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–+ servings

Blood Orange Cookies

5 from 3 votes
Soft blood orange brown sugar cookies topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and sweet blood orange curd.
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Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Servings8 cookies
Calories468 kcal

Ingredients 

Blood Orange Sugar Cookies

  • 150 g light brown sugar (¾ c.)
  • zest of 2 blood oranges
  • 90 g unsalted butter room temperature (6 ⅓ tbsp.)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 160 g all purpose flour (1 ⅓ c.)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

Blood Orange Curd

  • 28 g unsalted butter cubed (2 tbsp.)
  • 65 g granulated sugar (¼ c. + 1 tbsp.)
  • zest of 1 blood orange
  • 40 g blood orange juice freshly squeezed (scant 3 tbsp.)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ⅛ tsp. salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 100 g cream cheese room temperature (½ c.)
  • 42 g unsalted butter room temperature (3 tbsp.)
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 160 g powdered sugar (1 ⅓ c.)
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions 

Blood Orange Cookies

  • Add the brown sugar to a medium sized mixing bowl. Zest the blood oranges into the mixing bowl, then use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
  • Add in the butter, then use a hand or stand mixer to beat the mixture together until it's light and fluffy (~2-3 min.)
  • Add in the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined (1 min.)
  • Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together just until no flour streaks remain.
  • Cover the bowl then place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.* In the meantime, make the blood orange curd.*

Blood Orange Curd

  • Prep a small mixing bowl by adding the cubed butter to it, along with a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.
  • Add the sugar to a small saucepan, then zest the blood orange into the pan. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
  • Add in the blood orange juice, egg yolks, and salt.
  • Set the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly (this can be slowly - we just need constant movement happening!)
  • Continue to stir the curd until it thickens and reaches a temperature of at least 170°F / 76°C (This took me about 3-5 minutes.)
  • Remove the curd from the heat and pass it through the fine mesh sieve, over the butter. Mix the curd and the butter together until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • The curd will have lost it's bright red color but don't be alarmed - it's unfortunate but just naturally happens with the cooking process. Transfer the curd to the fridge to chill until you're ready to assemble the cookies.
  • Once the cookies have chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone baking mat.
  • Use a 3 tbsp. cookie scoop to dish out the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet, evenly spacing them apart to allow room for spreading.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the sides of the cookies just start to turn golden brown, and the top of the cookies looks just slightly wet. Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
  • Allow the cookies to come to room temperature before frosting them.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter and salt until the mixture is smooth.
  • Add in ½ of the powdered sugar and beat until combined, then beat in the remaining powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla.
  • Top each cookie with ~1.5 tbsp. of the frosting. Use a spoon to make crevices in the frosting for the blood orange curd to sit in.
  • Pour 2 tsp. of blood orange curd on the tops of each of the cookies, and gently swirl it into the frosting.
  • Top the cookies with more zest and a blood orange slice if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Making the dough ahead of time
You can make the dough and keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking it. Just be sure to bring the dough out to sit at room temperature for a little bit, until it becomes soft enough to scoop again. For longer term storage, scoop out the dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet or tray. Once they're completely frozen, you can transfer them to a ziploc or airtight container and keep them frozen for up to 1 month. I'd recommend letting the dough sit out for 20 min. before baking it, or thawing it in the fridge overnight before baking it. Please note that your cookies will likely bake up a little thicker.
Curd notes:
You can also make the curd and keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days before assembling the cookies.
You'll have a bit more curd than you'll need for the cookies. The extra curd will keep well for up to 1 week in the fridge!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 302mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 1gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 773IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 1mg