Irresistibly Soft Frosted Orange Juice Cookies: Your Ultimate Citrusy Delight

Get ready to brighten your day with these incredibly delightful **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies**! These soft, cake-like treats burst with vibrant citrus flavor, thanks to frozen orange juice concentrate incorporated directly into both the cookie dough and the creamy, zesty frosting. It’s a simple orange cookie recipe that promises a truly intense orange experience, making every bite a refreshing escape.

Frosted Orange Juice Cookies made with orange juice concentrate in both the cookies and the frosting! Simple orange cookie recipe packed with orange flavor!

These beautiful, flavorful **citrus cookies** are surprisingly easy to whip up, requiring minimal effort and no chilling of the dough. You’ll only need a handful of everyday pantry staples and one can of frozen orange juice concentrate to create a batch of these sunny delights. They offer a bright, refreshing twist on classic cookies, perfect for lifting spirits any time of year—whether it’s a sunny summer day or a cozy winter afternoon that needs a splash of sunshine.

Why You’ll Adore This Frosted Orange Juice Cookie Recipe

There are countless reasons to fall in love with these easy orange cookies. From their potent citrus kick to their melt-in-your-mouth texture, they are sure to become a cherished addition to your recipe collection. Here’s a closer look at what makes this recipe truly special:

Explosive Orange Flavor: Unlike recipes that rely on fresh orange juice, which can be subtle, this recipe uses concentrated orange juice for a powerful, authentic citrus punch. This ensures every bite of both the cookie and the luscious frosting is bursting with intense orange goodness. It’s a flavor profile that genuinely stands out.
No Chilling Required: Say goodbye to waiting! This is a fantastic **no-chill cookie recipe**, meaning the dough comes together quickly and goes straight into the oven. This saves you valuable time and makes it an ideal choice for last-minute baking or when a craving for fresh, homemade cookies strikes without delay.
Perfectly Soft and Frosted: These aren’t just any cookies; they boast a wonderfully tender, almost cake-like texture that makes them incredibly satisfying. Each soft cookie is then generously crowned with a creamy, dreamy orange buttercream frosting, adding another layer of sweetness and unparalleled citrus flavor.
Simple, Accessible Ingredients: You won’t need to hunt for exotic items. This recipe calls for basic pantry staples like flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, along with that one crucial can of frozen orange juice concentrate. These are ingredients most home bakers keep on hand, making these **homemade orange cookies** accessible to everyone.
Versatile for Any Occasion: With their vibrant color and refreshing flavor, these cookies are incredibly versatile. They are perfect for spring picnics, baby showers, holiday cookie platters, or simply as a cheerful treat for your family. Whenever you need a cookie that’s a little different, wonderfully bright, and utterly delicious, these are your go-to!

Essential Ingredients for Your Frosted Orange Juice Cookies

Crafting the perfect batch of **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies** begins with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s what you’ll need to make these delightful citrus treats:

Granulated Sugar: Essential for sweetness and also contributes to the cookie’s tender texture and golden-brown edges. This recipe specifically calls for granulated sugar to maintain a light, bright flavor profile.
Unsalted Butter: You’ll need 2 1/2 sticks of real butter, softened to room temperature. Butter is crucial for flavor, moisture, and creating that desirable soft texture. Ensure it’s truly softened, not melted, for optimal creaming.
Large Eggs: Two large eggs act as a binder, helping to emulsify the ingredients and provide structure to the cookies as they bake. They also add richness and contribute to the moist crumb.
All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of most cookie recipes, all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure. Measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid dense cookies.
Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate: This is the star ingredient! A 6-ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate delivers that intense, tangy orange flavor. Remember to reserve 2 tablespoons for the frosting before adding the rest to the dough. It can be added frozen or slightly thawed.
Baking Soda: This leavening agent reacts with acidic ingredients (like the orange concentrate) to help the cookies rise and achieve their soft, airy texture. Always check that your baking soda is fresh and active for the best results.

