Orange creamsicle cookies are a soft, chewy sugar cookie loaded with bright orange & vanilla flavor and topped with a creamy orange buttercream.
These orange creamsicle cookies are the perfect spring and summer cookie. They're soft and buttery, and bursting with sweet citrus in the best way!
If you're wanting to try more citrus cookies you should also try my lemon coconut white chocolate cookies, key lime cookies, or my lemon coolers.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
EASY & QUICK: These cookies are so much easier to make then they look. They require no chill time, and very few ingredients.
SWEET & TART: The sweet sugar cookie paired with the orange juice is the perfect pair.
PERFECT FOR SUMMER: These cookies are the perfect spring and summer treat to bring and share with others.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sugar: I love rubbing together the zest with the sugar before starting to mix, but if you don't want to do that extra step you can just add them both and mix.
- Oil: I love using melted coconut oil, but any neutral oil will work.
- Flour: Weighing flour is best if you have a scale, if you don't, lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup.
- Sour Cream: You can also use greek yogurt for the frosting if you have that on hand.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Place granulated sugar and zest from a large orange in the bowl of a stand mixer and rub together until very fragrant.
Step 2: Add butter, oil and powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg, vanilla and orange juice and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour to the bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. The dough will seem crumbly, but it's fine as long as it will hold in a ball. If you need to, add a bit more orange juice til it will hold.
Step 4: Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Place 8 cookie balls on your baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls with a glass until they are about ½ inch thick. I like to spray the bottom of my glass with cooking spray and dip in sugar before flattening. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. You're looking for a barely light golden brown outside rim. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Step 5: Mix together butter, sour cream, salt and 2 cups of powdered sugar on low until completely combined. Add vanilla, orange juice, zest and another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Add more orange juice or powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Frost on cooled cookies.
Expert Baking Tips
I like smooshing the dough with a cup to give the little ridges on the end, you can push them down with your hands though if you prefer.
I prefer these cookies to be chilled before eating. It is not necessary to chill them, but might be worth a try for you to see if that's how you prefer them too!
If you would rather use a regular buttercream frosting you can swap the lime juice and zest for milk and add a little vanilla to the recipe.
FAQ
The easiest way to fix crumbly dough is to add a little bit of moisture or liquid. Add a few teaspoons more of orange juice or water and that should help..
The best way to tell if your cookies are baked all the way is to make sure that the middle is not glossy at all, and the edges or bottom have a slight golden brown.
Yes, these cookies are great with lemon, lime and grapefruit.
Storing and Freezing
Store orange creamsicle cookies at room temperature, or in the fridge, in an airtight container. They will keep fresh this way for 3-4 days.
These cookies freeze great. You can freeze them before or after frosting. When freezing them already frosted, flash freeze them on something flat and then once they are frozen stack them and store them in an airtight container.
Other Recipes to Try
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.
Make sure to leave a star review below!
Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- zest from a large orange
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) butter room temp
- ⅓ cup (72.67 g) melted coconut oil any vegetable oil will work if you don't like coconut
- ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2¾ cups (385 g) all-purpose flour
Frosting
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter room temp
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 3-4 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon orange juice and zest from half an orange
Instructions
To make cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place granulated sugar and zest from a large orange in the bowl of a stand mixer and rub together until very fragrant. Add butter, oil and powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla and orange juice and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour to the bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. The dough will seem crumbly, but it's fine as long as it will hold in a ball. If you need to, add a bit more orange juice til it will hold.
- Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Place 8 cookie balls on your baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls with a glass until they are about ½ inch thick. I like to spray the bottom of my glass with cooking spray and dip in sugar before flattening. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. You're looking for a barely light golden brown outside rim. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting:
- Mix together butter, sour cream, salt and 2 cups of powdered sugar on low until completely combined. Add vanilla, orange juice, zest and another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Add more orange juice or powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Frost on cooled cookies.
- I like to eat these cookies chilled, but whatever you prefer is great!
Sarah
Okay… these are the BEST. So different but so good. And almost refreshing for summer? My hubby doesn’t like orange and loved them.
brooke
Yay!!! Thank you so much! I love when people who least expect it love something!
Bailey
These legit taste like an orange creamsicle!! So refreshing and fun!
Oaklie Andersen
DELICIOUS! The perfect summer treat with all the right flavors! I will be making this again!