Orange Crinkle Cookies

These orange crinkle cookies are soft and chewy, with fresh citrus flavor. Made with real orange zest and juice, and rolled in powdered sugar, these beautiful orange cookies bake up with a signature crinkled top and a tender center.

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Yields cookies

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp orange zest, (about 2 large oranges)
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup (59 ml) orange juice, fresh squeezed (about 1 orange)
orange food coloring, optional

Coating

¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line half sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Place the sugar and orange zest inside the bowl of a stand mixer. Rub together with your fingers to release the oils from the zest into the sugar, until the sugar has turned pale orange. Then add the butter to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest together until combined.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the orange juice and some orange food coloring (optional). Mix to combine.
Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. (NOTE: If the dough seems especially wet and sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Simply chill the dough until it’s firm enough to scoop; about 30 minutes.)
Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar for coating the dough into two separate small bowls. Use a medium cookie scoop (#40 scoop; about 1.5 Tablespoons) to spoon the cookie dough into a ball. (A trigger scoop is recommended due to the stickiness of the dough.)
Drop the dough into the granulated sugar. Roll it around and shake off any excess. (This helps make the dough more manageable.) Next, generously coat the dough with powdered sugar. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets about 2-3 inches apart (no more than 8 per tray).
Bake at 350˚F for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and the edges are firm to the touch. The center of the cracks will be almost matte (just slightly wet/shiny still). Do not over-bake. Cool for several minutes on the pan, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For thicker cookies: While this recipe can be baked immediately (as long as the butter wasn’t too soft), if you desire thicker cookies, then you must chill the dough. This helps slow the spread of the dough during baking.
For more orange flavor: Rubbing the zest into the sugar helps the oils release for a natural orange flavor. If even more orange flavor is desired, you can add 1/8 tsp of food grade orange essential oil, or 1 tsp of orange extract to the dough.
TO STORE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH: Scoop cookie dough balls, un-coated, onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. Then transfer frozen dough to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Allow the frozen cookie dough to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Coat the dough balls with both sugars, then bake as directed.
TO FREEZE COOKIE BAKED COOKIES: Freeze baked cookies after they have cooled completely, in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter. *NOTE: The powdered sugar may absorb into the cookies due to the moisture in the freezer. It will not affect the taste.

Nutrition