My friend Angie makes the best Italian cookies during the holiday season, it’s a recipe passed down from her Nonna and they’re unbelievable. They’re soft, puffy and small Italian cookies with three different colors and a simple icing. The trick? Extra flour, just the right amount of sugar and real deal butter.
Truth be told, I never liked Italian orange cookies until I tried the ones she made and year after year I would tell Angie that I needed her to make her Nonna’s cookies for me. They inspired this wonderful recipe — one that I love sharing during the winter months as a way to use up fresh, juicy oranges. Thanks, Ang, I love you and think about you often.
I originally made these glorious orange cookies 8 (!) years ago, and couldn’t stop eating them. They were soft (just like Angie’s Nonna’s), fluffy, and almost melted in your mouth like those Lofthouse style ones from the store. I had to re-share the recipe with you for your cold weather baking adventures. If you adore orange as much as I do, I know you’ll love these too!
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Everything you’ll need to make these Italian orange cookies
One of the things I love about these orange cookies is that they’re so easy to make. Yeah, yeah I realize it’s regular flour, butter and sugar, but that’s the way these Italian cookies roll, mkay? The dough is infused with real fresh orange juice and orange zest. It’s so good, you’ll think that you’re eating a dreamsicle. Bake them up and then glaze them with a perfectly sweet orange icing. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter: yes, we’re using good old fashioned butter because that’s what makes these cookies truly melt-in-your-mouth.
- Sugar: regular, white sugar to perfectly sweeten these orange cookies.
- Egg: you’ll need 1 egg to help the cookies bake up properly.
- Orange: we’re using fresh orange juice and orange zest for all of that delicious, bright orange flavor.
- Almond extract: the key to the flavor in these Italian orange cookies.
- Flour: you’ll need regular, all purpose flour in this recipe.
- Baking staples: don’t forget the baking powder (not soda!) and salt.
- For the icing: you’ll need some powdered sugar, more orange juice & zest, a little melted butter and a little softened cream cheese. SO LUSCIOUS.
Can I make them gluten-free?
I haven’t tested these orange cookies with a gluten free substitute but I think a gluten free all purpose flour should work! Chickpea flour or quinoa flour may also work but you might get a different flavor. Let me know in the comments if you try it!
How to make vegan orange cookies
Feel free to use a flax egg in place of the regular egg (learn how to make one here!) And use a vegan buttery stick + vegan cream cheese in the recipe.
Tips for the best orange cookies every time
- Use parchment paper. Make sure to add parchment paper to your baking sheet to make sure the cookies don’t stick to the pan.
- Use an electric mixer. It’s best to use an electric mixer for this recipe so that you can beat the butter and sugar together until it’s nice and fluffy. I love this hand mixer or this KitchenAid mixer, which is well worth the investment!
- Use room temp ingredients. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature and not melted. I recommend taking it out of the fridge an hour or two before baking these cookies. Do not attempt to soften your butter in the microwave — if you do this the cookies will not turn out correctly! Be sure to also use a room temperature egg by running it under warm water for a minute or two so that it does not coagulate with the butter.
- Do not pack your flour. Scoop your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with the flat end of a butter knife. See the perfect method here!
- Cool before glazing. Allow the orange cookies to completely cool before glazing them so that the glaze doesn’t soak into the cookies. If you are in a rush and want to speed up the process you can put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes after baking.
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: wait for the orange icing to completely harden on the cookies, then place them in a glass container in even layers. You can place parchment paper in between each cookie layer if you are concerned with cookies sticking to one another. Cookies will stay good for 5 days at room temperature in cooler weather. If humid, I recommend transferring cookies to the fridge in a glass container after a day or two.
- To freeze: get all of our best tips & tricks for freezing cookies before and after baking here!
Our fav tools for this cookie recipe
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- Soft Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Lovely Lemon Icing
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I hope you love these Italian orange cookies! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Melt In Your Mouth Italian Iced Orange Cookies
Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 to 2 oranges)
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (67g) fresh squeezed orange juice
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the icing:
- 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To the bowl of an electric mixer, add the sugar and orange zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar for 15 seconds to release the orange essence and flavor into the sugar. This will make for a more flavorful cookie.
- Add the butter to the bowl, and cream together the butter with the sugar on medium speed until well combined, 1 minute. Turn mixer to medium-low speed and add in egg (make sure it’s at room temp -- you can do this by running the egg under warm water for 1 min); beating until well combined, smooth and creamy into the butter and sugar, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Next add in the orange juice and almond extract and mix until well combined, 30 more seconds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix together on medium speed until combined, 1 minute.
