These Orange Blossom Sugar Cookies are my take on the traditional sugar cookie, infused with Middle Eastern flair and a citrus flavor profile. They come together with very few ingredients and in under 40 minutes.
For more Middle Eastern-inspired desserts, try my Tahini Brownies or my Tahini Banana Bread recipes.
Orange Blossom Sugar Cookies: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings
18 cookies
Calories*
357 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Flour, sugar, egg, orange zest, orange blossom water, baking soda, and baking powder.
Technique
Massaging lemon zest into sugar, creaming butter, preparing cookie dough and baking cookies.
*Calories are estimated
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Why This Recipe Works
- Easy and Approachable: This is a classic creaming-method cookie recipe that comes together with simple pantry staples (and one special one). No chilling required.
- Tested and Works: Groceries are expensive! All my Dessert Recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
This is a very straightforward sugar cookie recipe, but the addition of orange blossom water makes it extra special. Here’s what you will need:
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter creates a tender, fluffy texture. I really think you should use unsalted butter here, but if you only have access to salted butter, skip the added salt in the recipe.
- Orange Blossom Water: Adds a subtle floral aroma; use sparingly as it can be strong. You can find orange blossom water at most grocery stores, but definitely at all Middle Eastern markets or online.
- Citrus: As the name suggests, I am using orange zest here. But this recipe can totally be made with lemon zest or even lime zest. If you’re a fan of citrus-flavored desserts, try my Pistachio Lemon Bars.
- Leaveners: You will need both baking soda and baking powder in this recipe.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Orange Blossom Sugar Cookie Recipe
Step 1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Orange Sugar. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar using your fingertips (Image 1). This releases the natural oils and intensifies the citrus flavor (Image 2).
Step 2. Beat in the Butter. Add the orange-scented sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl (Image 3). Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 3. Add Wet Ingredients. Add the egg, vanilla extract and orange blossom water (Image 4). Mix again for another 60 seconds.
Step 4. Mix Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (Image 5).
Step 5. Add Dry to Wet. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined (Images 6-7). Do not overmix.
Step 6. Prepare Sugar Coating. In a small bowl, stir together the topping sugar and orange blossom water, breaking up any clumps (Image 8).
Step 7. Scoop. Scoop the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. Roll each ball generously in the orange blossom sugar mixture (Image 9).
Step 9. Arrange and Bake. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart (Image 10). Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly firm to the touch. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip rubbing the zest into the sugar. This dramatically boosts citrus flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag to avoid dense cookies. Or, use the weight measurements for perfect results.
- Use orange blossom water carefully. A little goes a long way. Too much can taste soapy or overpowering.
- Bake until just set. Slightly underbaked centers will firm up as they cool, giving you that soft, chewy texture.
- Uniform sizing matters. Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
- Let them rest on the pan. This allows the structure to set before transferring to a rack.
- If you want slightly crispier cookies, bake an extra minute. For softer cookies, pull them out right at 9 minutes.
Orange Blossom Sugar Cookies Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before scooping if it becomes too firm.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They stay soft and flavorful.
Absolutely. Scoop the dough into balls (without rolling in the sugar), freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Roll in the sugar topping just before baking and add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Yes. Once fully cooled, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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Orange Blossom Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough Base
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar – 150 grams
- 2 teaspoon Orange zest
- ½ cup Unsalted butter (room temperature) – 113 grams
- 1 Large egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Orange blossom water
- 1½ cups All purpose flour – 186 grams
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For the Topping
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar – 50 grams
- ¼ teaspoon Orange blossom water
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare Orange Sugar. In a small bowl, rub ¾ cup Granulated sugar with 2 teaspoon Orange zest using your fingertips. This releases the natural oils and intensifies the citrus flavor.
- Beat in the Butter. Add the orange-scented sugar and ½ cup Unsalted butter (room temperature) to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients. Add 1 Large egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon Orange blossom water. Mix again for another 60 seconds.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1½ cups All purpose flour, ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking soda, and ½ teaspoon Salt.
- Add Dry to Wet. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Prepare Sugar Coating. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup Granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon Orange blossom water, breaking up any clumps.
- Scoop. Scoop the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. Roll each ball generously in the orange blossom sugar mixture.
- Arrange and Bake. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly firm to the touch. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter creates a tender, fluffy texture. I really think you should use unsalted butter here, but if you only have access to salted butter, skip the added salt in the recipe.
- Orange Blossom Water: Adds a subtle floral aroma; use sparingly as it can be strong. You can find orange blossom water at most grocery stores, but definitely at all Middle Eastern markets or online.
- Citrus: As the name suggests, I am using orange zest here. But this recipe can totally be made with lemon zest or even lime zest.
- Leaveners: You will need both baking soda and baking powder in this recipe.
- I recommend weighing ingredients for extra precision and for perfect results
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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