Simple Sugar Cookies

with a hint of orange and vanilla


These are my family favourite cookies. They are all season cookies and could be flavoured in so many ways. I use orange zest. 

I make the full recipe. Cookies could be stored for weeks in an air tight container, and having them handy in a cookie jar is a great treat for my kids.

You could try half the recipe first to make sure you like them.

for the cookies:
(adapted from "Professional Baking" with Wayne Gisslen)

180 g unsalted butter
70 g vegetable shortening
grated zest from two organic oranges
310 g sugar
5 g salt
1 large egg
8 g vanilla extract
60 ml milk

625 g flour
18 g baking powder

It is very important to use non preserved organic oranges for the zest. 


Cream the butter, shortening and the zest together. Add the sugar and beat until creamy fluffy. Add the salt. Add the egg. Beat until well combined. Add the vanilla extract. and half the milk. Mix lightly. Incorporate half the flour, alternating with the other half of the milk and the rest of the flour. Do not over mix, just form the dough. 

Divide the dough in two. You could freeze half of it and use it in a week or so, after you finish the first batch of made cookies. I bake them immediately and prefer to store them baked, instead of baking later from frozen dough.

Roll out the dough between two sheets of wrapping foil. Place on a flat surface and put in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Using a cookie cutter or just a glass, cut out cookies, place in a lined with parchment paper sheet pan and bake in a preheated to 180C oven for 8-10 min, or until golden. Leave the cookies to stay in the pan for 5-8 min and remove on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air tight container. 

Note: You could use lemon zest, instead of orange, or substitute the zest to an almond extract or other type of extract. 






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