Orange Walnut Cookies
Flecks of orange zest brightened with a touch of lemon nestled inside a tender, buttery cookie that’s been rolled in toasted walnuts and a sprinkling of sugar.
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Zester
- Baking sheets lined with Silpat liners or parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar, divided
- 1 extra-large egg, separated
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon orange oil or extract
- 1 cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, about 3 lemons
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 3 to 4 lemons
- 2 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with ⅓ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add the egg yolk and beat into the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 30 seconds.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour and kosher salt.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and orange oil along with the flour and salt, blending into the butter and sugar mixture on low speed just until blended, about 30 seconds.
- Toss in the orange and lemon zest then blend into the batter on low speed.
- Whisk the remaining ⅓ cup sugar with the chopped walnuts.
- Scoop small rounds of dough out, about 1” diameter. Coat the cookies in the unbeaten egg white then roll each one in the walnuts and sugar.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat liner or with parchment paper and flatten slightly with your hands. The cookies should be about ½” thick.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Always toast nuts before baking with them to bring out their full flavor and crunch. To toast, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and place them in a 350-degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are toasted and smell fragrant.