WILD ORANGE BUTTER COOKIES

This recipe, modified from a Julia Moskin recipe, yields about three dozen cookies. You’ll be happy there are three dozen. Trust me. They’re a little chewy, a little cakey, and super simple to make. Make sure you start with cold butter. It may feel a little clumsy in your mixer, but the butter will eventually yield to the mixer . IF you have any left, I recommend freezing the extras. I’ve been known to grab them fresh out of the freezer for a treat… they’re delicious ice cold as well as room temp.

INGREDIENTS

1 - 3/4 c unbleached allppurpose flour

1 - 2/3 c cake flour or more all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1 - 1/4 c granulated sugar

1 c cold unsalted butter - 2 sticks

2 packed teaspoons of freshly grated orange zest

16 drops dōTERRA Wild Orange Essential Oil

1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks - at room temperature

FOR THE ICING

1 orange

1 - 1/2 c confectioners’ sugar

2 to 4 tbsp whole milk (or non-dairy replacement - we used oat milk)

2 drops vanilla extract

10 drops dōTERRA Wild Orange Essential Oil

Pinch of fine salt

PREPARATION

Position two racks in the top and bottom third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 35o degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk flour, 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 the bowl as needed. Add egg and mix. Add one of the egg yolks and mix. Add remaining egg yolk and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.

Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the parchment paper, leaving more than 1 inch between the cookies. Press each one down lightly with 2 fingers to flatten to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Leave any ridges and valleys on the top of cookie intact, but smooth out the edges of the cookie a bit.

Bake about 15 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets half way through. Cookies will be pale but should be cooked all the way through. Cool on sheets then transfer to a rack and cool.

When ready to serve,, make the icing. Peel the orange carefully and cut into very thin slices (see photo) and blanch in boiling water for about a minute and drain. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Whisk in more if necessary - taking care to add little tiny bits of milk until you have a consistency that is thin enough to spread. Add extract, essential oil, salt and zest, mix with a spoon to combine.

Place cookies on a rack and drizzle icing over each one taking care to get some of the zest for each. Icing will settle into the crevices. Allow to harden. Eat.