These easy Orange Cookies are bursting with citrus flavor. Bite into the soft, cake-like interior through the crunchy sugar crust and savor the white chocolate and orange inside. A great hot weather care package treat!
For another delicious cookie that gets a burst of flavor from fresh orange zest, next time try crunchy Cranberry Orange Cookies.
Why you'll love this recipe
This orange cookie recipe is like a recipe for sunshine. The vibrant flavor is sure to brighten your day.
Made with ingredients that are optimal for mailing in summer heat, you can confidently ship these treats year round.
Are you looking for a recipe with orange zest? If you are baking for a care package in cool weather or eating the cookies at home, instructions for substituting juice and zest are included.
Recipe ingredients
Vegetable shortening is used in this recipe for texture and for heat safety. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which helps keep baked goods from spoiling when shipped in high temperatures.
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the ingredients, folding in the mini white chocolate chips by hand.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll into a ball. Roll the ball in decorating sugar.
- Place coated balls of dough 1” apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes. The tops will not darken. The bottom edges will have just begin to turn golden brown.
Baking tips
- Use mini white chocolate chips or chop white chocolate or regular sized chips into small pieces. Smaller chips produce less cracks in the cookies.
- Even if the dough looks crumbly at first don't add additional liquid. Keep mixing and the dough will come together, forming a ball.
- If you can't find orange decorating sugar, you can make your own. Put white decorating sugar in a ziplock bag with 2-3 drops of gel food coloring, mushing the bag until the sugar is uniformly colored. Let it dry for about 30 minutes before using.
- To use juice and zest in this recipe, use ¼ cup of juice instead of the water and two teaspoons of zest instead of the one teaspoon of extract.
Storage tips
- These cookies will remain soft for at least 2 weeks if stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.
- For storage during shipping, double wrap pairs of cookies, with bottoms together, in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped bundles in columns in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
- For shipping times over two weeks, vacuum sealing is best to preserve the soft texture.
Frequently asked questions
Zest is the outermost colored part only of the outside of the orange. Peel is the entire covering including the bitter white interior.
The easiest way to zest is to use a microplane grater. Scraping the fine grater blades over the orange will remove only the desired orange coating and none of the bitter white pith.
Extract contains the oils from the entire orange suspended in alcohol or water. Orange oil is purely oil extracted from the rind and is much more concentrated than an extract.
Flavoring oils are much more concentrated than extract. Use ¼ teaspoon of flavoring oil to replace one teaspoon of extract.
More orange recipes
Moist Orange Cake is a quick and easy one bowl recipe, that makes two flavorful loaves speckled with dried tart cherries.
Orange Cake in a Cup microwave recipe is an instant mug of deliciousness. Fluffy cake mixed with marmalade takes only 1 minute to cook.
This Orange Bars recipe is a sturdy citrus dessert bar that is ideal for care packages and summer picnics.
Orange Ginger Cookies are slice and bake citrus cookies with ginger spice and the mellow flavor of turmeric.
These Orange Sugar Cookies couldn't be easier to make! The recipe starts with packaged cookie dough then adds flavor and chocolate for a great treat in minutes.
For a soft, moist quick bread filled with sweet dried cranberries and lots of zesty orange flavor try this Ocean Spray Cranberry Bread recipe.
My experience with this recipe
When I bake for military care packages, I pay special attention to the weather. Our service members are deployed to some locations with extreme heat.
Because the interior of a military mail vehicle can get up to 150° F in the summer, I'm careful to send baked goods that use heat resistant ingredients that are least likely to spoil or promote mold.
Orange Cookies are great hot weather travelers and I included them in the "Orange" themed care package I mailed this week.
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Orange Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening Crisco
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk
- ¼ cup water or ¼ cup of orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange extract or 2 teaspoons of orange zest
- ½ cup mini white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- ½ cup Orange large crystal decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, microwave vegetable shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat melted vegetable shortening and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg and egg yolk, water, and orange extract.