- Grab about two tablespoons full of dough and roll into a ball. (If you can't roll them into a ball, I suggest chilling the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.) Place dough balls onto prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until just barely golden brown on the edges. Remove and allow to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Once cookies have cooled, make the icing: add the powdered sugar, orange zest, and 1 tablespoon of orange juice to a bowl. Whisk together until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add another teaspoon of orange juice at a time and stir to combine. The icing should be fairly thick. (A drop of almond extract is also delicious in the icing, but please only do one drop if you'd like.) Dip the top of the cookies in the icing then place back on the wire rack to allow icing to harden. Garnish with a little extra orange zest to make them pretty. Makes about 14 to 16 cookies.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on December 4th, 2018, and republished on February 19th, 2025.
These cookies are the absolute fluffiest!! Seriously like eating a pillow. Obsessed!!
Right?! So good! Glad you loved them 🙂
These are delicious and such a fun summer treat to make!
Absolutely!
Brought these to an event and people loved them! They’re very soft and orangey!
I’m so glad!
Beautiful, melt in your mouth cookie! I made them for Christmas last year and everyone was so happy!
I used gluten free flour, 1-1 as you noted. I didn’t have cream cheese so I smoothed out some cottage cheese in the food processor for the frosting and that worked great. I’m always hesitant to try a recipe the same day I bring them as a host/hostess gift, but these are delicious and so easy to make. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!
Do you use unsalted butter in this recipe?
Thanks.
I always use salted for the extra flavor, but either will work!
I LOVED these!! I made a gluten free version and just used GF flour. I’d say the texture is more like bread than a cookie. It reminds me of a scone and would be great served with breakfast food. It’s delicious though! 10/10 recommend.
Perfect! Glad that GF flour worked out well!
I made this as per your instructions, but the cookies came out crispy at the bottom and edges but spongy like cake on top.
Secondly, I stored them in an airtight container and the next day it was just a slice of cake! The base crispiness just vanished!
Could you please elaborate on this? Thanks
Hi! These should be deliciously chewy with crispy edges. Were the cookies stored in an humid environment? That would create a softer texture! You could store them in the fridge instead.
Can’t do white sugar at all- maybe 1-3 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup max in any given recipe. Any tips? These look beautiful!
Hi! I haven’t tested these with an alternate sweetener so I’m not 100% sure how they’ll come out, especially swapping for a liquid sweetener. Sorry!
Made these tonight and they were delicious! Not too sweet which is why I loved them. Would be perfect with tea. Thank you for another great recipe!
Absolutely! Glad you loved them!
Delicious. Not too overly sweet. Fresh summer cookie. Followed the recipe to a T.
Having these tonight with some tea.
AMAZING! Such a delicious treat, glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Lindsey!
I TRIED to leave a 5-star rating, but the webpage would not let me! These are light and biscuit like, a bit reminiscent of the base of a black and white cookie. In a hurry, I whipped 3 oz of creamcheese into half a store bought tub of buttercream frosting with 1/4 tsp of orange flavoring. These are perfect for a luncheon or tea party. Air fryer: 320° for 8-9 minutes. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Ah thank YOU for sharing your air fryer method. I really appreciate it and am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turns out great for you ❤️
Delicious easy recipe. I’ll make again. I made just as she instructed and came out really well.
These cookies are good. I’m not sure that they quite met the expectations prompted by the commentary for the recipe.
Quick and easy to pull together with a spare orange on hand. I used whole wheat pastry flour and had excellent results. I had slightly less juice so I just used a smidge less flour and it worked well. It’s a rather forgiving recipe, I look forward to making these again with other flavors and spices!
Love this! So glad you are enjoying this recipe and that it worked out great ❤️
Made these for this year’s holiday cookie exchange with my friends and they came out lovely! Super easy recipe and it’s nice to have a not-so-in-your-face-sweet option as well as the fresh citrus. Mine did end up spreading more than I wanted, but I think my baking powder is a little old. Can’t wait to make em again with fresh baking powder!
So happy these were a hit! Let me know if swapping the baking powder helps out, too.
Just made this recipe this morning and WOW! The cookies are SOO soft and melt in your mouth. I subbed coconut sugar in for the 1/2 cup of sugar and used pulp free OJ that I got at Aldi’s. The fresh grated orange zest on top of the glaze gives the perfect touch!
