Orange Cookies
These soft and buttery Orange Cookies with an orange cream cheese frosting uses orange marmalade and zest for a sweet citrusy flavor. Add them to your cookie tray to brighten your day!
With the holidays coming up, have you started thinking about your cookie list yet?
Previously I wrote about how to make the best Christmas cookie tray. In that post I talk about needing a variety of textures and flavors.
One cookie recipe you NEED to add this year is these melt-in-your-mouth buttery Orange Cookies with a tangy orange cream cheese frosting.
They’re similar to my chocolate sugar cookies and pumpkin sugar cookies but made with some orange marmalade added to both the dough and the frosting.
These orange marmalade cookies are soft and delicate, a nice change up from the usual small batch chocolate chip cookies and small batch gingerbread cookies.
Plus these orange frosted cookies are guaranteed to turn your day around. I mean, how can you not smile with such a bright, citrusy cookie?
Ingredients For Orange Cookies
Here’s what you need to make your soft orange cookies:
- Flour: Binds the cookie dough
- Salt: No bland cookies (especially if using unsalted butter)
- Baking soda: A leavening agent that will result in a soft middle by combining with the acidity of the orange zest
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies while also contributing to the cookie’s chewy texture
- Butter: Fat needed in the cookie and also helps the dough spread when it melts while baking
- Orange zest: After you’re done with your orange, use the remaining zest and juice in my cranberry sauce
- Egg yolk: Because of the marmalade, using a whole egg meant there was too much liquid in the recipe. Since you’ll have an extra egg white, check out these recipes using egg whites
- Orange marmalade: Using marmalade means there’s a more concentrated orange flavor (vs. using orange juice) plus contributes to the soft, fluffy texture
- Vanilla: Enhances the orange flavor
Can I substitute other fruits for orange?
This orange cookie recipe was developed around using marmalade, which means you can use any fruit jam, jelly, or preserve you’d like.
You can buy a jar or make one of these jam recipes:
How To Make Orange Cookies
Making this orange cookie recipe is easy! Here’s how to do it:
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Cream together the sugar, butter, and orange zest until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the egg yolk, orange marmalade, and vanilla until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture gradually until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.
- Chill for 1 hour or until dough is cold enough to handle
- Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set and the middles are puffed.
Cool completely then decorate as desired. Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate frosted cookies for up to 1 week.
How To Decorate Orange Cookies
To finish my orange frosted cookies I made my small batch cream cheese frosting then added some orange marmalade.
This gives the cookie some tang and creaminess on top to complement the soft texture underneath.
Bonus – You can make these for Halloween by adding some black sprinkles on top!
How To Freeze Orange Cookies
The good thing about baking orange marmalade cookies is they freeze very well! There are two ways you can freeze them:
- Scoop the dough into balls, place on a baking sheet or plate, then freeze for 1 hour. This keeps the dough from sticking to each other. Transfer the dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake cookies, cool completely, then freeze unfrosted for up to 2 months.
To bake frozen cookie dough, let thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes then bake as directed.
Orange Cookies FAQ
This orange cookie recipe was developed around using marmalade, so you cannot substitute regular orange juice without making other adjustments. You can use an orange jam or jelly. Or use another fruit flavor altogether.
Yes, you can add white chocolate chips or dried cranberries to the dough.
Yes, absolutely. Double the ingredients, using 1 whole egg instead of 2 egg yolks. Bake temperature and time will be the same.
What To Do With Leftover Orange Marmalade
Since you’ll have extra marmalade after making these orange marmalade cookies, here are some recipes you can make:
- Raspberry Crumb Bars – Turn these into orange crumb bars
- Cherry Turnovers – Instead of cherry pie filling, use 1/2 cup marmalade
- Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake – Swirl in some orange marmalade on top instead
Orange Cookies
These soft and buttery Orange Cookies with an orange cream cheese frosting uses orange marmalade and zest for a sweet citrusy flavor. Add them to your cookie tray to brighten your day!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch of table salt
- 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed (with the paddle attached if using a stand mixer), beat together the sugar, butter, and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Scrape down the bowl then beat in the egg yolk, marmalade, and vanilla until smooth.
- Turn the speed down to low then gradually beat in the flour mixture until incorporated and a dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop or by hand, portion the dough into 1 + 1/2-inch balls then place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- For the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 1 minute or until combined. Scrape down the bowl then add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the marmalade and vanilla. If the frosting is too runny, refrigerate for 15 minutes and/or add up to an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Frost cooled cookies.
Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature or refrigerate frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Since you'll have a leftover egg white, check out my post on what to do with egg whites.
- Looking for more soft cookies? Check out Chocolate Sugar Cookies and Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.
- Don't have marmalade? Use another jam such as Blueberry Jam Without Pectin, Peach Jam Without Pectin, Raspberry Jam Without Pectin, Strawberry Jam Without Pectin, or Sour Cherry Jam.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Orange Cookies
These soft and buttery Orange Cookies with an orange cream cheese frosting uses orange marmalade and zest for a sweet citrusy flavor. Add them to your cookie tray to brighten your day!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch of table salt
- 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed (with the paddle attached if using a stand mixer), beat together the sugar, butter, and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Scrape down the bowl then beat in the egg yolk, marmalade, and vanilla until smooth.
- Turn the speed down to low then gradually beat in the flour mixture until incorporated and a dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop or by hand, portion the dough into 1 + 1/2-inch balls then place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- For the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 1 minute or until combined. Scrape down the bowl then add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the marmalade and vanilla. If the frosting is too runny, refrigerate for 15 minutes and/or add up to an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Frost cooled cookies.
Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature or refrigerate frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Since you'll have a leftover egg white, check out my post on what to do with egg whites.
- Looking for more soft cookies? Check out Chocolate Sugar Cookies and Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.
- Don't have marmalade? Use another jam such as Blueberry Jam Without Pectin, Peach Jam Without Pectin, Raspberry Jam Without Pectin, Strawberry Jam Without Pectin, or Sour Cherry Jam.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
First published October 22, 2018
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchase.
A great alternative to my usual go to cookies.. Will bake these soon.. :O)
Enjoy! Let me know how they turn out.
I baked these today… I didn’t use the frosting on this batch as, I wanted to taste the cookie itself first..
Wonderful recipe and I will frost them next bake..These didn’t last very long..
Thank you… :O)
Yes the cookies are delicious even without the frosting! Glad you enjoyed them :D
I’m not much of a baker, but I think I could make these! And although I don’t like orange marmalade, I actually have a few jars because I accidentally ordered a case of 6 from Amazon! The price seemed reasonable to me because it’s a British brand. I’ve given two away, and now I can’t even remember why I bought the marmalade – it was for a recipe. Oh well. I’ll just have to make these cookies!
Guess it was for these cookies ;) Let me know what you think!
These look delicious! One question, if I want to double the recipe do I just double all the ingredients and use 1 whole egg instead if just the yoke? Thanks for the recipe.
Yes, that is correct.
Can I freeze cream cheese. I have to buy 8oz package and may not need the other 6oz for awhile.
In theory yes, but it alters the texture greatly so you would need to use the frozen cream cheese in something where you want it melted, like a dip or casserole. You wouldn’t be able to reuse it for frosting or for cheesecake because the texture would be too gritty. I have a bunch of cream cheese recipes listed separately. That should help you use up those extra 6 ounces! https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/tag/cream-cheese/
Another big win. Baked these on short notice for some guests and they were great! Stayed soft, great icing, and not a ton of leftovers. Great recipe!
Awesome! Happy to hear they were a hit.