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

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Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making cookies soft and chewy? ›

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.

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.

How to jazz up sugar cookies? ›

5 Ways to Get Fancy with Your Sugar Cookies
  1. Make a fancy thumbprint cookie. ...
  2. Turn them into sandwich cookies. ...
  3. Decorate with melted chocolate. ...
  4. Try different flavorings in the sugar cookie dough. ...
  5. Roll cookie dough logs in sparkly sugar.
May 1, 2019

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in 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 are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough. The difference is in the molasses that makes brown sugar brown: It adds moisture and slight acidity, resulting in a moist and chewy texture.

Why do you put corn syrup in cookies? ›

So, when you mix corn syrup into your cookie batter, all of that moisture will make and keep your baked cookies deliciously tender. The texture of cookies benefits from corn syrup as well. As you combine your ingredients to make your cookie batter, corn syrup will pull some of the surrounding air into your batter.

How to make box cookie mix better? ›

Take your boxed cookie mix to the next level by browning your butter to add nutty, caramelized richness to the flavor. Just melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, continue to stir and cook the butter until it's a golden-brown color. And before adding it to the mix, make sure it's totally cooled down!

Can you over mix sugar cookies? ›

Over-working the dough yields a tough cookie, which is not at all what you want. The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer.

Can you roll out store bought sugar cookie dough? ›

Just roll the dough into one inch balls and then coat them in equal parts cinnamon and sugar. Then I press them gently with a glass before baking them according to the directions on the package. That's it!

What is the trick to keep baked goods like cookies soft? ›

It may sounds like a myth, but a slice of bread can help soft cookies retain their moisture. Add a slice of bread, along with your baked cookies, to an airtight container and store them at room temperature.

What makes a cookie more soft? ›

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 determines the moistness of a cookie? ›

Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.

Why are my cookies hard instead of chewy? ›

According to The Kitchn, this occurs when you over-mix the dough. Mixing the dough naturally causes gluten to develop in the flour, and while you do need a good amount of gluten to give your cookies structure, too much of it will result in hard cookies.

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