Christmas Orange Rind Cut Out Cookies Recipes

CHRISTMAS CUTOUT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. In another bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy and light. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, a third at a time to make a stiff dough. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out a portion of cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Place on lightly greased or nonstick cookie sheets. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minute, rotating baking sheet halfway through cooking time. Cool completely on pans about 5 minutes, transfer to cooling racks and cool completely before decorating.
• In a small bowl, mix sugar and water to form a thick, smooth icing. Stir in food coloring to reach desired shade. Drop icing onto cookies using a small teaspoon and smooth with the back of the spoon. Make additional bowls for additional colors.
• Additional multi-colored sprinkles can be added on top of icing before it dries for more decorative cookies, if desired.

MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Using a stand mixer, cream the shortening, granulated sugar, orange peel and vanilla thoroughly, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 more minute. Add in the milk and mix.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, and then blend into the cream mixture. Divide the dough in half (thirds if you double your recipe), slightly flatten between 2 sheets of waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 20 minutes).
• Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Transfer the shapes to lightly greased cookie sheets and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the egg yolk glaze: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. While the dough is chilling, combine the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon water and food coloring. Paint the cookies (with a soft brush) with the egg yolk glaze.
• Bake the cookies for 6 to 7 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to brown. The cookies will be slightly puffed and the glaze will look crackled. Bake in 2 batches if you don't reroll the scraps.
• For the decorative white icing: While the cookies are baking, mix the powdered sugar, milk and egg whites. Make sure that it is thick and somewhat retains its shape.
• Remove the cookies from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Then, using a pastry bag or zip-top bag, pipe the cookies with the white icing to decorate.

CARDAMOM-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in finely grated orange peel and vanilla. Add egg; beat to blend. Add 1/3 of flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Add remaining flour in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until blended. Refrigerate until firm enough to shape, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough in half. Form each half into ball. Flatten into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm enough to roll out, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Dough can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let chilled dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to generous 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using festive cookie cutters. Carefully transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Gather dough scraps into ball. Flatten, cover, and freeze dough until firm enough to roll out again, about 10 minutes.
• Bake cookies until light golden brown, about 16 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking for even cooking. Carefully slide parchment paper with cookies onto racks to cool completely. Let baking sheets cool completely, then repeat process with remaining dough, lining sheets with fresh parchment between batches. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 3 days ahead. Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature.
• Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

ORANGE & SPICE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, corn syrup and orange zest. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half., On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 9-in. square. Cut into 18 rectangles, 3x1-1/2-in. each. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, in a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and enough water to reach a piping consistency. Beat on high speed with a portable mixer 10-12 minutes or on low with a stand mixer 7-10 minutes or until peaks form. Frost cookies. Using a #3 round tip, pipe designs on cookies; decorate as desired.

ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg, orange zest, orange juice and extract. Gradually beat in flour., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets., Bake until edges are light brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, milk and, if desired, food coloring until smooth. Pipe or spread over cookies; let stand until set.

ORANGE SUGAR CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and granulated sugar for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, orange juice, orange peel, and orange extract.
• Beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well-blended.
• Divide the dough into thirds, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease baking sheets or use silpats.
• Place one-third of the dough on a lightly floured surface, leaving the remaining two-thirds in the refrigerator.
• Using a floured rolling pin, roll to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Using floured cookie cutters, cut into shapes.
• Arrange on the prepared baking sheets and repeat until all the dough has been used.
• Bake for 11 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Cool on a rack for 2 minutes- Remove to the rack to cool completely.
• (If you want, before baking and after cutting out shapes, mix 1 egg white and 2 Tablespoons water, then brush each cookie with this mixture and sprinkle on colored sugar for holidays).

CHRISTMAS ORANGE RIND CUT-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Sift flour and baking powder together. Add flour mix to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream. Blend very well and add the orange zest. Wrap tightly and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
• Turn chilled dough out on to a floured surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes.
• Combine the 1/3 cup white sugar and the finely chopped almonds and sprinkle over the tops of the cookies. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on rack.

ORANGE BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Position two oven racks in top and bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk flours, baking soda and salt together. In a mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and orange zest at medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl frequently. Add egg and mix. Add one egg yolk and mix. Add remaining egg yolk and mix. Stir in dry ingredients just until combined.
• Scoop tablespoons of dough onto parchment, leaving more than 1 inch between cookies. Press each one down lightly with 2 fingers to flatten to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Leave any ridges and valleys on top of cookie intact, but smooth the edges.
• Bake about 15 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through. Cookies should be pale but baked all the way through. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool before storing in airtight containers up to 1 week.
• When ready to serve, make icing: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Peel orange, being careful to remove only outer orange zest, and cut into thin strips. Blanch in boiling water 1 minute; drain. Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk in more milk if needed to make mixture thin enough to spread. Add extract, salt and zest, and whisk to combine.
• Place cookies on a rack and drizzle icing over each one (make sure there is some orange zest in each spoonful). Icing will settle into cookie crevices; let harden.

CHRISTMAS ORANGE RIND CUT-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Sift flour and baking powder together. Add flour mix to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream. Blend very well and add the orange zest. Wrap tightly and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
• Turn chilled dough out on to a floured surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes.
• Combine the 1/3 cup white sugar and the finely chopped almonds and sprinkle over the tops of the cookies. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on rack.

MARTHA'S BLUE RIBBON SUGAR COOKIES - CHRISTMAS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until well mixed.
• Add 2 eggs to the creamed mixture. Mix well.
• In another large bowl, mix sifted flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed butter mixture. Mix well.
• Add in grated orange rind, and mix well.
• Make into a ball, and chill in bowl covered with saran wrap, for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350.
• With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick on a very lightly floured surface.
• Make into desired shapes using cookie cutters. (I dip my cutters in flour before cutting each cookie, so they don't stick). If you don't have cookie cutters, you can use the bottom of a glass instead. Brush off any excess flour before putting them on the cookie sheet, if there is any.
• Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart. You may use parchment paper if you like.
• Bake for 8 minutes (or you may preheat the oven to 300, and bake for 10 minutes).
• Let cookies cool on wire racks.
• Decorate.
• Store in a covered plastic container, or cookie tin.

CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters, or cut around patterns traced from storybook illustrations. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top with end of plastic straw. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food color if desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired with frosting and colored sugars.

ORANGE CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Whisk together flour, zest, cardamom, and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and cream. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Quarter dough and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, until firm, 2 to 3 hours.
• Cut and bake cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper into an 11-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Slide dough in parchment onto a tray and chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Cut out as many cookies as possible with cookie cutter (chill dough again if necessary), reserving and chilling scraps. Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined large baking sheet, arranging them 1 inch apart.
• Bake until edges are golden-brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then slide cookies, still on parchment, onto a rack to cool completely.
• Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (reroll only once) on cooled freshly lined baking sheets.
• If icing cookies and coloring icing, transfer small batches to small bowls, 1 for each color, and tint with food coloring. Spoon each color of icing into separate sealable bags, pressing out excess air, and snip an 1/8-inch opening in 1 bottom corner of each bag. Pipe icing onto a plate to test consistency. If too thick, thin a small batch with a few drops of orange juice.
• Decoratively pipe icing onto cookies, then sprinkle with decorative sugar (if using) and let dry completely, about 1 hour (depending on humidity).