Description
Delicious Orange Clove Christmas Cookies for the Holiday Spirit
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/4 cup Molasses
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, allspice)
- 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Icing Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Orange Juice
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Clove (for glaze)
Instructions
- Begin by creaming softened butter and honey together in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually stir in molasses, then mix in flour, salt, spices, orange zest, and vanilla until a soft dough forms. This should take about 5-7 minutes of gentle mixing.
- Roll your dough into a log or press it into a decorative mold, keeping it compact. Wrap the formed dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Once your dough is chilled, slice it into ½ inch thick pieces and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges turn golden brown, adding a lovely crisp texture.
- Once the cookies cool slightly, prepare your glaze by mixing icing sugar with orange juice and Cointreau (if using). Generously apply the glaze on each cookie, then return them to the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes until the glaze sets.
- Optional: For an added crunch, sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the glaze before it hardens.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust spice amounts to suit taste preferences.
- Finely chopped dehydrated or candied orange slices can be used for zest.
- Almond or orange extract can be fun substitutes for vanilla.
- Cointreau can be replaced or omitted.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg