I love these cookies.

I love lots of cookies, but the texture of this shortbread, with the mouthwatering glaze, it is a crowd pleaser that I share often.

orange shortbread served

Oranges will have more acidity which is nice in the glaze, but tangerines or other mandarins have more colour. 

Use what you have.

I try to use organic when using the peel.

If you do not like zest, you could add ¼ tsp pure orange extract.

 

Chocolate ganache filled shortbread with sprinkles or hagelslag

Try not to aerate this cookie dough too much.  Although there are whipped shortbreads, handling that type of cookie to fill or glaze will be difficult (it tends to crumble). This shortbread should be a bit more sturdy with a bit of a snap.

mandarin oranges for orange shortbread

How To Make Orange Shortbread Cookies

 INGREDIENTS

Makes about 80 orange shortbread cookies

Cookie Prep time: 35 minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour

Cookie Baking time: 15 minutes

For the Shortbread Cookie

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
  • 1 cup (128g) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1 Tbsp orange or mandarin zest, fine
  • 2 Tbsp orange or mandarin juice
  • 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt

For the Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 cup (128g) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1 tsp melted butter
Ingredients for orange shortbread cookies

For the Shortbread

Lightly grease or line a baking tray with non-stick parchment or silicone mat.

1. Wash your mandarins well.

Zest them as fine as you can, before you cut them.  It will be much easier than after.

Now juice them.  2 tablespoons for the cookies and about 2 tablespoons for the icing.

zest the mandarin oranges finely
zest then cut and juice mandarin oranges

2. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or other sturdy utensil, or you can use a mixer.

3. Beat in the icing sugar, and the salt.

4. Add the zest and mix for about a minute to thoroughly combine the oils.

add salt and icing sugar to the butter
add the zest

5. Beat in the juice.

6. Add the cornstarch and half of the flour.

Mix that in well.

7. Now add the rest of the flour, but stir that in with a spoon.

If you must use a mixer, keep it on low speed, then try to stir it by hand a bit to finish it.

Do not whip this with beaters.

add the mandarin orange juice
add half the flour
add the rest of the flour

8. Form two logs using plastic wrap to shape and wrap. (I made two, each about 11½ oz (325g), 13″ (33cm) long), kneading it as you go to remove air pockets that will leave holes.

9. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Turn them every quarter hour or so, so they don’t get one flat side.

After they have chilled, slice into ⅓″ (1cm) thick cookies. 

Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.

form the dough into two log shapes
roll the dough
pour the cream over the chocolate

Glaze ?

Put the icing (powdered) sugar in a small bowl and stir in most of the juice.  

Add the melted butter.

Mix well and add more juice if needed, until you have the consistency you want for dipping or for spreading.

add mandarin orange juice
add the icing sugar to the ganache

After the cookies have cooled, dip the cookies, removing excess with a knife, or the side of the bowl, like Amy does, or spread onto the cookies.

dip the cookies
spread the glaze on the cookies

Orange Shortbread Cookies

Oranges will have more acidity which is nice in the glaze, but tangerines or other mandarins have more colour. 

Use what you have.

  Cookie Prep Time:  35 minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour

  Bake Time: 15 minutes

  Makes about 80 Orange Shortbread

INGREDIENTS

Orange Shortbread

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cool room temperature

  • 1 cup (128g)  icing sugar

  • 1 tablespoon orange zest

  • 2 Tbsp orange juice

  • 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour

  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

  • ¼ tsp salt

Orange Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice

  • 1 cup (128g) icing sugar

  • 1 tsp melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Shortbread Cookies

Pre-heat the oven 325°F/160°C 

Lightly grease or line a baking tray with non-stick parchment or silicone mat.

  1. Wash your mandarins well. Zest them as fine as you can, then juice them.  Two tablespoon for the cookies and about 2 tablespoons for the icing.
  2. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or other sturdy utensil, or you can use a mixer.
  3. Beat in the icing sugar, and salt, mix well.
  4. Beat in the zest for about a minute. 
  5. Beat in the juice.
  6. Add the cornstarch and half of the flour. Mix that in well.
  7. Now add the rest of the flour, but stir that in with a spoon.  If you must use a mixer, keep it on low speed, then try to stir it by hand a bit to finish it.Do not whip this with beaters.
  8. Form two logs (I made two, each about 11½ oz (325g), 13” (33cm) long), kneading it as you go to remove air pockets.
  9. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Turn them every quarter hour or so, so they don’t get one flat side.
  10. After they have chilled, slice into ⅓″ (1 cm) thick cookies.
  11. Bake at 300°F(150°C) for 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool completely on the baking sheet.

For the Glaze

  1. Put the icing (powdered) sugar in a small bowl and stir in most of the juice. 
  2. Add the melted butter.  Mix well and add more juice if needed, until you have the consistency you want for dipping or for spreading.
  3. After the cookies have cooled, dip the cookies, removing excess with a knife, or spread onto the cookies.