Orange Olive Oil Cookies

Bursting with citrusy orange flavors and rolled in sparkly sugar, these chewy Orange Olive Oil Cookies will brighten up your day! Vegan.

Course Dessert

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings cookies

Calories 246kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

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

Nutrition