Soft Italian Orange Drop Cookies

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (Softened)
• 0.25 cup orange zest (Not packed; from about 2 large or 4 small navel oranges)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp orange extract (Optional; orange liqueur may be substituted according to the source notes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg (Room temperature)
• 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.75 cup almond flour (The source does not recommend substituting this for allergy purposes)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (For the glaze)
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (Use up to 3 tablespoons total, plus more as needed, for the glaze)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Position the racks in the middle and lower-middle parts of the oven, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Using an electric mixer, or a bowl and sturdy spoon, mix the granulated sugar, softened butter, orange zest, olive oil, orange extract, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder until thoroughly combined. Mix just until combined rather than creaming the butter or incorporating air.

3. 3

   Add the room-temperature egg and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4. 4

   Add the all-purpose flour and almond flour. Mix until just well combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed; stop mixing as soon as the flours are incorporated.

5. 5

   Portion the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each, using a #30, 1-ounce cookie scoop if available. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then place the balls evenly spaced on the two prepared baking sheets.

6. 6

   Bake the cookies on the middle and lower-middle racks for 14–16 minutes. Switch and rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking so the cookies cook evenly. Remove them when they have just begun to puff and show slight cracks while still appearing slightly moist; do not overbake.

7. 7

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

8. 8

   Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice until very creamy and smooth, about the consistency of thick heavy cream. If it is too thick, whisk in the remaining tablespoon of juice or additional juice as needed; if it becomes too thin, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.

9. 9

   Once the cookies are fully cooled, dip their tops into the glaze and let the excess drip off. Allow the glaze to set before transferring the cookies to an airtight container for serving.

Notes

For a dense, chewy texture, mix thoroughly without creaming the butter or incorporating air. The dough may rest covered while the oven preheats for very best results. For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, add 2 tablespoons milk to the wet ingredients, and chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping. The source recommends organic oranges when possible because the recipe uses substantial orange zest.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cookies
• Italian
• baked
• citrus
• vegetarian
• make-ahead
• tea-time