Fresh Orange Cookies

Fresh Orange Cookies

These cookies are more like bite size cakes than cookies.  When fresh out of the oven, they bounce back to the touch.  When cooled, they have a crusty top, but the center is still cake like.  Once frosted, it a nice soft, orangy cake.  Yum!

The dough is more like cake batter also.  It is sticky so be prepared to use a spoon and spatula to get them to the cookie sheet.  They baked up nicely and did not stick to the pan even though you do NOT grease the pan.  Initially, this texture worried me.  I thought they were going to come out flat as pancakes.  I was calculating how much flour I should add. Then, the first one came out of the oven and I didn't add a thing.

Ingredients:  Again, I am surprised to add sour cream to cookies. I had orange/peach/mango juice instead of plain orange juice.  I had never zested an orange before.  I know pretty weird, but I hadn't.  I only got 1 tablespoon of peel from a whole orange.  I stopped because I didn't know if anyone wanted oranges right then and didn't want to waste them.  The dough smelled plenty orangy so I didn't worry.  Now, I'm thinking I should do all 3 tablespoons.  They are still tasty, but a little more might be nice.

Critics weighed in prior to the first cookie coming out of the oven, though.  The beater lickers decided they did not like the flavor.  The little one, who always licks the beaters clean, did not even finish hers. I need my non-chocolate bias critic to weigh in on this one.  We shall wait for a rating on this one......

Next up?  Cherry Poppy Seed Twinks

Here is the recipe:
Cookies 
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons grated orange peel

Frosting
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy.  Add sour cream and eggs; blend well.  Add all remaining cookie ingredients; mix well.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
2. Bake at 375 for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Immediately, remove from cookie sheet.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine all frosting ingredients, adding enough orange juice for desired spreading consistency.  Frost cool cookies.  If desire a more glazed look, frost while cookies are still warm.