These Orange Cookies are soft, fluffy and zesty with a mild tang! They have an eggless sugar cookie base that's made with fresh squeezed orange juice and zest. The dough is then rolled in orange sugar prior to baking, resulting in a soft fluffy interior and a slight crispy exterior! If that wasn't enough, the cookies are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan!
These Orange Cookies have the perfect combination of flavors! They're buttery and sweet while still being slightly tangy and tart. For this recipe I used cara cara navel oranges which have a sweetness, tartness and slight tang! The oranges themselves have hints of raspberry and cranberry and are super delicious! If you can't find cara cara navel oranges where you live, regular navel oranges are just fine!
For more fruity sugar cookie recipes, try my Lemon Sugar Cookies, my Blueberry Cookies, my Lemon Raspberry Cookies and my super popular Strawberry Sugar Cookies.
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Chewy- The inside of these cookies have the softest texture.
- Covered in Orange Sugar- The orange sugar coating helps bring out that citrus flavor and gives the outside a nice crunch like in my Lemon Blueberry Cookies!
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice- The juice from the oranges gives the cookies this delicious yet mild tang like in my Orange Shortbread Cookies!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Do not use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess while baking in the oven. If using vegan butter, make sure to use only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together like in my Raspberry Cookies.
- Oranges- In this recipe, and in my Chocolate Orange Cookies, I used cara cara oranges. As I mentioned earlier, they are sweet with a bit of tartness and tang. They have hints of raspberry and even cranberry! If you cannot find cara cara oranges where you live, you can use regular navel oranges instead. Keep in mind the flavor will be more mild and more sweet. Also, please only use fresh squeezed orange juice. Using store bought orange juice may result in the cookies have a mild sweet orange taste vs that tang. We need a total of 3 oranges for the juice and zest combined.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
How to Make this recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 packed cups of regular flour (336 grams).
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
How to Make Smaller Cookies
- Use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls before flattening into a thick disc.
- Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 12-13 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make 28 cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Orange Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make this orange sugar cookies recipe!
Zest and Juice the Oranges
Step 1: Zest the Oranges
Wash and dry all 3 oranges. Take a zester and zest all 3 oranges. Put the zest in a little bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Juice the Oranges
Take one orange, cut it in half and juice it. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.
There should be about 2 tablespoons of juice. If there isn't enough, juice another orange.
Make the Cookies
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Cream the Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of the granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk, 1 tablespoon of orange zest and the 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look light orange and chunky. That's normal.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients and Chill the Dough
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and combine.
Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere while baking.
When the dough has 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6: Make the Orange Sugar
Once the dough is done chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of orange zest. Mix until completely combined.
Step 7: Scoop the Dough and Coat with the Orange Sugar
Take the dough out of the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop, scoop the dough out into 14 scoops.
The cookie dough will be quite sticky and may stick to your hands if they're warm. If this happens, rinse your hands and then shake off any excess water. You want them slightly wet but not dripping wet. This will help prevent the dough from sticking. You can also wash the cookie scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
Once all scooped, roll each dough ball in the orange sugar to coat completely.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies and Cool
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14-15 minutes.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking. I bake no more than 8 at a time.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess. If the cookies appear a bit puffed up, gently push them down ever so slightly with the back of the spatula.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or the gram amount, (336 grams).
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess while in the oven.
- Use Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice- This really brings out the citrus flavor and adds a slight tang. Using store bought orange juice will make the cookies sweeter and less tangy.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 2.5 hours, the cookies will spread out in the oven while baking and be flat and thin.
- Wash Your Cookie Scoop- If you noticed the dough is starting to get sticky, wash and dry your cookie scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make the dough the night before. Keep it in the bowl, covered in plastic wrap or shape it in a disc, wrapped in plastic and place in a zip top bag in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Or you can freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Yes. Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most gluten free cookies, they’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days!
Yes. Cara cara are sweet with a bit of tartness and tang. They have hints of raspberry and even cranberry, so keep in mind, the flavor of the cookies will be more mild and more sweet with regular navel oranges.
Storing: Once the cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing: To freeze already baked cookies, once completely cool, place cookies (not stacked) on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer uncovered. Freeze for 10 minutes or until the cookies are completely frozen. Once frozen, you can store them stacked in a freezer safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To defrost, take the container out and leave at room temperature until soft.
Other Citrusy Cookie Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Orange Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 2 cups gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice (from about 1 orange)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
For the Orange Sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (from about 1 orange)
Instructions
- Wash and dry all 3 oranges. Take a zester and zest all 3 oranges. Put the zest in a little bowl and set aside.
- Take 1 orange, cut it in half and juice it. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside. There should be about 2 tablespoons of juice. If there isn't enough, juice another orange.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of gluten free flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of the granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon of orange zest and the 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look light orange and chunky. That's normal.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and combine.
- Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere in the oven while baking.
- When the dough has 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the dough is done chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of orange zest. Mix until completely combined.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop, scoop the dough out into 14 scoops. The cookie dough will be quite sticky and may stick to your hands if they're warm. If this happens, rinse your hands and then shake off any excess water. You want them slightly wet but not dripping wet. This will help prevent the dough from sticking. You can also wash the cookie scoop half way through to remove any stuck on dough.
- After they're scooped, roll each dough ball in the orange sugar and coat completely.
- Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14-15 minutes. Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking. I bake no more than 8 at a time.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.If the cookies appear a bit puffed up, gently push them down ever so slightly with the back of the spatula.
avb
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I definitely read over the part about reshaping them when they came out so I kept looking at spread cookies. I tried again with reshaping and giving them enough space and that brought it all together. Hardest part was not eating all the delicious dough!
Thank you again. 10/10 recommend giving this recipe a try.
Lee
Thanks so much!!!
Stacey
All your cookies look amazing! Do you think I could use an egg instead of the cornstarch mixture?
Lee
Hi Stacey, thank you!!! Sadly I cannot test this recipe with eggs due to my son's severe allergy. It actually took me years to try to mimic the texture of a cookie with eggs, so I am not truly sure what adding one would do. If you wanted to try, I would use packed cups of flour (336 grams), no cornstarch water mixture, one egg and only 1.5 tablespoons of milk. Hope it works out! Sorry I can't be of more help!
Cait Leiby
These were so yummy! Instructions were easy to follow and I love that there was indication of easy ways to adjust the recipe to fit different preferences for example I knew how to confidently substitute the gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour and how long to bake the cookies when I shaped them a little smaller than recommended (I had to make sure everyone in my office could try one, haha!).
I love Lande & Grey Fare and know I'll follow many more recipes in the future 🙂
Lee
Thank you so much!
Jack
So good! and easy to follow!
Sruthi
if I use flour without out xanthan gum how much xanthan gum i nee d to add?
Lee
Hi! Typically you would add 1/4 teaspoon per 1 cup of gf flour. Hope this helps!
John
What a delicious and fun cookie!