Orange Cocoa Butter Cookies
Orange and cinnamon blend in a subtle exchange of flavors in this rich butter cookie recipe. Orange juice and zest are bolstered by a sip of Cointreau, and then dusted with cocoa for a luscious treat.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 orange zest & juice
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
Two hours before
- Measure the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Toss together to combing and distribute evenly.
- In a second bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy in texture.
- Add the egg as you continue to beat until the result is smooth.
- Next, add the orange juice and Cointreau, blending until smooth.
- Spoon about a third of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and stir until well blended.
- Repeat with the remaining two-thirds. The result should be a thick smooth cookie dough.
- Gather the dough into a round, and place into a bowl, and then into the fridge. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
When it's ready
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F, and lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Mix the cocoa and brown sugar together, and spread on a plate.
- Take the dough by the teaspoonful. Roll each teaspoonful into a ball, and then roll the ball in the cocoa powder mix.
- Place the dough balls on the baking sheet about 2-inches apart. With your thumb, gently press down a little on the center of each ball.
- Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes for a cookie that is slightly crispy on the outside, and chewy inside. Bake 12 minutes total for a crispier version.
Notes
Variations: For Halloween, switch to white sugar, and add 2 or 3 drops of orange food coloring to the butter mixture before adding the flour mixture. Cocoa can be a bit messy – you can substitute the same amount of cinnamon for another delectable version.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