Ingredients in Orange Buttercream Frosting

Crafting the Zesty Orange Juice Buttercream Frosting

No **Frosted Orange Juice Cookie** is complete without its perfect complement: a creamy, vibrant orange buttercream frosting. This frosting ties all the flavors together and adds a beautiful finish. Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need:

Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Three cups of powdered sugar provide the essential sweetness and fine texture needed for a smooth, lump-free buttercream. Sifting it can help prevent lumps.
Unsalted Butter: You’ll need ⅓ cup of real unsalted butter, softened completely to room temperature. This is crucial for achieving a light, fluffy, and spreadable frosting consistency when creamed with the sugar.
Reserved Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate: The 2 tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate you set aside earlier are key here. They infuse the frosting with the same bright, tangy orange flavor found in the cookies, creating a cohesive taste experience.
Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of high-quality vanilla extract adds depth and warmth to the frosting, perfectly balancing the bright citrus notes. Pure vanilla extract will always yield superior flavor.
Milk: Just 1-2 tablespoons of milk are needed to adjust the frosting to your desired spreadable consistency. Any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work wonderfully to thin out the buttercream as needed.
Orange Sugar or Sprinkles: (Optional) For an extra touch of festive decoration and a hint of sparkle, a sprinkle of orange sanding sugar or your favorite festive sprinkles can be added on top of the frosted cookies.

Step by step instructions on how to make orange juice cookies

Expert Tips for Baking Perfect Orange Juice Cookies

While this recipe is straightforward, a few key tips can elevate your baking and ensure your Frosted Orange Juice Cookies turn out perfectly every time. You’ll find the full, detailed instructions on the recipe card below, but keep these helpful tricks in mind:

Avoid Overbaking: This is crucial for soft cookies! The cookies should still look slightly underbaked and pale around the center when you remove them from the oven. Their edges should just barely begin to turn a light golden brown. They will continue to cook and set on the hot baking sheet, ensuring they remain wonderfully tender.
Check Your Dough Texture: If your cookie dough feels overly sticky or difficult to handle after mixing, don’t panic! This can sometimes happen due to humidity or slight variations in flour measurement. Simply add a bit more all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough reaches a manageable consistency that’s easy to scoop.
Never Melt the Butter: For that perfect soft, cake-like cookie texture, always use butter that is softened to room temperature, not melted. Melted butter can cause the cookies to spread excessively thin in the oven, resulting in a greasy, crisp texture rather than the desired soft chewiness.
Cream Thoroughly: Dedicate a full 2–3 minutes to creaming together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and eggs. This vital step incorporates air into the mixture, which is essential for creating a lighter, more tender cookie crumb and a well-emulsified dough.
Utilize a Cookie Scoop: For professional-looking, uniformly sized cookies that bake evenly, a cookie scoop is your best friend. Using a scoop ensures each cookie is roughly the same size and shape, preventing some from burning while others are undercooked.
Cool Completely Before Frosting: Patience is key here! It’s absolutely essential that your cookies are completely cooled to room temperature before you apply the frosting. Attempting to frost warm cookies will cause the buttercream to melt, slide off, and create a messy result.

How to make Orange Frosting for Orange Juice Cookies

Storage and Freezing Instructions

To keep your **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies** fresh and delicious, proper storage is important. Here’s how to store and even freeze them for future enjoyment:

Room Temperature Storage: Once frosted, store these delectable cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh and wonderfully soft for 3–4 days. If you need to stack them, place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between each layer to prevent the frosting from smudging or sticking.
Freezing Unfrosted Cookies: For longer storage, you can freeze the unfrosted cookies. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze for about 30 minutes, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw them at room temperature and then apply the freshly made orange buttercream frosting.
Freezing the Frosting: The orange buttercream frosting can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Before using, allow it to come to room temperature, then give it a quick whip with an electric mixer to restore its creamy, fluffy consistency.

