Name: Orange Glazed Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup unsalted butter (softened); 2 lg. eggs; 1 tsp. orange extract; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1 Tbsp. cream of tarter; 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest; 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar; 1/4-1/3 cup fresh orange juice

Hello friends! I think it’s time for a second round of holiday cookies, don’t you? Today, I’ve joined several blogging friends to share a holiday cookie recipe with you. If you’re coming over from The Happy Housie, welcome! Don’t her ginger cookies look delish? If you missed last weeks cookies, you can find my recipes for speculaas and springerle cookies HERE. While last week’s cookies were less sweet and more traditional (my favorite kind) today is all about sweet sugar cookies! These orange glazed sugar cookies are for my sweet tooth readers. While I tend to prefer a less sweet cookie, Josh and Charlie love these!

This cookies is basically an orange sugar cookies with a sweet orange glaze on top. The glaze sets beautifully, allowing you to package up for friends and family easily. Each year Charlie and I send the week of Christmas making sugar cookies and decorating them. These are a great addition because the orange zest and juice give them a little something special.

The glaze is very adaptable. You can add more or less sugar, depending on your taste. I tend to like less sugar, but Charlie has told me there are just right the way they are.

If you’re not a fan of the orange flavor, lime works great! In fact, these cookies started out as lime sugar cookies. To be honest, I much prefer the lime version. Charlie isn’t one for lemons or limes, so orange it is! The things we do for our little ones. Over 10-13 years ago I came across the recipe in an old Southern Living cookbook. I did change a couple of things. The original recipe does not call for orange extract or vanilla extract. Feel free to make it with or without the extract.

Orange Glazed Sugar Cookies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Servings 3 Dozen

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cream of tarter
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Orange Glaze

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4-1/3 cup fresh orange juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cream of tarter and baking soda. Set aside.
Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Add the orange extract and vanilla extract.
Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Lastly, add the orange zest and mix until combined.
Use a small, 2 tsp. cookie scoop to shape your cookies. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are very light golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack.

Orange Glaze

In a small bowl, mix the confectioners sugar and orange juice until combined and smooth. (Start with 1/4 cup orange juice, increase if mixture is too thick.)
Drop a small spoon full on the center of each cookie. Allow cookies to finish cooling and store in an air-tight container.

I like to pull mine out of the oven right when I see just the hint go browning on the bottoms. This leaves the cookies soft and chewy in the center, perfection! You can add the glaze while they’re warm or cooled. I haven’t found too much of a different either way.

Let the cookies rest on the cooling rack until the glaze is set in the center. You can then package for gifts or storage in an air-tight container. This is a great recipe for those will kiddos. The cookies are smaller in size, so it’s just the right amount of sugar.

Whether you love a sweet Christmas cookie or a traditional spice, there are so many delicious recipes in today’s hop. Be sure to stop by the next blog, My 100 Year Old Home and grab her classic sugar cookie recipe! It’s such a fun time of the year to be in the kitchen. I can’t wait to get started on our cookies this weekend. Charlie and I love to deliver baked treats to our friends just before Christmas. It’s become quite the tradition for us. Whichever cookies you chose, have a merry Christmas and happy baking!