Blood oranges zest up these bright and chewy crinkle cookies.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 small to medium blood oranges
3/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
Orange food coloring with a little red mixed in, or a mixture of red and yellow (with the emphasis on red) food coloring
2 tablespoons orange sanding sugar
2 tablespoons red sanding sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Place 1 stick unsalted butter and 1 large egg on the counter and let sit at room temperature until the butter is softened.
Place 1 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Finely grate the zest of 1 to 2 small to medium blood oranges until you have 1 tablespoon zest. Add the zest to the sugar and rub it in with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and moistened. Juice the oranges until you have 3 tablespoons juice.
Add the butter and 3/4 teaspoon orange extract and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to orange sugar. Beat on medium-high speed with the paddle attachment until lightened in color and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed with a flexible spatula, about 2 minutes.
Add the orange juice, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour and beat until just until a streak or two of flour remains. Add a few drops orange food coloring with a little red mixed in (or a mix of red and yellow with the emphasis on red) - your goal is an orange-y red - and briefly mix to incorporate. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 2 tablespoons orange sanding sugar and 2 tablespoons red sanding sugar in a small shallow bowl and stir to combine with a fork. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a second small, shallow bowl.
Scoop the dough out into 24 (about 1 1/2 tablespoon) portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball in the sanding sugar (re-roll into a ball again if needed after rolling in the sanding sugar) and then the powdered sugar. Place the dough balls on the baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart.
Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies look puffy and dry, about 7 minutes more. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
