My Cookie Swap Recipe: Orange Drop Cookies

Today is the big link up of allllllll 625 bloggers recipes for The Great Food Blogger Cookies Swap 2011. The guidelines for the swap were pretty simple. Make 3 dozen homemade cookies, use a recipe you haven't posted on your blog before, and send em to three unsuspecting food bloggers.

I decided to use my all time favorite cookie recipe for the swap. This recipe is a family favorite- it came from my mom's childhood nanny, Grammy Grace, and I try to make these cookies every year at Christmas. These are Orange Drop Cookies...soft, citrusy pillows that are amazing with or without the orange glaze. I know this because I'm impatient, and typically eat a cookie or two four before they are iced.

My cookies went to Vanessa of  French Foodie Mom, Monica of Sweet Bites Blog, and Jenny of Jen eat, then speak. I'm hoping they arrived in good condition, and quickly..The post office around here definitely isn't the fastest on the planet! One of the best parts of this project was being introduced to 6 bloggers you may not have heard of...I checked out the blogs of each blogger I sent cookies to, as well as the bloggers I received cookies from. I'll definitely be back for more!

Sneaky little elf...tryin to hijack my cookies!

Orange Drop Cookies 
Makes 5 dozen cookies


1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 whole orange
4 cups flour (I used whole wheat, just as yummy as all purpose)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely grate orange rind, then remove remaining orange peel. Place orange slices in blender or food processor and grind until fine. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs, orange and rind. Sift dry ingredients together, and add to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Using medium scoop, drop on prepared cookie sheets 1 inch apart. Bake 9-10 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks before adding glaze.

Orange Glaze:

6 tbsp melted butter

6 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbsp grated orange rind

Powdered sugar to thicken

Combine butter and orange juice and mix well. Add enough powdered sugar to thicken to desired consistency. Stir in orange rind, and spread on cookies.

Enjoy!!