- Reduce speed of mixer to low speed and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will produce a less tender cookie.
- Fold in the chopped white chocolate. (The chocolate should be chopped to the size of mini chips or smaller. Smaller chips produce less cracks in the cookies.)
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Roll the ball in orange decorating sugar.
- Place coated cookie balls 1” apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven. Tops of cookies will not darken. Bottom edges of cookies will have just begun to turn golden brown.
- Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- These cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 2 weeks if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use mini white chocolate chips or chop white chocolate or regular sized chips into small pieces. Smaller chips produce less cracks in the cookies.
- Even if the dough looks crumbly at first don't add additional liquid. Keep mixing and the dough will come together, forming a ball.
- If you can't find orange decorating sugar, you can make your own. Put white decorating sugar in a ziplock bag with 2-3 drops of gel food coloring, mushing the bag until the sugar is uniformly colored. Let it dry for about 30 minutes before using.
- To use juice and zest in this recipe, use ¼ cup of juice instead of the water and two teaspoons of zest instead of the one teaspoon of extract.
- These refreshing cookies are a great addition to trays of Christmas cookies.
- Double wrap pairs of cookies, with bottoms together, in plastic wrap. Place in columns in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
- For shipping times over two weeks, vacuum sealing is best to preserve the soft texture.
Nutrition
First Published: July 22, 2016. Last Updated: May 11, 2021. Updated for additional information and improved photographs.
Sue
Wendy I love this idea. I would love to “borrow” your entire idea of box #22 for my two guys. I actually have a 3rrd but she is a private contractor now so it isn’t covered by Soldiers’ Angels. Their mail stop dates are all in February right around Valentines Day. Can i bake and freeze the gems ad bars now so that they are taken care of? I laughed when I read you had too much stuff left over. Gosh I swear that is almost every one of my boxes. And if it really must be included, I end up sending out a 2nd box to each.. My adoptees are like my kids. I love them all. Even if I don’t hear back from them. - Just like family, huh!
The Monday Box
The ideas are here for the taking, Sue! I am delighted that you found some care package inspiration here. I see no reason why you couldn't bake and freeze these cookies for a few weeks. That said, my personal preference is to make the dough, scoop into portions (you can even roll in colored sugar at this point), then freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet for at least two hours. Once they are frozen, you can store the dough balls in a large ziplock bag. When you are ready to send the care package, bake the frozen cookie balls. They can be baked straight out of the oven, but may need a few more minutes in the oven. That way, the work is done ahead of time, but the cookies are fresh baked when you send them. Not much of a flavor difference, but I am picky! 🙂
Sue
Did you send 4 boxes? I am trying to figure out what i can get that will fit all in one box.
The Monday Box
Hi Sue! I read that some Angels bring their box with them to the store to see what really does fit in. That would help me...but I've never done it. Often I send a second box or just leave the packaged cookies for another box. I really do need to sign up for several 1x boxes with no theme (other than the themes of Thanks and Smiles) to reduce my inventory of overflow goodies!!
saltandserenity
Those Orange Gem cookies put a smile on my face. I am sure that Soldier P will remember you with great fondness for many years.
The Monday Box
Smiles are what I am looking for, Cindy! Thank you! I truly hope that the care packages make deployment just a wee bit easier. 🙂
Miz Helen
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your new Red Plate and have a great weekend!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Thank you, Miz Helen! I am delighted to be featured on Full Plate Thursday! Thank you for hosting. 🙂
frugal hausfrau
Thank you for sharing the information on the Angels! The cookies look dreamy and I love that orange flavor!
Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
The Monday Box
Thank you, Mollie! If even one reader decides to participate in an Angels program, I will be thrilled. There is such a need for vlunteers to support our military and the soldiers certainly deserve our thanks!
