Orange Sugar Cookies with Orange Buttercream Icing

5 from 1 vote

Orange Sugar Cookies with Orange Buttercream Icing

Transform a zesty and sweet orange sugar cookie into a festive holiday treat to share with friends and family, elevating it with delightful flavors and homemade charm.

Prep Time20

Total Bake Time18

Chill & Decorate1 30

Total Time2 8

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Chinese

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: cookies

Calories: 311kcal

Ingredients

Orange Sugar Cookies

1 cup Butter unsalted room temperature
1 cup Sugar white
1 Egg room temperature
1 teaspoon Orange extract
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
3 cups All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 drop Yellow coloring gel

Orange Buttercream Icing

½ cup Butter unsalted room temperature
2 cups Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Orange extract
2 Tablespoons Orange juice
1 drop Green coloring gel

Stenciling

1 jar Monegasque gold luster dust edible

Instructions

Orange Sugar Cookies

Weight or measure the sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. I run a whisk through to blend the flour mixture. Zest and juice the orange into separate bowls and set the bowls aside.
Cream the butter for a minute or two before adding the sugar. After adding the sugar, mix on medium speed for 3 minutes or until it forms soft peaks. Next, incorporate the orange zest, orange extract, and yellow coloring gel. Finally, scrape down the sides, turn the mixer to a low speed, and slowly add the flour mixture. It will be dry and chunky looking. But if you put some between your fingers, it will remind you of play dough.
Dump the cookie dough onto a pastry mat and knead it together until it becomes a smooth, short-log shape. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk before wrapping it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
I sprinkled powdered sugar on a pastry mat before adding one of the cookie dough disks, then dust the top of the disk with powdered sugar. I am using a 3/16" band on the ends of my dowel and a 4" round cookie cutter. This will give me a big enough circle to use the stencil.
I got six cookies to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 8-10 minutes. Leave the cookies on the pan after taking them out of the oven; moving them after they cooled on the sheet pan is easier. Then, move to a cooling rack. You need the cookies solid before icing and stenciling them.

Orange Buttercream Icing

Weigh or measure the powdered sugar into a bowl and set it aside. Cream the butter for a couple of minutes, then add the powdered sugar along with the orange extract and orange juice, mixing on a low mixing speed until incorporated. Then, turn the mixer speed to medium-high for 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides before adding the green coloring gel. Turn the mixer to a medium-high for 5 minutes or until it is a little stiff to the touch.
Have a parchment-lined sheet pan ready. Add a smooth layer about the same thickness as the cookie, but leave a little open around the edges. You want to lay the cookie with the icing side on the parchment paper and the bottom of the cookie up. Then, gently press down on the cookie evenly. This helps to spread the icing and make the surface flat for the stenciling. I got 6 cookies on a sheet pan. Pop into the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Peel the cookies off the parchment paper; the icing should be firm. If not, place it back into the fridge for another 10 minutes.

Stenciling Cookies

I used gold luster dust and a brush to apply the gold. Center the stencil over the green icing and dab the gold over the cutouts on the stencil. I try not to use a bushing stroke. It seems to brush the icing too much and smear. Try to hold the stencil using one hand and dab it with the brush using the other. I leave the cookies on the rack to harden a little before storing them in a container. I also use a half sheet of parchment paper between the layers.

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