bright, beautiful flavor is packed into these simple cookies. They are a must-bake for so many reasons:
- Incredibly Soft and Chewy Texture: The method of creaming the butter and sugar, plus the perfect ratio of ingredients, results in a wonderfully soft, tender cookie that stays that way for days.
- Bursting with Bright Orange Flavor: We use both fresh orange zest and orange juice in the dough to ensure a vibrant, authentic citrus flavor that shines through in every single bite.
- A Simple, Beautiful Glaze: The easy two-ingredient icing adds the perfect touch of sweetness and another layer of orange flavor, and it sets into a beautiful, smooth finish.
- Perfect for Making Ahead: The dough requires chilling, making it a fantastic recipe to prep in advance. You can have fresh-baked cookies ready in minutes!
- A Year-Round Favorite: While citrus is wonderful in the winter, the bright, sunny flavor of these cookies makes them a perfect treat for any season, from spring parties to summer picnics.
Recipe Snapshot
| Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Chill Time | 1 hour |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Total Time | 1 hour 35 minutes |
| Servings | 30 cookies (2.5 dozen) |
| Calories | 139 kcal per cookie |
| Course | Dessert |
| Cuisine | American |
| Difficulty/Method | Easy / Baking |
Your Shopping List for These Sunny Cookies
This recipe uses classic pantry staples to create its signature bright flavor and soft texture.
→ For the Soft Orange Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened → The key to a rich, buttery, and tender cookie.
- 1 cup sugar → For the perfect sweetness.
- 1 large egg, room temperature → Binds the dough together.
- 4 teaspoons grated orange zest → This is where the most potent, aromatic orange flavor comes from!
- ⅓ cup orange juice → For moisture and a bright, tangy flavor.
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract → A secret weapon that brightens and enhances the orange flavor.
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour → Provides the structure.
- ½ teaspoon salt → To balance the sweetness.
→ For the Simple Orange Icing
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar → For a smooth, sweet glaze.
- 2 tablespoons 2% milk → To create the perfect drizzling or spreading consistency.
- 3 drops orange food coloring → Optional, but it gives the icing a beautiful, sunny hue.
Let’s Bake Cookies! Your Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to fill your kitchen with the incredible scent of orange and butter? Let’s get started!
Part 1: The Soft Orange Cookie Dough
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, sugar, and salt together on medium-high speed for a full 5-7 minutes. This step is key! You want the mixture to be very light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the room temperature egg, grated orange zest, orange juice, and lemon extract until well combined.
- Add Flour: Gradually beat in the flour on low speed, mixing only until it’s just incorporated. Do not overmix!
- Chill the Dough: Divide the soft dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the dough is firm enough to roll without being too sticky.
Part 2: Roll, Cut, and Bake
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease your baking sheets.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, take one disk of chilled dough and roll it out to an even ¼-inch thickness. Use a floured 2 ½-inch cookie cutter to cut out your shapes.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the cut-out cookies about 1 inch apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges are a very light golden brown. The centers should still look soft.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. You must wait until they are fully cool before icing.
Part 3: The Simple Orange Glaze
- Mix the Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and orange food coloring (if using) until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Decorate: You can either pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies, spread it with a small spatula, or simply dip the top of each cookie into the glaze. Let the cookies stand until the icing is fully set.
Orange Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, orange zest, orange juice and lemon extract.
- Gradually beat in the flour on low speed until just combined.
- Divide dough in half, shape into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter.
- Place cookies 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are just light brown.
- Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, milk and, if desired, food coloring until smooth. Pipe or spread over cooled cookies. Let stand until the icing is set.
Notes
WiseRecipes’ Top Tips for the Softest Sugar Cookies
These simple secrets will ensure your orange sugar cookies are perfectly soft and delicious every time.
- Cream for 5-7 Minutes. Seriously. This is the most important step for a soft cookie! Beating the butter and sugar for this long incorporates a significant amount of air, which creates a lighter, more tender cookie texture. Don’t skip this!
- Use Fresh Orange Zest and Juice. The flavor difference is night and day. The zest from a fresh orange contains all the aromatic oils and provides the most potent, authentic orange flavor that you just can’t get from an extract alone.
- Don’t Skip the Chill Time. Chilling the dough is crucial for two reasons: it prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, and it allows the flour to hydrate, resulting in a more tender cookie with a deeper flavor.
- Do Not Overbake! This is the secret to a soft sugar cookie. Pull them from the oven the moment the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. The centers will look slightly underdone, but they will finish baking and set up on the hot pan.
- The Right Icing Consistency. For a perfect glaze, you want it to be thick enough to be opaque, but thin enough to spread or dip easily. If it’s too thick, add milk a few drops at a time. If it’s too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar.
Keep Them Fresh! Storing Your Citrus Cookies
These cookies are a delight to have on hand. Here’s how to store them for maximum freshness.
- Storing Iced Cookies: Once the icing has completely set and hardened, you can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Place layers of wax paper between them to protect the icing.
- Storing Un-Iced Cookies: The un-iced cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for over a week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Freezing the Dough: The wrapped dough disks can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let the dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking as directed.
FAQs: Your Orange Sugar Cookie Questions, Answered!
My cookie dough is too sticky to roll. What did I do wrong?
You didn’t do anything wrong! This is a soft dough by nature. If it’s too sticky even after chilling for an hour, it may just be a warm day in your kitchen. Simply pop it back in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes until it’s firm enough to handle. Using a well-floured surface and a floured rolling pin is also essential.
Can I use a different citrus, like lemon or lime?
Absolutely! This recipe is a fantastic base for any citrus sugar cookie. Simply swap the orange zest and juice for an equal amount of fresh lemon or lime zest and juice. The lemon extract is already in the recipe and will complement them beautifully.
Can I make these without a cookie cutter?
Of course. You can use the “slice and bake” method. After making the dough, shape each half into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill until very firm. Then, simply slice the log into ¼-inch thick rounds and bake.
Why are my cookies hard instead of soft?
Hard sugar cookies are almost always the result of one of three things: not creaming the butter and sugar long enough, overmixing the flour, or overbaking. Focus on those three steps—a long creaming time, minimal mixing of the flour, and pulling the cookies from the oven when they still look soft in the center.
Final Thoughts: A Little Bite of Sunshine
There is nothing more cheerful than a bright, citrusy dessert. These Soft Orange Sugar Cookies are a celebration of simple, fresh flavors and the pure joy of a perfect, tender cookie. They are a delightful treat that is sure to bring a little bit of sunshine to your day, no matter the season. I hope you love them as much as I do. Happy baking!
