Desserts
Orange Walnut Cookies
Buttery cookies with orange zest and chopped walnuts, pressed flat with a fork and baked in 12 minutes: 24 cookies, crisp outside and tender inside.
- Total time
- 32 min
- Servings
- 24
- Difficulty
- Easy
Ingredients
Dry mix
Dough
Method
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) with top and bottom heat. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together 219 g flour (1 ¾ cups), 2 g baking soda and 2 g salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar
In another bowl, beat 113 g room-temperature unsalted butter with 150 g sugar using an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes, until smooth, fluffy and paler.
Add the egg, vanilla and orange
Add 1 egg, 5 ml vanilla extract and the zest of 1 orange (about 6 g). Beat until combined.
Fold in the flour and walnuts
Add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 batches, stirring with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in 60 g chopped walnuts.
Shape and flatten the cookies
Scoop portions of about 25 g (a heaping tablespoon) and roll 24 balls. Place them on the sheets 4 cm apart and press each one flat with the back of a fork.
Bake
Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. The center will still look pale and finishes setting as it cools.
Cool
Let the cookies rest 5 minutes on the sheet, then move them to a wire rack until completely cool.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
1 cookie (1/24 of the recipe)
- Protein
- 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 5.7 g
- Sodium
- 59 mg
Estimate per cookie; it varies with portion size and brands. The USDA value for raw orange peel is used for the zest.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (2018)
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
These orange walnut cookies start with a butter and sugar dough scented with orange zest and vanilla. The chopped walnuts add crunch and a toasty flavor that pairs well with the citrus.
The dough is rolled into balls of about 25 g, pressed flat with the back of a fork and baked at 180 °C (350 °F) until the edges turn golden. It makes 24 cookies, perfect with coffee or tea.
Frequently asked questions
Can I swap the walnuts for another nut?
Yes: use the same amount (60 g) of chopped almonds or hazelnuts. If there is a nut allergy, leave them out and add 60 g chocolate chips.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Usually the butter was too soft or the baking sheet was still warm. Use soft but not melted butter, let the sheet cool between batches or chill the dough for 20 minutes.
How long do they keep and can I freeze them?
They keep 5 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the raw dough balls and bake them without thawing, adding 1–2 minutes in the oven.