I’ve made these twice now and they’re delicious!! And so quick because they don’t require chilling and my cookie scoop is the perfect size when I level it off.
SO happy you love these, Emma! Yay!
Hi there! Is it okay if I chill the dough before baking?
Hi, there! It may affect how much they spread out but I’m not sure, as I haven’t tried it. You may want to bring the dough back up to room temp. after chilling/before baking.
These cookies are easy to make and so, so, so good! Very flavorful and soft to eat. I love them in the winter as a pick-me-up when the weather is dreary.
Yay! Happy you love them, Angela 🙂
I’ve made these cookies twice now. My husband and I absolutely love them! The texture is a bit different than most cookies I’ve had, but that’s one of the things we love about these! The last batch of cookie I made, I didn’t put the orange juice or zest in the icing. I substituted the orange juice for a bit of heavy cream and added a small splash of vanilla extract. I’m very new to baking and this is one of our favorite cookie recipes! I plan to make two batches the next time I make these because they go so fast! I can’t wait to make them for family!
I’m SO happy to hear you guys love these, Angel! So excited for the fam to try them 🙂
Do these freeze well?
Definitely! Here’s how I like to freeze cookies: Wait for the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature, add the glaze and enjoy.
This recipe is amazing. I substituted orange zest with orange oil and it worked just as good. Thanks for this 🙂
Such a smart idea! Glad you loved them 🙂
~ It’s what happens when you come across a much desired recipe for an exquisitely delicious CooooKie! Elation! I love making exquisitely simple, compact, & nutri-delicious foods. This recipe is now in my library of exquisite recipes.
~ I have been having this feeling for quite some time about encountering an unforgettably tasty-treat recipe. This recipe may be that long awaited culinary blessing.,& it’s an exquisite Italian delicacy!
Amazing! So glad you found this one!
Delicious easy recipe
Glad you enjoyed!
The biggest hit of the holiday cookie tray! Now make them regularly. They taste a little “scone-like” fresh out of the oven, but are better after a day. Sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on top for a sparkle. Also doubled the recipe and made them smaller – too much work for 14 cookies. It didn’t effect the integrity or taste of the cookie!
Amazing! Glad they’re a fav!
So flavorful and soft! I added mini choco chips!
These cookies were a lot sorted that I expected, but they tasted so delicious!
Glad you enjoyed!
I made the recipe exactly as written except I used vegan cream cheese. Fantastic recipe!!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I made this recipe with blood orange juice and zest. My neighbor shared her oranges with me and I wanted to make something for her and her grandson. The cookies were delicious and had a wonderful orange flavor! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Hi! Was wondering if the sugar is granulated or caster? ☺️
Granulated 🙂
Im just wondering what kind of butter salted or unsalted
Either is fine!
These really do melt in the mouth! An absolute must for orange lovers, and Another great way to use my fresh oranges from Valencia, which can double up as gifts for friends. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Absolutely! Glad you loved them!
I was a little scared making these because I don’t have an electric mixer. I just made sure to thoroughly mix by hand with my whisk. Fortunately, they turned out just as they should, delicious!! Will be making these again.
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
These. Are. These BEST. Orange cookies I’ve ever had! Made a lemon poppy seed variant as well, and just as decadent. I used a vanilla extract instead of almond for the lemon ones. Heavenly. Added cream cheese with make a creamier glaze, but it won’t harden. Trouble with the icing? Add a tsp or two of meringue powder.
Make sure you have fairly fresh ingredients, and once they start to brown, don’t second guess!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
Like a cloud that melts on the tip of your tongue! These really are unbelievable!
I followed the recipe just about entirely as written. But I did add in a tiny drop of orange extrat to the batter – a lovely addition. I’m not the biggest fan of fruity/citrus desserts and sweets, but these cookies really changed my stance.
Amazing! Love the idea of adding orange extract. Glad you loved them!
Whilst making marmalade I had an extra orange. I found your recipie and added 1oz of C.M spiced rum orange vanilla and used margarine and i used 1/2 tbsp of the rum in the icing. They turned out amazing! So tasty woth a little kick. Thanks for the recipe.
Can you tell me the substitute of an egg please?
You could try a flax egg but know that I haven’t tested it this way!
These cookies are AMAZING!! I highly recommend making them. Also, don’t worry if your dough isn’t very firm; mine wasn’t but the cookies still came out great!
So happy you loved them!
HI I’m Italian and would love some Italian recipe.
Thank You
Grace
Hi! Check out this category: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/italian-recipes/