Description
These soft cookies and their frosting carry a whiff of orange and its fresh flavor. For holidays, color the frosting whatever color you desire and decorate with sprinkles if you like.
Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1–2 tablespoons grated orange rind (from 1 large or 2 medium oranges)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (3 Tbsp for cookies, 3 Tbsp for frosting)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Using an electric mixer or a KitchenAid with a paddle attachment, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice.
4. Add approx. 1 tablespoon of grated orange rind.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. The dough will be firm.
7. Roll the cookie dough into balls about 1 1/4 inch in diameter and place on a ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.
9. Let rest on the pan for a few minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool.
10. To prepare the frosting, beat butter, powdered sugar and the remainder of the grated orange rind together. Add the orange juice one tablespoon at a time until you reach a thick spreading consistency.
11. When cookies are cool, spread the tops with frosting.
Notes
DECORATE FOR HOLIDAYS: Use coloring and sprinkles to decorate for holidays. For Halloween, we added in some charcoal powder to the dough and topped with orange frosting for black and orange cookies. At Valentine’s Day, try pink frosting with heart sprinkles. For spring or Easter, separate frosting into three bowls and make different pastel frostings.