Name: Orange Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks, softened. ); 1 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 3 1/2 cups flour (all purpose); 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (see note); 1/4 cup orange juice; 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest

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With the bright burst of orange colors throughout the glaze, soft buttery cookies, and refreshing orange flavor in every bite, these cookies are a welcomed treat for anytime of year.

Cranberry orange shortbread cookies are an awesome seasonal treat, but what about after the holidays are over? That’s when orange-glazed orange shortbread cookies really come out to sing.

With this easy shortbread cookie recipe and orange glaze, you’re going to fall in love. Cookie dough doesn’t get much easier and this simple orange glaze speaks for itself with just 3 ingredients. Of course, there is a little wait time for the dough to chill, but all good things in life are worth waiting for.

And when I say that these orange shortbread cookies are worth the wait, I mean it. They’re soooo good you’ll want to eat them by the dozen. Thankfully this recipe can make quite a few cookies in one go so it should be enough to hold you and your family over for a while, haha.

So whip up a batch of these easy orange cookies today and see exactly what I’m raving on about. You may soon find that they become a favorite recipe of yours as well.

Enjoy these tasty cookies throught the year and you won’t even miss cranberry orange shortbread cookies… until the next holiday season, that is.

What you’ll need for orange shortbread cookies:

For the shortbread cookie dough you will need:

Butter
Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Flour

For the glaze, you will need

Powdered sugar
Orange juice
And orange zest

How to make orange shortbread cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until well mixed.
Add in the vanilla and mix again.
Add in the flour and mix until it’s evenly distributed. The dough will appear crumbly.
Press the dough down together into a rectangle and then wrap it in plastic wrap.
Chill for at least one hour (or up to 3 days).
Remove the dough from the fridge and let it warm up on the counter for about 10 minutes to make it easier for rolling.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Cut the rectangles so that they are about 2×3 inches big.
Bake them on a lined or greased baking sheet for about 20 minutes until the edges are a light brown color.
Make the orange glaze by combining the ingredients within a bowl and whisking until smooth.
Once your shortbread cookies are nice and cool, dip them in the glaze and set on a cooling rack to set.

What is the difference between a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie?

Sugar cookies normally contain eggs and leavening agents whereas shortbread cookies are made using a higher butter to flour ratio to get a crumbly and tender cookie that melts in your mouth instead of a soft and chewy cookie, like sugar cookies.

Why did my shortbread cookies go flat?

If your dough gets too warm or overworked the butter will soften and make flatter cookies. Your oven temperature could also play a role if it’s too hot, the butter will melt faster resulting in a flat cookie as well.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking?

Placing the dough in the fridge before baking is important because it helps to solidify the butter. Keeping the butter cold after mixing is important if you want to get a cookie that retains shape and has a good texture.

Chilling also allows any added flavors in the shortbread dough to mix and mingle longer so that they taste even more pronounced.

square shaped orange zest topped orange shortbread cookies next to snowflakes and a blue towel

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