Miz Helen
Hi Wendy,
You may never know how much you are appreciated by all the military mom's out here who love you for the wonderful gifts of your cookies to their loved ones. I know that because I am one of those Mom's and when you know that someone has cared enough to make homemade cookies and put them in a special box with other goodies for your loved one it helps in a big way to know that people care and recognize the sacrifice the whole family is making to protect our freedom and I Thank You !!
Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Dear Helen,
Thank you, for taking the time to share this note. I read it with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart. I send military care packages to say thank you to the incredibly brave men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our freedom. I send military care packages to the sons and daughters of incredibly brave moms and dads, because I too am a mom and I know how important it is to know that your child is appreciated and cared about.I hope my small action can help military families know their sacrifice is acknowledged and how very much they are appreciated. It is my honor to bake and create care packages for your loved ones, our nation's heros.
Colleen
What a great idea! These look amazing! Thanks for sharing on This Is How We Roll!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Colleen! Thanks for stopping by from This is How We Roll. 🙂
The Monday Box
I am delighted, AnnMarie, that you stopped by for cookies and found Soldiers' Angels! I hope you will find that one of their volunteer opportunities calls to you. 🙂 I have found the people involved (through conversations on Facebook) to be an amazingly caring and compassionate group.
Leigh
These cookies look amazing! Found you on Creative Muster.
The Monday Box
Thanks for clicking over and commenting, Leigh! I hope you come back often. 🙂
Ashley
I always love these posts so much Wendy! Having a husband who served for many many years, these posts always bring such a huge smile to my face! And I totally need to look into doing this myself - I love to bake and make care packages ... I honestly don't even know why it never occurred to me before (considering I read these posts of yours every month!)
The Monday Box
Thank you, Ashley! Your constant encouragement with these military care package posts has meant so much to me. I consider you a "voice of experience" and your "smile of experience" means I am on track! It would be so much fun if you also decide to join Soldiers' Angels!
Susan
Ok, that is the first time a post has brought tears to my eyes! You truly are an angel and I am sure that Soldier P truly appreciated it. You have inspired me to click on your link and find out more about signing up to make another soldiers safe journey home a little bit brighter.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Susan for the kind words. As a mom, I know you will understand this story. I never knew anything about the military until I started blogging about care packages. Even then, I didn't really "get it". Then, one December I was at the airport. It was filled with young soldiers (the same age or younger than my own kids) going home for Christmas. Suddenly, my mom heart ached for the moms whose children choose such a brave but dangerous path. The idea that any of those young people feel alone and forgotten....That's why I send military care packages. 🙂
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Another wonderful post and terrific recipe Wendy! You are such a sweet and giving person. Thanks for all you do for our troops. I guess we just have to make time for something like this and it has to be important enough to dedicate our resources. I will keep this in mind as a worthwhile endeavor! So happy your adoptee is heading home. Have a great weekend!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Tricia! You are really too sweet. 🙂 I agree with you completely, that our time is limited and it's important to chose carefully the opportunities that fit our lives . Sometimes when we find a cause that is important to us, we can find time to participate. The trick is finding the something that is truly meaningful to us. Opportunities to make a difference are all around us. Soldiers Angels came into my life because of this blog. Once I started sending care packages and learned how much they were needed, everything else fell into place. I hope your weather is a whole bunch cooler than it is in St. Louis and you have a lovely weekend!
Linda Cottongim
Hi Wendy,
I sent two care packages to my grandchildren and they loved them! Thank you for your advice on how long they would last. College mail services and student schedules can take a little longer than you might expect. I bagged the Orange Gems in a ziplock, inside a jack'lantern bag, some funny glasses, spider webs, Halloween cards from other family members and a few more personal smalls. Can't wait to make Nov. boxes.
Linda
Indiana
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Linda! I have a big smile on my face right now as I think about all of the happiness you packed into your Halloween boxes!! Lucky grandkids! I am delighted that Orange Gems were well received along with all of the other goodies. 🙂 Like you, I find that sending care packages brings joy to those who send them as well as those who receive them!