Orange Macadamia Nut Cookies
A delightful delicate orange flavor in the cookie and frosting in these treats is unexpected. It pairs nicely with the macadamia nuts for a fun tropical flair.
A delightful delicate orange flavor in the cookie and frosting in these treats is unexpected. It pairs nicely with the macadamia nuts for a fun tropical flair.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- frosting:
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts or blanched almonds
- 4 teaspoons butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
- Carbohydrate 32.2209072169439 g
- Cholesterol 35.1667063757205 mg
- Fat 12.246648026086 g
- Fiber 0.616238101903407 g
- Protein 1.67317103335551 g
- Saturated Fat 6.49147635557703 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (53g)
- Sodium 219.535952645414 mg
- Sugar 31.6046691150405 g
- Trans Fat 0.819108492811489 g
- Calories 241 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, orange juice and peel. Combine flour and cornstarch; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts.
- Roll into 1-1/4-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- Combine frosting ingredients in a bowl; beat until smooth. Frost cookies.
Standard recipes rarely explain how dough composition dictates freezing behavior, but the high fat content from the butter and macadamia nuts here makes this dough an exceptional candidate for long-term storage. Sliced logs wrapped tightly in plastic wrap hold their structure in a zero-degree freezer for up to two months without losing volatile citrus oils. Slice frozen logs into quarter-inch rounds directly on a cold baking sheet, adding two extra minutes to the standard fifteen-minute bake time at 350 degrees.
Creaming butter and confectioners' sugar until pale and voluminous incorporates tiny air pockets that expand during the oven phase, creating a tender crumb. Confectioners' sugar contains a small percentage of cornstarch, which works alongside the added half-cup of cornstarch to inhibit gluten development. This high starch ratio stops the dough from spreading excessively while baking, keeping the flattened rounds uniform and neat.
Stirring raw macadamia nuts directly into the flour mixture coats each piece in fine starches, preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the shaped dough balls. Toasting the macadamia nuts beforehand at 325 degrees for eight minutes intensifies their natural oils, though raw nuts remain acceptable if time is limited. Chop the nuts until they measure roughly one-eighth inch to ensure clean slicing through the baked biscuits.
Leftover frosted cookies store adequately in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, though the glaze will soften the crisp edges over time. Unfrosted baked rounds maintain texture much longer and can be stored in layers separated by parchment paper. Apply the orange glaze only after the biscuits reach complete room temperature to prevent the confectioners' sugar from melting into a translucent syrup.
