Orange Cream Cheese Cookies

Orange Cream Cheese Cookies

Text and Photo by Jac Kyles Baker 

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 TB unsalted butter, softened 

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp almond extract

3 TB orange jam (see recipe below)

3 to 4 TB granulated sugar

Preparation

In a large bowl, add the flour and baking powder.  Make a well into the bottom of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and creamy.  Add brown sugar, orange jam and almond extract and stir to combine.

Add the wet mixture to the well.  Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until just combined and no flour is visible. 

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll a TB of cookie dough into a ball.  Press ball into a 1/4 inch thick circle.  Arrange 6 cookies in a circle (do not place any in the center) along the edge of parchment or microwave safe plate.  Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds to one minute.  Carefully remove cookies from microwave and cool on a rack.

Repeat with second batch.  Sprinkle cookies with granulated sugar.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Cookies are best served at room temperature.

Cook's Notes

*Use fresh, soft brown sugar. If there are clumps, break them up with the back of a spoon or your hand before whisking.

Orange Jam

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

2 Cara Cara oranges, supreme (reserve juice from membrane)

3 navel oranges, supreme (reserve juice from membrane)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tsp cornstarch

Preparation

Heat oranges and juices in a large microwave safe bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes.

Carefully remove bowl and stir in brown sugar until dissolved.

Return bowl to microwave and heat for 2-3 minutes until mixture comes to a boil.

In a small bowl, add cornstarch and 2 TB of liquid from the microwaved oranges.  Stir slurry into jam.  Return bowl to microwave.  Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.  Jam will thicken.

Carefully remove bowl from microwave and place on a wire rack.  Cool to room temperature.  Place jam in a clean, dry jar with lid (preferably glass or ceramic).

Store in the refrigerator.

Cook's Notes

Use any oranges you have.  Know that you'll need to experiment with measurements and cooking time if using small oranges such a mandarins or tangerines.