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Soft Orange Sugar Cookies with Orange Buttercream Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 107 reviews
  • Author: Mariam
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (including chilling and cooling time)
  • Yield: About 24-30 cookies depending on size 1x

Description

These Soft Orange Sugar Cookies are tender, lightly sweetened treats bursting with fresh orange zest and juice, topped with a creamy orange buttercream. Perfectly soft yet sturdy for shaping, these cookies make a delightful citrus-flavored dessert or snack, with a refreshing and vibrant twist on classic sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
  • 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (60g)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1–2 navel oranges)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice (15mL)

Orange Buttercream

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (240g)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1–2 navel oranges)
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice (15mL)
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream (15mL)

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and aluminum-free baking powder until combined. Set aside for later use.
  2. Cream butter and sugars: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and kosher salt on medium speed (4-6 on a KitchenAid) for about one minute until smooth.
  3. Add sugars and orange zest: Incorporate the granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, and orange zest into the butter mixture. Continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1½ minutes.
  4. Incorporate egg and orange juice: Beat in the large egg and orange juice until well combined, about one minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed evenly.
  5. Add flour mixture: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Occasionally stop to scrape down the bowl. Mix until the dough forms a soft ball around the paddle and is soft but not sticky.
  6. Chill the dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, pressing it into a disk about 1 inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to five days.
  7. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  8. Roll and cut dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thickness. Use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut dough using cookie cutters into desired shapes. Re-roll and cut until all dough is used.
  9. Bake the cookies: Arrange cookies about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 7-8 minutes or until cookies are slightly puffy. Remove and let cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Prepare the orange buttercream: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer with paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until creamy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
  11. Add remaining buttercream ingredients: Add the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  12. Decorate the cooled cookies: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the orange buttercream onto each cookie as desired.

Notes

  • Be sure to chill the dough to make rolling and cutting easier and to prevent spreading during baking.
  • Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any metallic taste in the cookies.
  • Do not overbake; cookies should be slightly puffy and soft when removed from the oven.
  • The orange zest can be adjusted depending on your preferred intensity of citrus flavor.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days, and the dough can be refrigerated before baking for up to five days as well.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7-8 minutes per batch
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: orange sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, orange zest cookies, citrus cookies, sugar cookies with buttercream, homemade cookies, orange buttercream frosting

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Find it online: https://aromaofgrandma.com/soft-orange-sugar-cookies-with-orange-buttercream-recipe/