Vanilla Orange Sugar Cookies

Vanilla orange sugar cookies showing the year of the horse imprinted onto the cookie as the feature image.

5 from 1 vote

Vanilla orange sugar cookies with a light citrus glaze and a subtle hint of gold. These cookies are simple to decorate and perfect for holidays or special occasions.

Prep Time20

Total Bake Time24

Chill30

Total Time1 14

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: cookies

Calories: 148kcal

Author: Barbara Hall

Ingredients

Vanilla Orange Sugar Cookies

1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted
1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
1 Egg
2 teaspoons (8 g) Vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon (6 g) Orange zest
1 Tablespoon (17 g) Orange juice
3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
2 teaspoon (8 g) Baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) Kosher salt

Orange Glaze with Gold Sugar

1 cup (120 g) Powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons (51 g) Orange juice
2 Tablespoons (29.57 g) Gold sugar

Instructions

Making the Cookies

Weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. In a separate bowl, weigh or measure the flour. Add the baking powder and salt to the flour and whisk to combine. Zest and juice the large orange, placing the zest and juice into separate bowls.
Cream the butter for about one minute, or until it forms soft peaks. Add the sugar and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, orange juice, and zest. Blend until incorporated. Add the egg and mix until combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, add the flour mixture about one-third at a time. Try not to overmix, as this can produce tough sugar cookies. Some flour may not be fully incorporated at this stage.
Move the cookie dough to a pastry mat and knead until all the loose flour has been absorbed. Shape the dough into a log and cut it in half. Flatten each half into a disk about 7 inches across and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. This makes the dough easier to roll out later. Refrigerate the disks for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Line two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper.
For even thickness, use a rolling pin with bands on the ends to roll the dough to a ¼-inch depth. This thickness allows the horse cookie cutter to leave a clear impression. Transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared sheet pans. Reroll the excess dough and continue cutting until you have 12 cookies per pan.
Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Orange Glaze with Gold Sugar

Once the cookies have completely cooled, mix the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the cookies with the glaze. Do not apply too much, as it can fill in the lines of the horse design. Lightly sprinkle the gold sugar over the thin glaze.

Notes

• For the clearest horse impression, roll the dough to a consistent one-quarter inch thickness. Thicker dough may reduce detail, and thinner dough can distort the design.

• If the dough cracks while rolling, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before continuing.

• Apply the glaze very lightly. Too much glaze can soften the edges of the design.

• For a stronger orange flavor, increase the zest slightly rather than adding more juice, which can change the dough texture.

• These cookies hold their shape well, making them ideal for detailed cut-out designs.

Nutrition