Crispy Orange Lace Cookies (Printable)

Delicate thin citrus treats with crisp lacy edges, perfect for afternoon tea or coffee.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
07 - Zest of 1 large orange (about 2 teaspoons)
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional

09 - 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted (for drizzling or dipping)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Add egg, milk, orange zest, and vanilla extract to butter mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated and mixture is uniform.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. The batter will be thin.
06 - Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Cookies will spread significantly.
07 - Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and lacy. Watch closely to prevent burning.
08 - Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then gently transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Once cooled, drizzle or dip cookies in melted dark chocolate. Let set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The orange perfume that fills your kitchen feels like a Sunday morning in spring
  • They shatter beautifully when you bite into them, that satisfying crisp that only comes from patience and high heat
  • Friends assume you spent hours mastering technique, but the batter comes together in minutes
02 -
  • The first time I made these I tried to move them too soon and ended up with a handful of delicious broken pieces, which I served anyway and called rustic
  • Room temperature ingredients matter less here since everything gets melted or whisked together, but your butter should not be hot when you add the egg
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs to prevent the melted butter from seizing up into little grainy bits
  • Grate the orange zest directly into the sugar mixture before adding the wet ingredients, the sugar helps capture all those aromatic oils

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