Sweet and Tangy Citrus Butter Cookies
These Sweet and Tangy Citrus Butter Cookies are like a little burst of sunshine in every nibble! Plugged with the zesty flavors of orange, lemon, and lime, they’re the ideal combo of bright citrus and buttery goodness. And that sweet-tangy glaze? It just carries them over the top. They basically melt in your mouth, and best of all, they’re super easy to make. Whether you're whipping them up for a brief snack or sharing them at a get-together. They're always a hit with everyone!
2 Servings
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 c unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp lime zest
- 3 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Glaze:
- 3 c powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1-2 tbsp citrus juice orange, lime, or lemon depending on how tangy you want it
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to cream the butter until it's nice and fluffy. Next, add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in the egg, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to keep everything well blended. Now comes the fun part—add all that vibrant citrus zest and juice, and give it a good mix until everything's combined.
- In a different bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Gradually add this dry mix to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing just until everything is combined—no overmixing here!
- Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and roll it between your palms to form one-inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet and pop them into the preheated oven for 10-13 minutes. Once they're done, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 to 4 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and citrus zest and juice in a medium bowl. Keep whisking until it’s smooth, adding more powdered sugar or juice if needed, until you get a thick but pourable glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies, and if you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle a little extra zest on top. Store these beauties in an airtight container for 2-3 days—if they last that long!
- Note: To get the amount of zest and juice required for this recipe, you’ll need around 1-2 large oranges and 2-3 lemons and limes.
Notes
If you want to make these Sweet and Tangy Citrus Butter Cookies gluten-free, it's actually super simple. Just swap out the regular all-purpose flour for a good gluten-free flour blend. You know, one of those that already has xanthan gum or some kind of binding agent in it? That’s key to keeping the cookies from falling apart. Most of the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free, so you don’t have to worry about changing anything else. Just make sure your baking powder and any other add-ins (like the zest and juice) are all certified gluten-free. The cookies will still have that same zesty, buttery goodness, and no one will even miss the gluten!