If you’ve never tried an Orange Sugar Cookie then you’re in for a treat, because these cookies are seriously good and easily a new family favorite. Packed with orange zest and almond extract, they’re super flavorful and soft and chewy enough to stay fresh for days.

I put a little less sugar in these than my other sugar cookies, and I made them nice and thick by using only baking powder. The dough comes together in no time, and then it goes into the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up.

I’ve made this recipe in a few different varieties, so I think it’s pretty fail-proof. As long as you follow the method below, you’ll end up with delicious, soft Orange Sugar Cookies!

Once your cookies come out of the oven, feel free to sprinkle them with a bit of sugar or extra orange zest, or leave them as-is – I’m confident you’ll enjoy them either way!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Cane sugar is much lighter in color than coconut sugar, so I opted to use an unrefined cane sugar for this recipe. I didn’t want brown Orange cookies!

Baking powder is what gives these cookies their thickness. Make sure you don’t use baking soda, which will make the cookies spread too much.

Extra light olive oil is light in flavor and color, which helps these cookies keep their pretty orange color. I don’t recommend using coconut oil in this recipe as I don’t know how it will affect the cookies.

Egg + egg yolk gives these cookies their chewy and soft texture. I added an extra yolk for moisture and ultimate chewiness!

Almond extract makes for a delicious pairing with orange! Since the orange zest is such a strong flavor, you’ll add 2 whole teaspoons of almond extract to make sure both flavors comes through.

Yield: 13 cookies

Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies

Name: Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 2 h 23 min
Yield: 13
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp; 1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 2/3 cup cane sugar*; 1/3 cup extra light olive oil; 2 tsp pure almond extract; 3 Tbsp orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)

Thick and chewy sugar cookies packed with fresh orange zest and a touch of almond extract. Made dairy-free and with less sugar than a traditional sugar cookie, these cookies have easily become one of my new favorites!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 23 minutes

Ingredients

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cane sugar*
1/3 cup extra light olive oil
2 tsp pure almond extract
3 Tbsp orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)

Instructions

Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. (Now is a good time to zest your oranges!)
In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, olive oil, and almond extract. Whisk in the egg + egg yolk until mixture is totally smooth. Stir in the fresh orange zest. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix with a wooden spoon or large spatula until no flour streaks remain. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop cookies (six at a time) 1.5 Tbsp in size, rolling them into smooth balls. I like to scoop all six of my cookies first and then roll each one smooth before placing it on my baking sheet. Slightly press down on each dough ball.
Bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes. The cookies will puff up in the oven, and you'll know they're done when the centers no longer look wet. If you like your cookies extra chewy, then take them out when the centers look slightly wet/shiny.
Allow cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before gently moving them to a cooling rack. If you'd like, you can sprinkle sugar and/or orange zest over the tops of each cookie. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

*I like using Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar since it's unrefined, but you can also use regular white cane sugar or even coconut sugar. The dark color of coconut sugar will make your cookies brown - I didn't want brown Orange Cookies!