Frosted Orange Cookies

Frosted Orange Cookies. This is one of the many cookies that my mom used to make at Christmas every year and it was one of my dad's favorites. It is a soft, cake style cookie with a flavorful glaze. My sister-in law Becky & my mom both have similar recipes so I took both recipes and tweaked them to make it work gluten free. I also added more orange zest because I really like the flavor it adds to the cookies. If you don't have a gluten allergy then you can still make these cookies but just use regular flour instead of a gluten free flour blend!

My daughter and my boss both gave me a small bag of fresh oranges from their tree.  A few of the oranges were really ripe and extremely juicy so I decided rather than eat those ones, I would make some cookies with them. I also think that since my daughter's upcoming wedding is quickly approaching...I am missing my dad who passed away a few years ago and by making these cookies that he liked made me feel a little closer to him. :)

You can also substitute lemon or limes (or a combination of citrus fruit) for these cookies. They have a wonderful burst of flavor and they have a delicate cake like texture. They are very moist. The glaze takes them over the top! (They are good sprinkled with a touch of powdered sugar instead of the glaze BUT the glaze makes them sooooo much better! Our family prefers the glaze!)

Frosted Orange Cookies:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used the unbleached non-gmo type)
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco. Be careful with some of the generics because they are whipped and contain too much water and the cookies will not hold their shape. You don't want flat cookies!)
• zest from 1 large or 2 small oranges
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend (I used Betty Crocker gluten free flour blend today. You will need to add 1/2 tsp. of xanthan gum or guar gum if your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain it!) I will comment that if you have a gluten free flour blend that feels extremely powdery or gritty to touch that you might want to add a small package of vanilla pudding mix. For some reason it gives it a little more moisture and holds the cookie together. I didn't need to add it to my Betty Crocker flour blend but there are a few GF flour blends out there that give a very crumbly result. If you aren't sure....only bake 2 cookies and see how the results turn out before you bake the entire batch only to realize that they are too crumbly.
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (if you don't have this then you can just add additional 1/2 cup of gluten free flour blend).
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix sugars, shortening, orange peel, orange juice and eggs. Beat until fluffy and creamy. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. The chilled dough will keep the cookies in a mound shape rather than having them spread so much. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (I use a cookie scoop for convenience but my mom never does) onto cookie sheet about 2" apart. (I also like to line my cookie sheet with parchment paper so I don't have to grease the cookie sheet and the cookies come off easier. If you are not using parchment paper then you will need to lightly grease your cookie sheet so the cookies won't stick!) Bake in a pre-heated 350F degree oven for 10-13 minutes or until tops and edges are very lightly golden. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from cookie sheet to prevent crumbling. Drizzle with glaze if desired.

Dough after it has been refrigerated. Ready to bake!

 Orange Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar (also called frosting sugar or confectioner's sugar. Make sure it does not contain gluten! Some brands add it to the powdered sugar!
• 1 tbs. olive oil, melted butter or vegetable oil
• 3 tbs. orange juice
• 2 tbs. of orange zest

Orange glaze ready to drizzle onto cookies!

Ready to eat! Up close view

Ready to taste!

See how moist?

The cookie is soft and slightly sweet with a tangy glaze. Perfect combination of flavors!

 So if you have a couple of oranges hanging around in your refrigerator or on your tree...consider making a batch or two of these delicious, melt in your mouth cookies! Even if you have lemons or a combination of citrus in your refrigerator...you can use a combination for a lovely cookie! These are an old fashioned cookie recipe that needs to get the attention it deserves! These are great for dessert or game day. They also freeze great for a quick snack at a later date! This recipe can be spread into a 7x11 pan and baked into bars if you prefer rather than drop cookies but you will need to adjust the cooking time to about 25 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.

Feel free to post any additions or suggestions & pictures of your cookies below. We all learn from each other! I experiment in my kitchen with my recipes to make them work. If you have another way of doing it, I'd love to hear about it! :)

Have a great day!

Tanja
Gluten Free Casually