Simple sugar cookies with an amazing flavor! These soft and chewy sugar cookies are made with vanilla bean and orange zest. Orange and vanilla flavors in these cookies is exquisite.
Sugar Cookies
I’m in love…with a cookie! These cookies are an absolute heaven. Soft…chewy…with an amazing flavor.
When it comes to cookies, I have absolutely no self control. I can easily pass on cupcakes, cakes, and even chocolate. But cookies…they have my heart. My love for soft and chewy cookies is deep and it true.
I don’t make cookie too often because of how dangerous it is for me to be around them. You’d be surprised just how fast I can polish off a batch of freshly made cookies. These Vanilla Bean Orange Zest cookies were gone by the next day. Little man helped me out a little bit but I have to admit, I was the main cookie monster.
Sugar cookies are the easiest cookies to make. They can be firm or soft. Firmer sugar cookies are best for cutting out shapes and decorating and soft sugar cookies are just “the best.”
It doesn’t mean that you can’t decorate soft and chewy sugar cookies. You can use different color sprinkles for different holidays and roll the cookie balls in the sprinkles before baking. Different color sugar crystals can also be used to coat these sugar cookies to make them more festive. For a New Year’s celebration, these cookies would be perfect rolled in silver and gold sugar crystals.
Even though these cookies would be festive decorated in different sprinkles, I prefer them with no coating at all. It keeps the true flavor of the cookies and the texture without adding the crunch from sprinkles.
For the best vanilla flavors to shine through, best ingredients are a must. I use my trusted Rodelle vanilla products for all my baking and especially in these vanilla bean cookies. Obviously, vanilla bean is VERY important in vanilla flavored cookies!
Every year, Rodelle asks their ambassadors to share a new holiday cookie recipe and you can find them ALL here, on Rodelle website.
Don’t forget to sign up for email, so you won’t miss any new recipes.
Vanilla Bean Orange Zest Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean
- Zest from 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugar together for two minutes in an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
- Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute.
- Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again and beat in egg on medium speed. Add vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
- Lower speed to low and add flour and baking powder. Beat until just combined.
- Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and make sure all ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Scoop cookie dough with a cookie scoop (you can use #50 or #40 cookie scoop).
- Optional: roll each cookie ball in sprinkles or sugar crystals if you wish.
- Place cookie dough balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Press on each cookie gently and only a little bit, don't flatten.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie ball.
Notes
Nutrition
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janet says
Can I use vanilla bean paste instead of the vanilla bean? Thank you! These sound so delicious,
LyubaB says
Hi Janet,
Yes, you can use one teaspoon of vanilla bean paste in place of the vanilla bean.