Orange Zest Cookie Bites

Orange Zest Cookie Bites are my homemade, all-time favourite — the kind of cookies I make again and again. Made with simple ingredients and real orange zest, they fill the kitchen with a fresh citrus aroma while baking. Perfect for sharing, gifting, or enjoying with a quiet cup of tea, this recipe is all about small bites, big flavour, and the warmth of home baking 🍊💛.

Ingredients

2 Cup Refined wheat flour

1 Cup Sugar Powder

1 Cup Butter

1/2 Table Spoon Baking Powder

Orange Juice with some Zest

Vanilla Extract

Orange food color

Choco Chips

Jam (Optional)

Tools

Oven

Cookie Cutters

Whisk

Bowl

Spatulla

Baking Paper & Tray

Take 1 cup sugar powder and 1 cup butter in a bowl. Using a whisk, mix in the same circular direction until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy, and evenly blended.

💡 Did you know?

Mixing butter and sugar in one direction helps trap air, making cookies lighter and softer.

Cut a fresh orange in half and squeeze out a little juice. Using a grater, gently rub the orange peel to collect fresh zest. Add the small amount of zest and some juice to the butter mixture and mix well to create a fragrant orange-butter mixture.

Do not add too much juice, as excess liquid will prevent the dough from forming properly.

💡Did you know?

Fresh orange zest holds natural oils that give more flavour than orange juice alone.

Now add 2 cups of refined wheat flour & 1/2 tablespoon of Baking powder and mix it well. Add a few drops of vanilla extract, a little orange food colour, and choco chips according to your taste. Continue mixing until everything is well combined.

If the mixture is still soft or sticky, gradually add a little more flour. The dough should be soft, smooth, and firm enough to shape (not runny or loose).

After mixing well, the dough should look smooth, soft, and evenly combined, just like shown in the photos. Once it reaches this consistency, wait for some time to settle it further and then it is ready to be placed and gently flattened on baking paper for shaping.

💡Did you know?

Chilling or resting cookie dough helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.

Neatly flatten the dough on baking paper. Take your favourite cookie cutter and gently press it into the flattened dough to cut out the cookie shapes.

💡 Did you know?

Using baking paper prevents the dough from sticking and helps the cookies bake evenly without burning the base.

Take a baking tray and line it with baking/parchment paper cut to fit the tray. Using a flat spatula, carefully lift the cut cookies and place them on the tray one by one, leaving a little space between each cookie.

Optional:

For extra flavour, make a small oval shape in the centre of the cookie and add a spoon of your favourite jam. You can also sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.

💡 Did you know?

Leaving space between cookies allows heat to circulate evenly, helping them bake properly without sticking together. Also, Jam-filled cookies are also called thumbprint cookies because they were traditionally shaped using a thumb.

Carefully place the baking tray into a preheated oven.

Bake the cookies at 170°C (340°F) for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden while the centres remain soft. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies rest for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Once baked, remove the cookies from the tray and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely so they set properly and develop their final texture.

(If you sneak one while it’s warm, that’s totally allowed — baker’s privilege! ;-))

Your Orange Zest Cookie Bites are now ready to enjoy! Buttery, citrusy, and made with love — these little bites disappear faster than they bake.

Warning: Bake at your own risk… once you start eating them, stopping is purely optional 😄🍊🍪