Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
Bursting with citrusy orange flavors and rolled in sparkly sugar, these chewy Orange Olive Oil Cookies will brighten up your day! Vegan.
These soft and chewy Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cookies practically melt in your mouth. Like a sugar cookie and Orange Olive Oil Cake hybrid, they’re a handheld treat with bright orange flavors and an eye-catching sugar coating. One cookie is all you need to add a little sunshine to your day!
Table of Contents
All About These Sparkling Citrus Cookies
The unlikely combo of orange and olive oil is featured in these Orange Olive Oil Cookies. An out-of-the-ordinary yet oh-so-delicious pairing, they give these cookies a divine chewy texture, the best crispy edges, and bright citrus flavors you’ll crave. One cookie is never enough!
Just in case my Strawberry Sugar Cookies and Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies weren’t a total giveaway, you should know that bringing fruit and cookies together is kinda my jam. There’s nothing I love more than snacking on a sweet treat that tastes like it was made with the fresh fruits growing in my garden. These vegan orange cookies are no exception, as they’re made with orange sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice for the most vibrant orange flavors and plenty of sweetness.
Best of all, you only need a handful of vegan baking basics to put a batch together and they stay soft and chewy for days. Sneak a tasty orange cookie anytime the mood strikes!
Ingredients for Vegan Olive Oil Cookies
These simple orange cookies call for less than 10 vegan baking staples, plus a good amount of olive oil and fresh orange zest and juice for their signature taste and texture:
- Flax “Egg”: the flax “egg,” made from mixing ground flaxseed and water together, holds these cookies together. If you don’t have ground flaxseed, use ground chia seeds instead.
- Orange Zest: because you can’t have orange cookies without fresh oranges (no orange extract needed here)! You could zest any variety of orange you have on hand, but I found that one large Navel orange is easiest to zest and has enough zest for one batch of cookies.
- Sugars: you need cane sugar and brown sugar. The cane sugar is combined with the orange zest to extract the orange flavor and sweeten the cookies, while the extras are used to coat the outside of the cookies. Brown sugar adds moisture and extra sweetness to the cookies.
- Olive Oil: I recommend splurging on high-quality olive oil. Make sure you like the flavor of the oil you buy, as it will bake right into the cookies.
- Flour: all-purpose flour yields soft, chewy, and puffy cookies every time.
- Cornstarch: just a little bit of cornstarch in the cookie dough makes the cookies slightly softer rather than crisp. Feel free to leave it out if you want.
How to Make Orange Olive Oil Cookies
- In a large bowl, use your hands to massage the orange zest into the cane sugar. Set 3 tablespoons of the sugar aside, then add the brown sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Gently mix until a thick dough forms.
- Roll some cookie dough into a smooth ball, then generously coat it in the reserved orange sugar. Place it on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake the orange cookies until they have spread and look puffy. Allow them to cool completely before serving.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Zest with care: Use a microplane to carefully zest your washed and dried orange. Avoid zesting the white pith underneath the peel, as it’s too bitter-tasting.
- Really work the orange zest into the sugar: Don’t just mix the two together! By taking the time to massage the orange zest into the sugar granules, you release the natural oils and fragrances from the zest, which transfer into the cookies. In other words, it’s what gives the olive oil cookies their signature orange flavors!
- Make the orange cookie dough up to 3 days ahead of baking the cookies: This way, you’ll save time and the flavors will have time to deepen. Once the dough is ready, form it into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until it’s time to bake. Just remember to take the dough out of the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before baking.
Serving Suggestions
You could make these orange olive oil cookies year-round but I’d recommend baking a batch towards the end of winter, AKA during citrus fruit season. One cookie is enough to brighten your day, whether it’s freezing cold or raining buckets outside. For a little extra sunshine, pair the chewy cookies with a glass of Blueberry Lemonade or an Iced Chamomile Matcha Latte.
If you’re looking for more vegan cookie recipes, you’ll love these Blueberry Cookies, these Vegan Linzer Cookies, and these Ube Sugar Cookies!
How to Store Olive Oil Cookies
Once the cookies are fully cool, transfer them to an airtight container and store them on the kitchen counter. They’ll stay chewy for up to 5 days; keep in mind that the olive oil will make them harden faster than cookies that are made with butter.
