Orange Liqueur Cookies – Orangenplätzchen

Orange Liqueur Cookies are called Orangenplaetzchen in Germany.

Ingredients for Orange Liqueur Cookies:

• 175 g (6.17 oz) of butter, soft
• 100 g (3.52 oz) of sugar
• 1 pouch of vanilla sugar OR 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 egg, XL
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon extract
• 300 g – 325 g (10.58 oz – 11.46 oz) of flour, all purpose
• 175 g (6.17 oz) of powdered OR confectioners sugar
• 5 tablespoons of orange liqueur OR orange juice
• 60 g (2.11 oz) of orange peel, glazed and diced

Preparation of dough:

Beat the butter in a bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer. Slowly add sugar and vanilla sugar to the butter while beating. Add the egg and beat the ingredients until smooth.

Sift the flour in a separate bowl and add half of the flour to the butter and mix with a handheld mixer. Add the rest of the flour to the bowl and knead with your hands until the dough is smooth. Wrap the dough in a cellophane wrap and place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

                     

Sprinkle some flour on your working surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin about 4-5 mm (0.4 in) thick. Work with a cellophane wrap on top of the dough. Take the cellophane wrap off and cut out cookies with a cookie cutter. Place the cookies on a baking sheet.

                     

Preheat the oven to 175°C – 190°C (350°F – 375°F). Place the cookies on the middle rack and bake for 9-12 minutes.

Preparation of the icing:

Remove the cookies with a spatula from the baking sheet onto a rack and let them cool.

To make the icing mix the powdered sugar or confectioners sugar with the orange liqueur and beat until smooth. If the icing is too thick add more orange liqueur, if it is too liquid, add more powdered sugar. Brush the cookies with the icing and stick the orange peel into the icing before it dries.

                     

Place the finished cookies on a baking sheet or rack and let them dry over night before you store them.