Description
These Delicious Blood Orange Cookies with Creamy Citrus Frosting offer a perfect balance of zesty blood orange flavor and rich, creamy sweetness. Featuring a tender cookie base infused with fresh blood orange zest and juice, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and vibrant blood orange curd, this recipe is a refreshing twist on classic cookies, ideal for any citrus lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 120 g Light Brown Sugar (or dark brown sugar for deeper flavor)
- Zest of 2 Blood Oranges (finely zested)
- 90 g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 1 large Egg (or a flax egg for vegan option)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (or vanilla paste for richer flavor)
- 160 g All-Purpose Flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder (fresh)
- ½ tsp Salt (can reduce for low-sodium diets)
Blood Orange Curd
- 65 g Granulated Sugar (or 1:1 sugar substitute)
- Zest of 1 Blood Orange
- 40 g Fresh Blood Orange Juice (or other citrus juice)
- 2 large Egg Yolks
- â…› tsp Salt (can omit for salt-restricted diets)
- 28 g Unsalted Butter (cold and cubed)
Creamy Citrus Frosting
- 100 g Cream Cheese (room temperature)
- 42 g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- â…› tsp Salt
- 160 g Powdered Sugar (can reduce for less sweetness)
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract (or almond extract for a twist)
Instructions
- Cookie Preparation: In a large mixing bowl, combine the light brown sugar and zest from two blood oranges, gently rubbing them together to release the fragrant oils. Add 90 grams of softened unsalted butter and beat the mixture with an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Incorporate one egg and one teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing until well combined. Carefully fold in 160 grams of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Blood Orange Curd: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix 65 grams of granulated sugar with the zest from one blood orange. Stir in 40 grams of fresh blood orange juice, two egg yolks, and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Cook this mixture, stirring constantly, for about 3-5 minutes until thickened. Strain the curd through a sieve to ensure smoothness. Mix in 28 grams of cold cubed butter until the curd is smooth and glossy. Let it cool in the fridge until ready to use.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the curd cools. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about three tablespoons of dough for each cookie and place them spaced apart on the prepared sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Remove from oven, let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting and Assemble: Beat 100 grams of room temperature cream cheese with 42 grams of softened unsalted butter and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt until smooth and creamy. Gradually add 160 grams of powdered sugar, mixing well to incorporate fully. Finish by adding half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and mixing thoroughly. Frost each cooled cookie with about one and a half tablespoons of the cream cheese frosting. Top each frosted cookie with a dollop of blood orange curd, swirling lightly to create a marbled effect for a beautiful and flavorful finish.
Notes
- For a vegan option, replace the egg in the cookie dough with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water).
- Use gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies gluten-free.
- Reduce salt in the recipe for a low-sodium variation.
- Adjust powdered sugar in the frosting to taste if you prefer it less sweet.
- The blood orange curd can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting for best results.
