These Orange Shortbread Cookies are little sweet buttery balls that also have a slight tartness and tang! They have a typical shortbread crumbly texture, are rolled in an orange sugar and they're topped with a zesty glaze! With only 30 minutes of chill time, these orange cookies are easy to make and will be a sure hit! They may even be your go to holiday shortbread cookies! Best yet, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!
Wash and dry all 3 oranges. Take a zester and zest all 3 oranges. Put the zest in a little bowl and set aside.
Cut 3 oranges in half and juice them. Set aside. There should be about 5 tablespoons of juice.
For the Cookies
In a large bowl, whisk together the 2.5 cups gluten free flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and the ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup of butter or vegan baking stick until it is soft and creamy. Add in ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy. About 2 minutes.
Slowly beat the 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and the 1 tablespoon of orange zest into the creamed butter and sugar. It may look separated at first. Mix on low speed until it starts to combine and then increase to whip it into a creamy consistency.
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until the dough is dry and crumbly. Once crumbly, increase the speed and beat until the dough comes together. As soon as it comes together, turn the mixer off. Form dough into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Once the dough is done chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon of orange zest. Mix until completely combined.
Break off a 1 inch piece of dough. Work it back and forth in your hands until smooth. Then roll into a 1 inch ball. This recipe should make 36 balls.If you chilled more than 30 minutes, you may need to let the dough sit out a bit so you can work it in your hands into smooth balls.Roll each dough ball in the orange sugar mixture to coat completely.
Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. I bake no more than 20 at a time. Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge and bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-11 minutes. Once out of the oven, let the cookies sit for one minute on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack with parchment paper or wax paper underneath. (The next part makes a bit of a mess). If adding the glaze, let the cookies cool completely before adding it, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid mess.
For the Orange Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together the 2.5 cups of confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice, 3 tablespoons of water and ½ teaspoon orange zest until combined and smooth.
Dip the top rounded half of each cookie into the orange glaze. Gently wipe the side of the cookie on the side of the bowl if there is an icing drip and then place the cookies onto the cooling rack. Top with orange sprinkles while the glaze is wet, if desired. Let the glaze harden prior to storing; about one hour.
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Notes
Vegan: Use a dairy free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks and vegan sprinkles.All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 2.5 packed cups of regular flour (420 grams). Still chill the dough. Storing: Once the glaze has hardened, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 3 days.If storing in the fridge, make sure to bring the cookies to room temperature prior to eating otherwise they will be rock hard.Freezing: You can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Or you can shape the dough balls without the orange sugar and freeze them for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and then once again, let come to almost room temperature prior to baking. You can also freeze the finished cookies for up to 30 days. Let come to room temperature on the counter prior to eating.Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.