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Orange zest and extract bring citrus flavor to a brown-sugar dough seasoned with ground cloves. Roll it thin for crisp cutout cookies and check the first tray early rather than using a long drop-cookie baking time.
Use the colored outer peel for the tablespoon of zest and avoid the bitter white layer beneath it. The measured extract is a separate ingredient. Orange juice adds liquid and is not a direct replacement for extract in this dough. Wash and dry the orange before zesting, and keep the cut fruit for another use.
Ingredients and measurements
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract; Optional: coarse sparkling sugar for the tops
Preparation method
- Stage 1
Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Stage 2
Whisk flour, cloves, baking soda and salt together.
- Stage 3
Mix brown sugar with zest, then beat in softened butter. Add egg and orange extract.
- Stage 4
Work the flour mixture into the butter mixture in portions, scraping the bowl. Divide dough in two.
- Stage 5
Roll on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a roughly 3-inch cutter and transfer to the trays; add optional sugar.
- Stage 6
Bake each tray about 9–11 minutes, until the edges deepen slightly in color and feel firm.
- Stage 7
Rest cookies on the tray for three minutes, then move to a rack. Cool completely before packing.
The timing is for a thin cutout, not a heaped spoonful of dough. Keep the center and edges of the rolled sheet at a similar thickness. Pieces that are noticeably thicker should go on a separate tray so they can finish without overbaking the thin ones. Start with a simple cutter if detailed shapes are difficult to transfer.
How should scraps be handled?
Gather scraps gently and reroll with only enough flour to prevent sticking. Repeated heavy dusting adds flour that was not in the measured dough. Slide a thin spatula beneath delicate shapes rather than pulling them by a narrow point. Let a hot baking sheet cool before arranging the next batch.
Do these need a glaze?
The dough already includes brown sugar and the optional top sugar. A glaze is not required by this version. For gift boxes, wait until cookies are fully cool and separate fragile shapes with paper. Record your cutter size and the first tray’s actual baking time if you plan to repeat the batch.
Serving and storage
Keep fully cooled, unfilled cookies in an airtight container for three to four days for best texture. Package only after the centers have cooled so trapped warmth does not create condensation. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed container with paper between layers and thaw before opening.
For another dessert, see oatmeal chocolate chip bars or mini pecan brown sugar pies. Use that recipe’s own quantities rather than mixing formulas. Formula adapted from Wilton’s Orange and Clove Crisps. The ingredient proportions and core method are credited to that source; the preparation guidance here is editorial research. A Pinch Of Lemon has not kitchen-tested this version. Existing photographs are illustrative and are not evidence of a test bake.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- How is the orange flavor measured?
Use the colored outer peel for the tablespoon of zest and avoid the bitter white layer beneath it. The measured extract is a separate ingredient. Orange juice adds liquid and is not a direct replacement for extract in this dough. Wash and dry the orange before zesting, and keep the cut fruit for another use.
- Why does the rolling thickness matter?
The timing is for a thin cutout, not a heaped spoonful of dough. Keep the center and edges of the rolled sheet at a similar thickness. Pieces that are noticeably thicker should go on a separate tray so they can finish without overbaking the thin ones. Start with a simple cutter if detailed shapes are difficult to transfer.
- How should scraps be handled?
Gather scraps gently and reroll with only enough flour to prevent sticking. Repeated heavy dusting adds flour that was not in the measured dough. Slide a thin spatula beneath delicate shapes rather than pulling them by a narrow point. Let a hot baking sheet cool before arranging the next batch.
- Do these need a glaze?
The dough already includes brown sugar and the optional top sugar. A glaze is not required by this version. For gift boxes, wait until cookies are fully cool and separate fragile shapes with paper. Record your cutter size and the first tray’s actual baking time if you plan to repeat the batch.