Smells Like Christmas Cookies! Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Outs
ByI have decided that these are my favorite Christmas cookies. And this recipe makes a lot of them…which is why it’s a good idea to have lots of people in mind to share them with!! Because having them just sitting around the house screaming at me to come eat them is a bad idea.
I’d like to give in to the notion that since they have orange juice in them, they’re good for me and just packed with vitamin C. Oh, if only.
Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Outs
1 cup melted butter
1 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar (I used organic unbleached sugar crystals)
2 eggs
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 t. finely shredded orange peel
3 T. orange juice
4 cups whole wheat flour (I used freshly ground soft white wheat)
Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, baking powder, vanilla, orange peel and orange juice. Stir in flour one cup at a time until mixed well. Chill dough for about 2 hours.
Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters and bake on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
2 T. orange juice
2 1/4 – 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and orange juice with beaters. Gradually add powdered sugar.
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If you’re wondering if this recipe is worth going to all the trouble of actually shredding orange peel (a step that takes a total of about 20 seconds), it is. If you’re wondering if I’m serious about making them, and then giving them away as quickly as you can so that you won’t eat too many of them, I am. And if you’re wondering if there will still be other fun Christmas recipes soon, there will.
Coming up next: Chocolate Snowballs… This Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Out recipe may be my favorite Christmas cookie…but a girl’s still gotta have her chocolate. :)
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Oh those look and sound amazing! I’m going to have to try these. Thanks for sharing!
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YUM!
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Chocolate Snowballs???!??!!??!??
Ohhhh, I can hardly wait!
Love the cookie recipe. I have one that’s similar, that I’ve used with different flavors; lime, lemon,.. But I never thought to frost them! Can’t wait to make them again with your recipe and frosting!
(Your’s is much healthier than mine! I’m so glad that you share your healthier versions with us!! I’ve botched many a recipe in an attempt to make it healthier! :-)
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These look good. I have made a recipe like them but without the whole wheat. The cream cheese makes them really good. Thanks for the healthy version.
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YUMMY! :D I can’t wait until chocolate snowballs either as I’m a chocoholic. :D
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I had to bookmark this recipe to try later – sounds VERY good!
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I will have to try this…sounds great. Also, I trust you are feeling better. Have a blessed day.
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Thanks for sharing this! I’m printing it out to try. The sound wonderful!
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These look so yummy!!!!
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I will be making these.
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These look so yummy!
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I am just getting started with grinding my own wheat, and learning about the different kinds. I only have hard wheat (red and white). Should I not use that for the cookies?
I can’t wait to try them!!!
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These sound super yummy!
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The aroma alone of this famous cookie conjures up all sorts of holiday memories — including sitting still in the dark with platefuls of sweet gingerbread creations, breathlessly waiting for Santa Claus to come. That’s what makes this
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I am SOOO making these for our Christmas Cookies this year! Each family member picks one recipe…this is now mine ;) Thank you!
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Did anyone have a problem with the dough being too sticky? Mine is way too sticky to roll out. ???
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We are making these as we speak…they smell WONDERFUL! Thank you for the recipe! :) We didn’t get to make it to Texas so this was just a little pick me up and boy did I need it…
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My best friend’s family made these when we were growing up. I remember thinking it was the weirdest thing to put OJ in a cookie. :) Fun flashback.
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How many cookies does this recipe make?
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Laura Reply:
December 7th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Probably around 30 cookies, depending on how big you make them. That’s just a guess!!
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Do you think I would be able to substitute rapadura for the sugar or is this one of those recipes that really needs the refined sugar for best results? Thanks much!
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Laura Reply:
December 7th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
I’m sure this cookie would taste delicious with rapadura, it just won’t look as pretty. Of course, if you’re like me, you’re used to brownish cookies and think that it IS pretty!!
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Oh, I see that you used the organic unbleached sugar crystals. I think I’ll try that. Not a perfect option, but, it is Christmas so I’ll relax a little. Thanks!
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I also had a problem with the dough being too sticky. I put the dough in the fridge for 2 hours, but it was sticky at first, and then quickly got too soft to cut out and transfer to the tray. Any suggestions? I was wanting to make these for a cookie swap this Tuesday! They taste yummy, anyway!
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Laura Reply:
December 18th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
I wonder if you maybe needed a little more flour? Whenever mine is too sticky, I knead in more flour and that usually helps.
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Brooke Reply:
December 18th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I added flour as I rolled it out. I ended up working with a small amount at a time, and sticking the rest in the freezer until I was ready for more. They were a little difficult to get on the tray, but not too bad. They tasted delicious! Is the icing supposed to get hard or stay a little soft? I am supposed to bring the cookies in separate bags by the half dozen, so I need to be sure the icing won’t get messed up. DH loved these cookies, too! I will definitely be making more. Thanks for the recipe!
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Laura Reply:
December 18th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
The icing stays soft(ish) so you might want to put them on a place in a bag to keep them nice.
Hi
I was wondering of you think this cookie would be good with a white chocolate coat on top instead of the frosting recipe you have. Not that I don’t think it won’t be delicious but for a project I am hoping to have something more solid and dry topping I can decorate than a creamy frosting.
Thanks!
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Laura Reply:
November 16th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Sounds great!
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This looks like a great recipe! I can’t wait to try them!!!
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Hi,
Can these be made ahead of time? Will these still taste good if I make them and freeze them? Can I frost them and freeze, or do I have to put the frosting on after taking them out of the freezer?
Thanks!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
December 19th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
You could make them ahead of time. They should taste just fine if you freezet hem.
I also think it would work to frost and freeze or freeze then frost…:) whichever you prefer.
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