Frosted Orange Juice Cookies

These **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies** are truly a celebration of citrus flavor! Crafted with vibrant **orange juice concentrate** in both the cookie dough and the creamy frosting, this **simple orange cookie recipe** delivers an irresistible, intense orange experience. Perfect for any occasion, these soft and zesty cookies are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser and a delightful pick-me-up.

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Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: frosted orange juice cookies, orange cookie recipe, citrus cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 30 cookies

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups unsalted butter softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate divided (remove 2 Tbsp for frosting)
1 tsp baking soda

For the Orange Juice Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
2 Tbsp reserved frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp milk any type, for consistency
Orange sanding sugar or sprinkles optional, for decoration

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the granulated sugar, softened butter, and large eggs. Beat thoroughly for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. Then, gradually add the all-purpose flour, the main portion of the orange juice concentrate (remember to reserve 2 tablespoons for the frosting), and the baking soda. Mix for another 1-2 minutes until a soft, uniform dough forms.
Using a cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 tablespoons in size), portion out even mounds of dough onto your prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie for spreading.
Bake for 9-12 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges just begin to turn a very light golden brown, and the centers still look slightly underbaked. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes to finish setting before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are entirely cooled to room temperature, they are ready for frosting.
To prepare the vibrant orange buttercream frosting, combine the powdered sugar, softened butter, the reserved 2 tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired spreadable consistency. Frost each cooled cookie generously and, if desired, sprinkle with orange sanding sugar or sprinkles for a pretty finish.

Nutrition

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Frequently Asked Questions About Orange Juice Cookies

Here are answers to some common questions about making these flavorful Frosted Orange Juice Cookies:

Can I use fresh orange juice instead of concentrate?
While fresh orange juice is delicious, it’s not recommended as a direct substitute for concentrate in this recipe. Frozen orange juice concentrate is specially formulated to provide a much more potent and concentrated orange flavor, which is key to giving these cookies and frosting their signature robust citrus punch. Fresh juice would result in a much milder flavor and could affect the dough’s consistency.
Can I add food coloring to the frosting for a more vibrant look?
Absolutely! If you desire an even brighter, more intense orange hue for your buttercream frosting, feel free to add a drop or two of orange gel food coloring. Start with a tiny amount and gradually add more until you achieve your preferred shade. This can make your cookies even more visually appealing.
What if I accidentally use up all the concentrate in the dough?
No need to worry if you mistakenly add all the concentrate to the dough! You can easily remedy this for the frosting. Simply substitute the 2 tablespoons of concentrate needed for the frosting with a combination of 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice and about ½ to 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest. The zest will help to boost the flavor intensity, bringing that delightful citrus essence to your buttercream.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can! While the recipe is designed to be no-chill, if you prefer to prep ahead, you can make the cookie dough and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just allow it to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before scooping and baking, as cold dough will be harder to work with and may not spread as much.

More Beloved Orange-Infused Desserts to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with the vibrant taste of these **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies**, you’ll be thrilled to discover other fantastic orange dessert recipes that deliver equally zesty satisfaction. Here are some of our top picks:

Orange Cookie Varieties: Our love for cookies knows no bounds! Beyond these frosted delights, be sure to try our Orange Creamsicle Cookies for a nostalgic flavor, elegant Orange Shortbread Cookies, and the surprisingly delightful Orange Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Each offers a unique spin on orange-flavored treats.
Irresistible Orange Cakes: Cake is another universally adored dessert, and orange flavors truly shine in baked cakes. Our Orange Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting uses fresh orange juice for a delicate flavor, while the fun and flavorful Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake is made with orange soda and orange Jello for a burst of citrus.
Easy Orange Bars and Pies: For simpler, yet equally delicious, options, consider our Glazed Orange Brownies and the incredibly simple No-Bake Orange Creamsicle Pie. Both are packed with bright orange flavor and require minimal effort!

Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, these **Frosted Orange Juice Cookies** are a guaranteed hit. Their bright flavor, soft texture, and effortless preparation make them an ideal choice for any occasion. Enjoy the burst of sunshine in every bite!