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It’s cookie season! If there is one thing I love to bake, it’s cookies. I had picked up some fresh yuzu citrus from BiRite Market and decided to make these delicious sugar cookies! I know that fresh yuzu fruit can be hard to come by so you can definitely substitute the yuzu with oranges (mandarins are in season!), lemons or limes! This is such a bright and happy holiday cookie. The citrus sugar cookies also hold up pretty well in the mail!
I plan on sending these out to my Food52 Holiday Swap partner! I’ve taken part in cookie swaps for the last 8 years and honestly, I look forward to it ever time! Right around Thanksgiving is when I start brainstorming cookie ideas for the holidays. I have so many unique cookie recipes coming your way this month, so be ready!
I made candied yuzu peels from the fresh fruit so I could have it for longer. Feel free to use store-bought candied oranges, but if you’re up to it you can make your own! Just follow my candied orange peel recipe without the bourbon or chocolate. I was surprised at how the yuzu peel turned super orange when it was blanched!
I ended up blanching the yuzu peels four times instead of three because I was afraid they’d be too bitter. Luckily I think 4 times did the trick and these candied yuzu peels are delicious! Next time I plan on tossing them with a pinch of citric acid to make tart like sour gummies!
I never really was into slice and bake or cut out sugar cookies growing up because I found them to be too sweet. The cookies are super buttery and the yuzu really cuts the sweetness of the cookie. These citrus sugar cookies would be so good with a cup of vanilla or fruit tea!
You can also skip the whole icing and candied citrus and enjoy them as is after baking! It’s really up to you and how much time you have! I decorated a couple with Elara and she had so much fun with it!
If you plan on making Santa a plate of cookies, be sure to include these! Also if you do make them, make sure to tag me in your photos!
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Citrus Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Simple cut-out sugar cookie recipe with a citrus twist! Use any citrus you have on hand to make these tangy and sweet cookies!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (98 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange/lime/yuzu zest
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange/lime/yuzu juice
- 1 egg
- 2 cups ( 250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
ICING
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) orange/lime/yuzu juice
- candied citrus, chopped
Instructions
Citrus Sugar Cookies
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F/177°C.
- Add butter and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl and cream on high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add citrus zest, vanilla extract, and egg and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl once again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough out in between two large pieces of parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes. Use a small 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut each cookie out and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out the dough scraps, freeze and cut out another set of cookies. Place all the cut out cookies into the freezer for 10 minutes. This ensures that the cookies keep their shape.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Citrus Icing
- Add powdered sugar and citrus juice to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon the icing into a piping bag or sandwich bag and snip off the corners to make a small opening. Pipe the icing onto each cookie. Use a toothpick to spread the icing around and to pop any air bubbles. Top with chopped candied citrus peels. Let the icing dry for a couple of hours before packing into an air-tight container.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
