Orange Creamsicle Cookies

These orange creamsicle cookies are soft, sweet and full of bright flavor. White chocolate chips and an orange glaze make them taste just like the classic frozen treat in cookie form.

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Ingredients Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• All-purpose flour: Gives these cookies their soft but sturdy sugar cookie texture. Measure it correctly so the dough does not turn out dry.
• Baking soda and salt: Baking soda helps the cookies spread just enough, while salt balances the sweetness.
• Butter: Use softened butter so it creams smoothly with the sugars and gives the cookies a rich, tender bite.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar: The mix of both gives the cookies sweetness, softness and a little extra chew from the brown sugar.
• Egg: Helps bind the dough together and gives the cookies structure.
• Orange extract and vanilla extract: Orange extract gives the cookies that bright creamsicle flavor, while vanilla adds the creamy, sweet bakery-style flavor that makes them taste like a dream.
• Orange zest: Fresh zest adds natural orange flavor and makes the cookies taste brighter than extract alone.
• White chocolate chips: These add sweetness and a creamy vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with the orange.
• Orange glaze: A simple mix of powdered sugar, melted butter, orange juice and orange zest. It adds another layer of citrus flavor and makes the cookies extra pretty.

How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Start by preheating the oven to 375°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt so the dry ingredients are evenly mixed before they go into the dough.

In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until it looks light and fluffy. This gives the cookies a softer texture, so give it a couple minutes instead of rushing it. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and orange extract until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Try not to overmix once the flour goes in, or the cookies can lose some of that soft, tender texture.

Fold in the orange zest and white chocolate chips at the end so you get little bits of citrus and creamy sweetness throughout.

Scoop the dough onto prepared baking sheet and bake until the edges are set, then let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Once the cookies are cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, orange juice and orange zest for the glaze. Spoon it into a zip-top bag, snip off a tiny corner and drizzle it over the tops. Let the glaze set before storing or serving.

Tips for the Best Creamsicle Orange Cookies

• Scoop evenly. Use a medium cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon so the cookies are the same size and bake at the same rate.
• Slightly under bake them. Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look soft. They will continue to set as they cool on the pan, so don’t wait for them to look too dark in the oven.
• Zest just the orange peel. Avoid the white pith underneath the peel, which can taste bitter. A microplane works great for getting fine, flavorful zest.