These Homemade Orange Cookies are like biting into a little cloud of citrus happiness — soft, sweet, and kissed with just the right amount of fresh orange zest. They taste like something your grandmother meant to teach you how to make but forgot because she was too busy telling family secrets over sweet tea. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and a glaze that’ll make you wonder why you ever settled for store-bought. One bite and you’re hooked.

Stack of orange cookies with orange glaze on a white plate.

These Homemade Orange Cookies are a family treasure. That’s right – treasure. These cookies are light, airy, and have just the right amount of sweetness.

Ingredients

For these sweet, citrusy cookies, you need the following:

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk
⅓ cup orange juice
Orange zest
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

For the sweet orange icing, you need:

1 ¼ cups shortening
¼ cup orange juice
16-ounce box of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

How To Make Homemade Orange Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together sugar, eggs, butter, buttermilk, orange zest, and orange juice.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Allow the dough to stand for 10 –15 minutes. (This is important!).

About 5 minutes before the time is up, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheets. (I like to use parchment paper on top of my baking stones.). Bake in batches for 12 to 15 minutes per batch.
Mix shortening, ¼ cup orange juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth and creamy. Once the cookies have cooled, spread icing on top of each cookie.

Orange cookies with orange glaze on a plate.

These special cookies made with orange juice and orange zest are perfect all year round.

If you can’t get enough citrus goodness, you’re in the right place. Be sure to check out my Orange Fluff, Alabama Orange Rolls, and Orange Sweet Rolls – all bright, zesty recipes that pair beautifully with these cookies.

Lynda – Southern Kissed