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Ingredients Needed for Orange Creamsicle Cookies
This cookie recipe has all of your standard cookie ingredients with some fresh orange zest for natural orange flavor and white chocolate chips for creamy vanilla goodness. Here is what you will need:
- Flour: just regular all-purpose flour
- Corn Starch: the addition of just a little corn starch keeps the cookies tender but still crumbly
- Baking Soda: the leavening agent that gives the cookies their fluffiness
- Salt: enhances all the flavors
- Orange Zest: rub the zest with the white sugar to release oils for smell and flavor
- Sugar: adds sweetness
- Brown Sugar: make sure it is firmly packed and it adds richness to cookies
- Butter: unsalted and softened
- Shortening: you can use all butter if you want but you will get a fluffier cookie with some shortening added
- Egg: gives the cookies structure as they bake
- Vanilla: adds flavor
- Orange Extract: totally optional, I prefer the cookies without it but it won’t have as strong an orange flavor. Never use orange juice.
- White Chocolate: chunks or chips, I used Ghirardelli white chocolate chunks.
The measurements for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card below along with the instructions for how to make these cookies.
How to Make Creamsicle Orange Cookies
- Preheat oven.
- Chop the white chocolate chunks.
- Combine dry ingredients.
- Activate the orange zest by rubbing it with the white sugar in a small bowl.
- Cream together the butter with the brown sugar and white sugar (with orange zest).
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the white chocolate chunks.
- Bake.
Tips for the Best Cookies
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough after combining the wet and dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing will result in tougher cookies.
- Rub the zest and sugar together to release the natural oils in the orange zest. This boosts the flavor and scent of the zest in the cookies.
- Don’t press down the dough before baking. These cookies will be thick and chewy.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. They are perfect when they are just starting to get golden around the edges. Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet to finish baking.
Variations for Orange Creamsicle Cookies
If you really want to live on the wild side, you could swap the orange zest (and extract) with lemon or with lime.
Lemon: These cookies with a lemon spin on them are seriously delicious! If you want to try a similar cookie, try our glazed lemon cookies.
Lime: I am a huge fan of lime desserts (our lime cheesecake with berry sauce is one of my all time faves), but I will be honest here, the lime zest sort of resembles grass when it is mixed into the dough and bakes (insert monkey covering eyes emoji). They taste amazing, but they aren’t going to look as appetizing as the orange or lemon versions. Oh man, they taste so good though! I was so bummed when they ended up looking like grass cookies…haha!
Storage Tips
Storing: Properly stored, fresh baked cookies will last 2-3 weeks in the pantry.
Freezing: If you want them to last longer you can freeze these cookies either before or after baking. Before baking, scoop them into balls and place the dough balls on a cookie sheet and place them into the freezer for at least a half hour (up to an hour) then place the balls into a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. They will keep for up to 3 months. You can thaw them before baking or bake straight from frozen. You’ll just need to add a few more minutes to the bake time.
After baking, let them cool completely and then place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. They will keep for up to 3 months. Let them come to room temperature before eating.
Take a step back into those carefree days of youth and bite into one (or five) of these thick and chewy orange creamsicle cookies! The flavors will be familiar and irresistible!
More Unique Cookie Recipes from Oh Sweet Basil
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
- Biscoff Stuffed Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Nutella and Dulce de Leche Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Cookies
- Glazed Lemon Cookies
- Strawberries and Cream Pudding Cookies
- Lemon Drop Cookies
Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Cups Flour
- 4 teaspoons EZ Gel, or 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/2 Cup Shortening, or see note
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Orange Extract, optional
- 2 Cups White Chocolate, chopped, I use Ghirardelli but any bar or white chocolate chips works
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop the white chocolate and set aside.2 Cups White Chocolate
- In a bowl, combine flour, EZ Gel, baking soda, and salt; set aside.2 1/2 Cups Flour, 4 teaspoons EZ Gel, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- In a small bowl, rub together the orange zest and sugar until fragrant.2 Tablespoons Orange Zest, 3/4 Cup Sugar
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugars (including the orange zest) until light and fluffy.1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, 1/2 Cup Shortening, 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and orange extract (optional) until smooth.1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1/2 teaspoon Orange Extract
- Slowly add flour mixture until combined.
- Stir in white chocolate chunks or vanilla chips.2 Cups White Chocolate
- Drop rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, Do not flatten cookies.
- Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump.
- Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- All butter can easily be used, but they are fluffier with shortening
- Store in an airtight container
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The flavor is great, and they aren’t too dry despite how little liquid there is in this recipe. However, the measurement for the white chocolate chips is WAAAAAAY higher than it should be. If I had somehow managed to incorporate them all, they would’ve been more chip than dough! As it was, I was picking some chips out and had what looked like a full cup of chocolate chips that I couldn’t incorporate. What a waste of chocolate!! Next time, I’ll start with 3/4 cup, see how well they incorporate into the dough, and add more if necessary.
Hi Dana! I love my cookies loaded with chips and I save some to place on the top before baking. They can definitely be reduced if desired.
Made these today and turned out perfect. One of our favorite cookies.
Me too! I love these cookies so much! Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment Lisa!
I received so many compliments on these cookies! Thank you! These cookies taste exactly like Orange Creamsicles!
Aren’t they the best?! These are one of my very favorite cookies! Thank you so much for leaving a comment, Caren!
Made these this weekend, and they are amazing!
One of my very favorites! Thank you so much Shauna and so glad you enjoyed them!
I am preparing to make the orange Creamsicle cookies but before I do just wanted to thank you so much for putting the ingredients needed along with each step. There is nothing worse than having to keep scrolling back up to check on amount of each ingred. THANK YOU.
That is a new feature we have been adding to our recipe cards and we have gotten nothing but rave reviews! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the cookies!
I love this cookie. It is rather rich, but you can’t hardly find recipes with such a good orange flavor. And the white chocolate chips complement that orange so well. Such pretty, soft cookies, and by NO means dry. I like not having to chill the dough, too. Thanks!
where do i do the shortening? it is not included in the directions.
oh, with the butter! I corrected it!
Orange Creamsicles are my favourite, so I’m definitely giving these a try!! Thanks for sharing this Carrion! 🙂
Ours too!