How To Make Orange Shortbread Cookies
These orange shortbread cookies are a delicious twist to a classic recipe that you will want to make all year long! They are sweet and slightly nutty with a subtle citrus note. They are great to make and keep in the freezer to make a quick sweet treat whenever you need it!
When to Serve Orange Shortbread Cookies
These orange shortbread cookies are great to serve at any gathering or family party. In most cases, they are well loved by many people. These cookies are great to include in your list of holiday baking around Thanksgiving and Christmas!
If you are often hosting guests, I recommend keeping some raw cookie dough in the freezer. Being able to pull out some prepared cookie dough and quickly baking some fresh cookies will always be a hit!
Freezing Orange Shortbread Cookies
Freezing raw cookie dough is a great way to always have a sweet treat ready to go for hosting or whenever you want! This Orange shortbread cookie recipe is no exception.
If you want to freeze this cookie dough for later use, there are a few ways you can store them. The first would be to scoop the unformed dough into a plastic bag or other airtight container and place in the freezer. If you use a plastic bag, I suggest you flatten and remove all the air from the bag. This will make the dough easy to store and prevent any potential freezer burn.
The second option for freezing is to roll the dough into balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. After all the dough is rolled into one inch balls, you can place the baking sheet into the freezer to flash freeze the dough. Flash freezing will allow you to use a plastic bag or other container to store your raw cookie balls while allowing them not to form into one large clump. Freezing individual cookie servings also makes it easier to pull out only what you need and keep the rest nice and frozen!
Looking for more kitchen inspiration? you might also enjoy this Homemade Chocolate Sauce or this Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream with Raw Milk!
Substitutions
Although baking tends to be more of a science than an art, there are a few substitutions that you can make in this recipe and you should achieve a similar result.
The first substitution is for butter. Although butter aids in making a great flavor, you may also use coconut oil, lard or tallow. These options should perform similarly to the butter. However, I strongly recommend only using an alternative if you do not have butter available or your diet requires you to use a different baking fat.
The second substitute would be for the sugar. You can use a number of different sweetener options. This could include maple sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, or date sugar. I caution you when choosing to use honey or maple syrup. Since they are not a granulated type of sugar like the others mentioned, your cookies will likely turn out different than if you used a sugar that is granulated.
The last substitution is for vanilla extract. The only other option I would suggest is to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste (like this homemade one!) will ensure the vanilla flavor is still present. If you don’t have vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, you could use almond extract. However, using almond extract will drastically change the flavor of your final product.
Ingredients and Tools
2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Butter – Softened to Room Temperature
½ cup Cane Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
Measuring cups and spoons
A stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a medium mixing bowl and a hand mixer)
A large baking sheet
A rolling pin and a knife
Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest on a medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the flour on a low speed and beat until all of the flour is well incorporated.
Refrigerate the dough until fully chilled (at least 2 hours)
When your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 300℉
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ⅓ inch thick and cut into your desired shape using a cookie cutter or a butter knife. Alternate cookie shaping methods: 1. You can use a cookie scoop and place each scoop on the baking tray. 2. You can roll the dough into a log and slice the dough into ⅓ inch slices and place on the baking tray.
Place on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 20-25 minutes.
After 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool for one minute on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
Once completely cool, you can store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For long term storage, you can place these cookies or the uncooked dough into the freezer.
Homemade Shortbread Cookies FAQ:
When Should I Serve Orange Shortbread Cookies?
Orange shortbread cookies are great to serve at any gathering or family party. In most cases, they are well loved by many people. These cookies are great to include in your list of holiday baking around Thanksgiving and Christmas!
If you often host guests, I recommend keeping some raw cookie dough in the freezer. Being able to pull out some prepared cookie dough and quickly baking some fresh cookies will always be a hit with guests!
Can I Freeze Orange Shortbread Cookies?
Freezing raw cookie dough is a great way to always have a sweet treat ready to go for hosting or whenever you want! This shortbread cookie recipe is no exception.
If you want to freeze this cookie dough for later use, there are a few ways you can store them. The first would be to scoop the unformed dough into a plastic bag or other airtight container and place in the freezer. If you use a plastic bag, I suggest you flatten and remove all the air from the bag. This will make the dough easy to store and prevent any potential freezer burn.
The second option for freezing is to roll the dough into balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. After all the dough is rolled into one inch balls, you can place the baking sheet into the freezer to flash freeze the dough. Flash freezing will allow you to use a plastic bag or other container to store your raw cookie balls while allowing them not to form into one large clump.
What Can I Use Instead of Butter?
Although butter aids in making a great flavor, you may also use coconut oil, lard or tallow. These options should perform similarly to the butter.
What Can I Use Instead of Cane Sugar?
You can use a number of different sweetener options. This could include maple sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, or date sugar. I caution you when choosing to use honey or maple syrup. Since they are not a granulated type of sugar like the others mentioned, your cookies will likely turn out different than if you used a sugar that is granulated.
What Can I Use Instead of Vanilla Extract?
The only other option I would suggest is to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste (like this homemade one!) will ensure the vanilla flavor is still present. If you don’t have vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, you should use almond extract. However, using almond extract will drastically change the flavor of your final product.
Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.
Orange Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a medium mixing bowl and a hand mixer)
- A large baking sheet
- A rolling pin and a knife
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Butter – Softened to Room Temperature
- ½ cup Cane Sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest on a medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour on a low speed and beat until all of the flour is well incorporated.
- Refrigerate the dough until fully chilled (at least 2 hours)
- When your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 300℉
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ⅓ inch thick and cut into your desired shape using a cookie cutter or a butter knife. Alternate cookie shaping methods: 1. You can use a cookie scoop and place each scoop on the baking tray. 2. You can roll the dough into a log and slice the dough into ⅓ inch slices and place on the baking tray.
- Place on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- After 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool for one minute on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Once completely cool, you can store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For long term storage, you can place these cookies or the uncooked dough into the freezer.
