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

Leave a Reply

Melt in your mouth orange vanilla cookies recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make cookie mix taste like bakery? ›

How To Make Boxed Cookies Better
  1. Use butter instead of margarine or oil.
  2. Add powdered milk. Sprinkling about 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered milk per cup of cookie mix may seem kind of unconventional, but it is the best hack! ...
  3. Add brown sugar. ...
  4. Add vanilla extract. ...
  5. Brown the butter. ...
  6. Include an extra egg yolk.
Jan 3, 2024

What can I add to box cookies to make them better? ›

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 does more butter do to cookies? ›

An excessive amount of butter makes it where the flour is unable to absorb the combined fat, which causes the cookie to spread too widely and the sugar to carbonize more easily because it's surrounded by too buttery a dough.

What makes cookie dough taste better? ›

You can upgrade your cookie dough by adding spices to it, said Tracy Wilk, lead chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. This can lead to a warm, spicy cookie. To do so, combine ground cinnamon, ginger, and sugar, and then roll your balls of cookie dough in the mix before baking.

How to improve cookie mix cookies? ›

Adding additional ingredients to the dough, like chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles not only makes your cookies visually appealing, but it can change the overall flavor profile, too! If you do plan on mixing in some add-ons, remember that certain nuts and chocolate will increase the amount of oil in the dough.

What gives cookies more flavor? ›

Malted milk powder adds a butterscotchy note, and its milk solids fuel the reaction to make cookies browner and more flavorful than before. For more advanced bakers, you can also brown the butter, depending on the recipe.

What is the secret to a good cookie? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  • Always use butter.
  • Choose the right sugar.
  • Choose the right flour.
  • Check your flour is in date.
  • Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Beat in the eggs.
  • Fold in the flour.

What happens if you use melted butter instead of softened for cookies? ›

Cookies made with melted butter often deflate and become denser when they cool, resulting in a perfectly cooked fudgy center — a similar textural result to brownies that get rapped (aka banged against an oven rack mid-bake to deflate them) or Sarah Kieffer's iconic pan-banging cookies that turn out pleasantly compact.

Is it OK to use melted butter instead of softened? ›

Softened butter and melted butter are not the same. Using melted butter will change the texture of whatever you're baking. If you only want the butter to soften for spreading, microwave it on the Defrost setting (30%) in 5-second increments until it's softened as desired.

Should you chill cookie dough before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

Is too much butter bad for cookies? ›

Butter is an emulsifier and it makes cookies tender. It also adds in the crispy-around-the-edges element. Adding too much butter can cause the cookies to be flat and greasy. Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly.

How to make packaged cookie mix taste like homemade? ›

  1. Use browned butter (add about 10% more than what's suggested on the box).
  2. chill the dough for at least two hours if you want less spread.
  3. add cocoa powder or espresso powder into the dry ingredients, maybe vanilla extract too.
  4. yes adding marshmallow should be good. Or choco chips.
Nov 2, 2022

How do you make a cake mix taste like a cake from the bakery? ›

Step 1: Look at the directions on the cake mix. Step 2: Add one more egg (or add 2 if you want it to be very rich). Step 3: Use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount. Step 4: Instead of water, use whole milk.

How to enhance Betty Crocker cookie mix? ›

Easy Add-In: After creating the dough according to the sugar cookie mix instructions, Add 2 tablespoons of sour cream to create a tangier, cakier and all-around more flavorful cookie. Flavor Twist: For a punchier twist, swap the water in the sugar cookie mix instructions for rum, bourbon or coffee liqueur.

How do you make baking mix taste better? ›

6 Easy Ways To Upgrade Your Boxed Cake Mix
  1. Add an Extra Egg.
  2. Add Milk, Coffee, or Soda.
  3. Use Butter Instead of Oil.
  4. Add Instant Pudding.
  5. Up the Flavor with an Extract or Citrus Zest.
  6. Top the Cake with Homemade Frosting.
Oct 19, 2023

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