The orange cookies should also freeze well for about 3 months. Keep them in a freezer-safe container or sealed ziplock bag, then allow as many cookies as you plan on eating to thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
- Olive Oil Substitute: Technically, this will no longer be an olive oil cookie recipe without the olive oil; however, if you do not enjoy the taste of olive oil in baked goods, you can replace it with an equal amount of avocado oil or another neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
- Orange Zest Substitute: You’re not limited to orange zest here! Play around with the recipe and swap the orange zest for an equal amount of lemon, lime, or grapefruit zest instead. Any citrus fruit goes!
- Gluten-Free Option: While I haven’t tested it, a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour might work as a replacement for the all-purpose flour.
Recipe FAQs
It can be. Neutral-flavored oil, like melted vegan butter or vegetable oil, is usually the go-to when baking cookies. However, olive oil will yield chewier, more flavorful cookies.
You could try creaming about 1/2 cup of softened vegan butter with the orange sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract, but the cookies will have a different texture and flavor.
No, you don’t need to chill the olive oil cookie dough before baking.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Orange Olive Oil Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons orange zest about 1 navel orange
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 6 tablespoons all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Combine the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and mix well to form the flax "egg"; let sit for at least 5 minutes, to thicken.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the sugar and orange zest to a large bowl. Use your hands to massage the zest into the sugar until it is evenly distributed and the sugar is yellow (this creates a stronger flavor!). Remove 3 tablespoons of the sugar mix from the bowl and set aside; you will use this to roll the cookies in later. Add the brown sugar, olive oil, flax egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Whisk together until evenly combined.
- Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the center of the same bowl. Use a spatula to gently mix the dry ingredients together on top of the wet ingredients first, then fold them into the wet ingredients. Mix until a thick dough forms.
- Form the Cookies: Use a measuring spoon or cookie scoop to scoop out 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough. Roll the dough between your hands to form a smooth ball, then generously roll the cookie dough in the orange sugar you set aside earlier. Place the coated ball on the baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten the ball. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing each cookie about 3” apart from each other.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the middle rack of the oven for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven (they should have spread, but still look puffy) and let them sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire baking rack and let them cool completely.
- Serve & Store: Enjoy immediately, or store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Olive Oil: I recommend using a high-quality olive oil with a flavor that you personally like, as it will affect the final flavor of the cookies. If you do not enjoy the taste of olive oil in baked goods you can replace it with equal parts of avocado oil or another neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
- Make-Ahead: The cookie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance before baking. Follow the recipe to the end of step 3, then wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Let the dough come to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before proceeding with step 4 of the recipe
Made a double batch for a big group and they were a huge hit! So many people asked for the recipe
Wow I’m so glad, Julia!
Excellent!
These are a top 3 best cookie I’ve ever tried. Right up next to Caitlin’s brown butter cookies! They were easy and quick to make, and I could clean all my dishes while they baked. I even had to sub half the orange zest for clementine zest, and they turned out completely fine. The orange flavor is subtle but impactful, and the olive oil makes the cookies so moist. I cannot wait to bake these again for friends and family and show them how good vegan food is!
This makes me so happy, Juila!
Flax seed and water were listed in the ingredients with no mention of how or when to add them in the instructions. The dough was too dry even when I added them. I ended up adding more olive oil and some orange juice to moisten the dough enough to scoop and bake. The cookies were very delicious once baked!
I’m happy they turned out in the end, the recipe has been updated to include this! Apologies for the inconvenience.
Already made them and they’re amazing! Just a note – the flax seeds/water do not appear in the recipe instructions. I just made a “flax egg” and added it with the wet ingredients 😊
I’m so happy! I will update the recipe 🙂
These are absolutely delicious! As a citrus lover these cookies will be a staple for me. Great flavour and so easy to make!
I made them with regular eggs (didn’t have flaxseeds and am not vegan, but will definitely try that later), just added a bit extra flour. For a double batch I added 30g more flour to make the dough thick enough to roll, worked very well. Thanks for this recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Frida!
Regular olive oil? Not extra virgin olive oil, right? Looks great!
Extra virgin works great!