These orange buttermilk cookies are so unique. What makes them special is the crystallized orange sugar on top. The cookie itself has a tangy buttermilk background with cardamom and cinnamon. Add some cranberries, nuts or white chocolate and they're extra delicious.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom, (optional)
3/4 cup butter, unsalted, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract (1 tbsp orange juice if desired)
1/2 cup cranberries, roughly chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
2 large oranges,
1 tbsp finely grated peel
1/3 cup juice from the oranges
1 cup granulated sugar, (NOT powdered)
pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven 375F.
2. In a bowl stir together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
3. In a mixing bowl, gently cream the butter and brown sugar. Then add buttermilk, eggs, orange peel, vanilla and orange extract. Blend until just mixed in.
4. Now add at a 1/3 of time the dry ingredients to the wet while the mixer is on low. Then IF desired add cranberries, white chocolate, and walnuts by hand. (Sprinkle evenly over the dough so one part of doesn't have too much.)
5. Using a cookie scoop place 2-3" apart on an UNgreased cookie sheet, place on the middle rack and bake 10-14 minutes.
6. Prepare glaze while cookies are baking; mix together in a measuring cup with a spout: peel, orange juice, sugar, and salt. Stir well, so the sugar crystals form.
7. When the cookies are removed from the oven generously pour over warm cookies. (I wave the sugar left and right (back and forth) over cookies rather than pour directly on top.) Let set for a minute; remove and place on racks.
Chef Notes
These cookies are tad puffy.
You could sprinkle finely chopped nuts after the sugar glaze.
These cookies are great plain; omit the nuts, cranberries, and/or chocolate if desired.
If you prefer just use orange juice, and dried peel.
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