These sugar cookies are the fluffiest and dreamiest. If you’re looking for a cookie that tastes just like an orange Creamsicle, look no further. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, these cookies are a nice change from traditional flavors such as strawberry, rose, lavender, chocolate, etc.
To embrace citrus season, I used the zest of one mandarin orange to get the unique flavor. As a bonus, mandarin oranges are packed with vitamin c and antioxidant properties. And since they’re made from scratch, there’s no harsh chemical preservatives that you find in store bought or mass produced cookies.
Lets talk citrus season. When I think about citrus I’m always brought to summertime. But citrus season actually occurs during the winter. That means nature provides us with this fruit that has loads of vitamin c, antioxidants, vitamin e, anti-inflammatory properties and so much more.
I like a really fluffy, pillowy sugar cookie and these hit the nail on the head. They are as soft as a cloud. The mandarin flavor they have is incredible. I didn’t intend for it to be so, but they taste just like a creamsicle. And the fluffiness of the cookie almost makes me forget that it’s not ice cream.
SUGAR COOKIES (ORANGE CREAMSICLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, lightly softened
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup more for sugar topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 mandarin orange
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
- Using a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and butter over medium-high. Mix for about 2 minutes or until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and mandarin zest. Continue mixing until combined.
- Gradually add in the flour about 1/2 cup at a time until it is all incorporated.
- Using a small dish, pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to roll the dough.
- Roll the dough into balls about an 1″ in diameter then roll each ball into the sugar.
- Space an inch apartment from each other on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake 11-12 minutes
- Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.