Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

by Roxana 17 Comments

One secret ingredient makes these orange vanilla cookies simply melt in your mouth! Packed with freshly grated orange zest and vanilla bean paste, these orange vanilla cookies are the perfect addition to your cookie tray!
Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (1)

YesterdayI scheduled the first Christmas cookie exchangefor this year. I was in denial half of the day. I still am.

It that time of the year already? Who threw the clock out of the window?

Every year classic cookies like snowball cookies, ginger cookiesor thesecandy cane fudge brownie cookiesmake their appearance to cookie exchanges, and every year I try to bring something new.

Last year it was the chocolate snowball cookies.

This year it will be these melt-in-your-mouth orange vanilla cookies.

I love citrus flavor treats, especially orange, around Christmas time and these cookies are bursting with orange flavor from the freshly grated orange zest. You could also add a few drops of orange extract, maybe 1/8 teaspoon.

For the vanilla flavor I used vanilla bean paste. Way more flavorful than the vanilla extract and LOVE seeing the black dots when I bite into a cookie!

In addition to the orange zest and vanilla bean, I used your typical cookie ingredients – butter, sugar and all purpose flour plus one secret ingredient! Cornstarch!

I know it’s not your typical cookie ingredient but it has magical powers. Cornstarch helps thicken the dough while chilling it and keeps the cookies soft while baking. No wonder they simply melt in your mouth even the next day!

Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2)

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Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (6)

About Roxana

Roxana has a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust
With an audience in search for real food and no fuss recipes, I make midweek meals exciting sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful.

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Comments

  1. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (7)Christine @ WRY TOAST says

    breakfast craves for real!!! dying for a handful of these right now :)

    Reply

  2. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (8)Nancy says

    Can't find vanilla bean paste What can I substitute

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (9)Roxana says

      Hi Nancy, you can use vanilla extract instead. Roxana

      Reply

  3. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (10)Miranda says

    I can't believe it is already cookie exchange season! These sound so tasty!

    Reply

  4. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (13)katerina @ diethood.com says

    These cookies look and sound amaazing!! I can't wait to try them!

    Reply

  5. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (14)Dee says

    I love orange in baked goods, so I know I need to try these!

    Reply

  6. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (15)Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

    These cookies are screaming Christmas to me! I can't wait to make a batch for our holiday table!

    Reply

  7. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (16)Michelle | A Latte Food says

    These look incredible!! I cannot get enough cookies this time of year!

    Reply

  8. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (17)Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    I adore citrus as a great antidote to all the chocolate and gooey pecan stuff around the holidays. It's bright and refreshing!

    Reply

  9. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (18)Diana says

    I am allergic to oranges but i love the flavor, I am going to try and see if just this small amount will bother me.

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (19)Roxana says

      Hi Diana, Hope all went well. Are you allergic to oranges or to al citrus? You could try lemon .... Roxana

      Reply

      • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (20)Judy says

        Oh My! Lemon sounds great!

        Reply

  10. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (21)Joanne says

    I have been looking for a good orange cookie and will definitely be baking these for the Holidays.

    Reply

  11. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (22)Susan says

    I am trying to to find the recipie for the melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies. I have tried to clink on links provided on your page but nothing take me to the recipie

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (23)Roxana says

      Hi Susan, So sorry to hear you're having issues with the links. Here it is, hopefully this time it works http://www.imperialsugar.com/recipes/desserts/cookies-bars/Orange-Vanilla-CookiesRoxana

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why did my thumbprint cookies spread? ›

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

How to make chewy vs crunchy cookies? ›

Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies. Why use melted butter? Melted butter creates cookies with a different texture compared to cookies made with softened or creamed butter.

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Should I fill thumbprint cookies before or after baking? ›

Do I fill thumbprint cookies before or after baking? Thumbprint cookies should be filled before baking. This gives the jam time in the oven to firm up and set a little.

Why do my thumbprint cookies crack? ›

Why do my Thumbprint Cookies crack? Make sure when you are pressing the back of the teaspoon or your thumb into the center of the cookie dough you don't press too hard. Gently press!

How to get thick cookies? ›

A low proportion of sugar relative to flour reduces spread, keeping the cookies thick. A high proportion of mix-ins helps thicken the dough. Blending chocolate chip styles creates a more dynamic flavor. Overnight refrigeration hydrates the flour, again helping the cookies stay thick.

What ingredient makes a cookie soft and chewy? ›

What Makes Cookies Soft?
  1. Brown sugar, as it has a high moisture content and retains moisture better than white sugar. ...
  2. Shortening instead of butter or in addition to butter. ...
  3. Baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Eggs, particularly egg yolks. ...
  5. Cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Oct 5, 2020

What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

What are three factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

Salted butter, softened – I prefer salted butter but you can also use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. Brown sugar – Just brown sugar because we will get the 'granulated sugar' flavor from the corn syrup. Corn syrup – The corn syrup is what makes these cookies CHEWY FOR DAYS.

How to get fluffier cookies? ›

Butter keeps cookies fluffy in two ways. First, creaming cold butter with sugar creates tiny, uniform air pockets that will remain in the dough it bakes up. Second, cold butter naturally takes a longer time to melt in the oven.

Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What does cornstarch do in cookies? ›

As Levy Beranbaum writes in The Baking Bible, replacing a little bit of the flour in the dough with cornstarch results in “a more delicate cookie that is also easier to pipe or push through a cookie press.” Adding cornstarch helps tenderize tough gluten, contributing to a softer cookie dough with a finer crumb after ...

What makes cookies spread and chewy? ›

By using warm cookie dough, you can encourage faster spreading and ensure that your cookies have a soft, chewy texture with a thin, crispy edge. Using warm dough is not a suggestion you will hear too often, as one of the core tenets of baking cookies with chilled dough.

Why don't my cookies come out chewy? ›

Use Melted Butter

If the goal is a chewy cookie, then you absolutely need to be using melted butter. The technique of creaming softened butter and sugar together is often used for making cakes. And for good reason! The process of creaming incorporates air into the butter which results in a more airy and cakey cookie.

What makes cookies chewy baking soda or baking powder? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

How do you keep cookies crisp and chewy? ›

Room temperature: Use airtight containers, cookie jars, or plastic bags to prevent air exposure and moisture loss. Keep cookies in a cool, dry area. Refrigerated: Use airtight containers or sealed plastic bags to store cookies in the fridge. Monitor the moisture level to avoid condensation.

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