Orange Creamsicle Cookies
My orange creamsicle cookies taste JUST LIKE the creamiscle frozen treat we all know and love! They have a bright orange flavor thanks to the fresh orange zest, and the creamy vanilla goodness comes from the white chocolate chips. Together, they form the perfect summertime dessert: Orange Creamsicle Cookies!
In honor of National Orange Creamsicle Day, which is celebrated annually on August 14, I wanted to share my recipe for these awesome orange creamsicle cookies with all of you. These cookies are easy to make, delicious, and addictive. You won’t be able to eat just one!
I also mixed in gel food coloring to give the cookies a boost of orange color. I highly recommend you use gel food coloring because it does not change the consistency of the dough like liquid drop food colorings can do. Yet, if you have liquid food coloring on hand, use 3 drops of red and 14 drops of yellow.
As with all my recipes, I use the scientific method to carefully craft them to ensure you get deliciously perfect results every time.
I scream! You scream! We all scream for orange creamsicle cookies!
Happy Baking!
Ingredients
150 grams (3/4 cup) of white granulated sugar
Zest of one whole navel orange
1 stick (113 grams or 1/2 cup) of unsalted butter
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon of pure orange extract
213 grams (1 2/3 cups) of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Orange food coloring, preferably gel
If using liquid food coloring, use 3 drops of red and 14 drops of yellow.
150 grams (3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons) of white chocolate chips
Yields 18 cookies
Instructions
Let all ingredients come to room temperature. Cut the butter into small pieces to help it come to room temperature.
Geeky Tip: Ingredients that are all the same temperature incorporate more easily and fully.
Zest the entire orange and thoroughly mix the zest into the sugar until all of the sugar has an orange color. Using the back of a spoon, grind/mash the zest into the sugar. Set it aside.
Geeky Tip: This is the secret to getting a nice orange flavor in the cookies. Every bit of sugar will be infused with the orange oil, and the cookies will have a more orange flavor and color.
Fully whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
Geeky Tip: Whisking together all the dry ingredients ensures a homogenous mixture, and it breaks up any clumps in the flour. Also, make sure to keep flour in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage.
Beat the butter until it has a smooth appearance. About 1 minute on medium-high speed. Then, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Geeky Tip: This helps to work some air into the butter that will aid the rise later, and it makes it easier for the sugar to cut into the butter.
Add the orange-infused sugar into the butter, and cream together until lighter in color and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat in the egg until it is incorporated.
Occasionally, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Mix in the pure orange extract.
The batter may look curdled because of the acid from the orange zest, but this is to be expected. After the dry ingredients are mixed in, the cookie dough will look smooth and fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients by thirds, and mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
Geeky Tip: Overmixing will build up the gluten and protein structure in the dough and lead to a tougher and denser cookie.
Gently fold in the orange food coloring a little at a time until the desired color is reached.
I highly recommend you use gel food coloring because it does not change the consistency of the dough like liquid drop food colorings can do.
When using gel food coloring, start with a very small amount. You can always add more, but you can never remove it if you add too much! Use separate toothpicks to add the red and yellow gel food coloring to the dough. If using liquid food coloring, use 3 drops of red and 14 drops of yellow.
Gently fold in the white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. This dough is soft, so refrigerating it allows the dough to firm up, so it won’t spread too thin when baking. It also lets the flavors develop more.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Geeky Tip: Oven temperatures vary wildly, so get an oven thermometer. When my oven “beeps” to indicate pre-heating is done, it is usually 50-75 degrees below the target temperature. An oven thermometer is the best $5 baking investment you can make!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Geeky Tip: I highly recommend using a light-colored aluminum baking sheet. Baking sheets that are dark will conduct more heat and may burn whatever is on them. Just think of wearing a black shirt versus a white shirt on a hot sunny day. Old baking sheets that have dark spots may heat unevenly.
After the dough has chilled for 30 minutes, remove it from the refrigerator.
Using a #30 cookie scoop (2 tablespoons), make scoops of dough, and evenly space them 2 inches apart on the sheet.
Geeky Tip: Optionally, you can top each ball with a few chocolate chips to make them more visually appealing.
Bake on the oven’s center rack for 10-12 minutes.
After baking, place the sheet on a wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!
Storage
To store the cookies, put them in an airtight container with a slice of fresh plain bread. The bread helps to keep the cookies from going stale. They can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Orange Creamsicle Cookie
Ingredients
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) of white granulated sugar
- Zest of one whole navel orange
- 1 stick (113 grams or 1/2 cup) of unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon of pure orange extract
- 213 grams (1 2/3 cups) of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- Orange food coloring, preferably gel (If using liquid food coloring, use 3 drops of red and 14 drops of yellow.)
- 150 grams (¾ cup and 2 tablespoons) of white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Let all ingredients come to room temperature. Cut the butter into small pieces to help it come to room temperature.
- Zest the entire orange and thoroughly mix the zest into the sugar until all of the sugar has an orange color. Set it aside.
- Fully whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
- Beat the butter until it has a smooth appearance. About 1 minute on medium-high speed. Then, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the orange-infused sugar into the butter, and cream together until lighter in color and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in the egg until it is incorporated. Occasionally, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Mix in the pure orange extract.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients by halves, and mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- Gently fold in the orange food coloring a little at a time until the desired color is reached. If using gel food coloring and you don’t have an orange color, use separate toothpicks to add red and yellow. If using liquid food coloring, use 3 drops of red and 14 drops of yellow.
- Gently fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Using a #30 cookie scoop (2 tablespoons), make scoops of dough, and evenly space them 2 inches apart on the sheet.
- Bake on the oven’s center rack for 10-12 minutes. After baking, place the sheet on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
To store the cookies, put them in an airtight container with a slice of fresh plain bread. The bread helps to keep the cookies from going stale. They can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.