Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

by Roxana 17 Comments

One secret ingredient makes these orange vanilla cookies simply melt in your mouth! Packed with freshly grated orange zest and vanilla bean paste, these orange vanilla cookies are the perfect addition to your cookie tray!
Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (1)

YesterdayI scheduled the first Christmas cookie exchangefor this year. I was in denial half of the day. I still am.

It that time of the year already? Who threw the clock out of the window?

Every year classic cookies like snowball cookies, ginger cookiesor thesecandy cane fudge brownie cookiesmake their appearance to cookie exchanges, and every year I try to bring something new.

Last year it was the chocolate snowball cookies.

This year it will be these melt-in-your-mouth orange vanilla cookies.

I love citrus flavor treats, especially orange, around Christmas time and these cookies are bursting with orange flavor from the freshly grated orange zest. You could also add a few drops of orange extract, maybe 1/8 teaspoon.

For the vanilla flavor I used vanilla bean paste. Way more flavorful than the vanilla extract and LOVE seeing the black dots when I bite into a cookie!

In addition to the orange zest and vanilla bean, I used your typical cookie ingredients – butter, sugar and all purpose flour plus one secret ingredient! Cornstarch!

I know it’s not your typical cookie ingredient but it has magical powers. Cornstarch helps thicken the dough while chilling it and keeps the cookies soft while baking. No wonder they simply melt in your mouth even the next day!

Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2)

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Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (6)

About Roxana

Roxana has a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust
With an audience in search for real food and no fuss recipes, I make midweek meals exciting sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful.

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Comments

  1. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (7)Christine @ WRY TOAST says

    breakfast craves for real!!! dying for a handful of these right now :)

    Reply

  2. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (8)Nancy says

    Can't find vanilla bean paste What can I substitute

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (9)Roxana says

      Hi Nancy, you can use vanilla extract instead. Roxana

      Reply

  3. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (10)Miranda says

    I can't believe it is already cookie exchange season! These sound so tasty!

    Reply

  4. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (13)katerina @ diethood.com says

    These cookies look and sound amaazing!! I can't wait to try them!

    Reply

  5. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (14)Dee says

    I love orange in baked goods, so I know I need to try these!

    Reply

  6. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (15)Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

    These cookies are screaming Christmas to me! I can't wait to make a batch for our holiday table!

    Reply

  7. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (16)Michelle | A Latte Food says

    These look incredible!! I cannot get enough cookies this time of year!

    Reply

  8. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (17)Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    I adore citrus as a great antidote to all the chocolate and gooey pecan stuff around the holidays. It's bright and refreshing!

    Reply

  9. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (18)Diana says

    I am allergic to oranges but i love the flavor, I am going to try and see if just this small amount will bother me.

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (19)Roxana says

      Hi Diana, Hope all went well. Are you allergic to oranges or to al citrus? You could try lemon .... Roxana

      Reply

      • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (20)Judy says

        Oh My! Lemon sounds great!

        Reply

  10. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (21)Joanne says

    I have been looking for a good orange cookie and will definitely be baking these for the Holidays.

    Reply

  11. Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (22)Susan says

    I am trying to to find the recipie for the melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies. I have tried to clink on links provided on your page but nothing take me to the recipie

    Reply

    • Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (23)Roxana says

      Hi Susan, So sorry to hear you're having issues with the links. Here it is, hopefully this time it works http://www.imperialsugar.com/recipes/desserts/cookies-bars/Orange-Vanilla-CookiesRoxana

      Reply

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Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist cookies? ›

Cornstarch Is The Secret To Soft And Chewy Cookies.

How to make chewy vs crunchy cookies? ›

Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies. Why use melted butter? Melted butter creates cookies with a different texture compared to cookies made with softened or creamed butter.

How to make box cookies taste homemade? ›

Here are some easy switches you can make to upgrade your cookie mix and give it a homemade taste.
  1. Butter Instead of Margarine. ...
  2. Substitute margarine or shortening for butter using a 1:1 ratio. ...
  3. Coconut Oil Instead Of Other Fats. ...
  4. Maple Syrup Instead Of Granulated Sugar. ...
  5. Vanilla Extract. ...
  6. Almond Extract. ...
  7. Rum and Ginger. ...
  8. Cheesecake.

What to add to cookie dough if too dry? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough. The difference is in the molasses that makes brown sugar brown: It adds moisture and slight acidity, resulting in a moist and chewy texture.

What ingredient makes cookies more chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why put corn syrup in cookies? ›

So, when you mix corn syrup into your cookie batter, all of that moisture will make and keep your baked cookies deliciously tender. The texture of cookies benefits from corn syrup as well. As you combine your ingredients to make your cookie batter, corn syrup will pull some of the surrounding air into your batter.

What brings out the flavor in cookies? ›

Add spices: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract can enhance the flavor of your cookies. Add chocolate chips or nuts: Adding chocolate chips or nuts can add a nice texture and flavor to your cookies.

How to make bagged cookie mix better? ›

Take your boxed cookie mix to the next level by browning your butter to add nutty, caramelized richness to the flavor. Just melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, continue to stir and cook the butter until it's a golden-brown color. And before adding it to the mix, make sure it's totally cooled down!

What happens if too much butter is in cookies? ›

Too much butter makes cookies turn out just as you'd expect: very buttery. This batch of cookies was cakey in the middle, but also airy throughout, with crispy edges. They were yellow and slightly puffy in the middle, and brown and super thin around the perimeter.

Can you over mix cookie dough? ›

Once dry ingredients have been added, don't beat vigorously or overmix. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.

What happens if you add too much flour to cookies? ›

If your cookies come out looking more like biscuits, you've likely added too much flour. Our cookies didn't expand much from the rolled-up balls we put on the baking sheet. They also didn't brown as well as the other cookies. It doesn't take much—in this case, my mom and I added just 3/4 cup extra flour to the dough.

What does adding cornstarch to cookies do? ›

As Levy Beranbaum writes in The Baking Bible, replacing a little bit of the flour in the dough with cornstarch results in “a more delicate cookie that is also easier to pipe or push through a cookie press.” Adding cornstarch helps tenderize tough gluten, contributing to a softer cookie dough with a finer crumb after ...

Does butter add moisture to cookies? ›

Butter also adds moisture to the cookie, keeping the cookies moist and chewy. Indeed, cookies made with butter are usually softer and more tender than those made with oils. And last but not least, butter in cookies helps achieve that perfect texture.

How do you make cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Try using baking powder instead of baking soda. Baking soda encourages spreading while baking powder puffs the cookies up. If your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, you would use 3 to 4 teaspoons of baking powder.

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