Softbatch Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Name: Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 199 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened); 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons almond extract; 1 to 2 teaspoons orange extract; 2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half; 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons corn starch; 1 teaspoon baking soda; pinch salt (optional and to taste); one 10-ounce bag white chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 heaping cups)

Orange Creamsicle Cookies — These cookies are so soft, buttery, tender, and just melt in your mouth! The dough is lightly perfumed with orange zest and there’s loads of white chocolate in every bite. They remind me of an Orange Creamsicle, but in cookie form!

Orange Creamsicle Cookie Recipe

I love Orange Julius, Orange Creamsicles, Orange PushUps — anything that’s creamy and orangey!

And I love these cookies because they’re creamy, orangey, and loaded with melted white chocolate.

I’m in love with how soft, moist, and tender the orange creamsicle cookies are. The cookie dough uses a splash of cream, which tenderizes the dough, and a bit of cornstarch is added to make the cookies softbatch-style.

The pop of orange flavor is just enough, and it’s the perfect complement to the buttery, rich dough. The tangy citrus plays perfectly off the sweet white chocolate chips, which add bursts of sweetness and texture.

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Softbatch Cookies - Cookies that taste like Orange Creamsicles! Easy recipe at averiecooks.com

Ingredients in Orange Creamsicle Cookies

To make these delicious orange white chocolate cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Unsalted butter
Light brown sugar and granulated sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract, almond extract, and optional orange extract
Heavy cream or half and half
Orange zest
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch
Baking soda
Salt
White chocolate chips

Orange Zest Tip

When zesting an orange, either use a microplane or the finest blade on a box grater. Take off only the orange-colored part of the peel. The white part (pith)can be very bitter, and no one wants bitter cookies.

I used 2 tablespoons of zest, yielded from 1 large orange, zested in entirety. My orange was a bald, white globe when I was done with it.

How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cookies

These orange white chocolate chip cookies are easy to prepare, but you must allow time for the dough to chill before baking it. Here are the basic recipe steps:

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugars, egg, and extracts until very light and fluffy.
Add the cream, orange zest, and mix on medium speed until incorporated.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Add the white chocolate chips and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into balls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray.
Bake the cookie dough for about until the edges are set and tops are just beginning to set.

Recipe FAQs

What does cornstarch do in cookies?

I’ve used cornstarch in cookies more than 20 times, including Chocolate Chunk Cookies, M&Ms Cookies, Vanilla Sandwich Cookies, and more. It helps create softbatch-style cookies that are so soft, moist, and supple, without turning cakey.

Can the almond extract be substituted or omitted?

I used almond extract in the cookies, and I just love baking with it because it lends such a unique flavor profile, unlike anything you can get from any other extract. Slightly sweet, so fragrant, and if you’ve never used it, it’s a must-try. It’s kept near the vanilla extract and is usually about half the price.

While I’m sure you could omit it, it helps create additional depth of flavor that’s rich and luxurious.

Can orange juice be added to the cookie dough?

I don’t recommend adding orange juice to the orange cream cookie dough. It’ll water it down, you’ll have to add more flour, and because OJ is such a strong acid, it’ll continue to ‘dissolve’ the dough, causing it to become more limp, runny, and soupy as time passes.

Does the cookie dough have to be chilled?

Yes! You must chill the dough for at least 3 hours. Do not bake with warm dough because the cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter, and you’ll likely end up with orange puddles or pancakes.

How long should these cookies be baked?

I baked for just over 8 minutes, which falls on the underbaking side of the spectrum, and ensures the cookies stay soft for up to 1 week (mine don’t last past 12 hours).

If you prefer more well-done cookies, bake for closer to 10 minutes. However, these cookies are supposed to be supremely soft, tender, and you want them to just melt in your mouth.

Tips for Making Creamsicle Cookies

This orange cream cookie recipe is very easy to make, but here are a few final tips to ensure perfect cookies every time!

Adding orange extract:

Ironically, I didn’t use orange extract to make these orange cream cookies. I relied exclusively from orange zest to create the orange flavor profile. The cookies are orangey enough, without being overpowering.

However, if you’d prefer a more in-your-face pop of orange flavor, use orange extract.

Substituting the white chocolate chips:

If you don’t have white chocolate chips on hand, you may chop up a bar of white chocolate or use white chocolate chunks instead.

You can also replace the white chocolate chips with dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for a different flavor altogether.

Omitting the cornstarch:

If you don’t have cornstarch on hand or don’t want to buy a box just to use 2 teaspoons in this recipe, you may omit it. Your cookies won’t be as soft and tender as mine, but they’ll still taste like a Creamsicle!

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orange creamsicle cookies

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