These are Orange Sugar Cookies and they are delicious. As long as I can remember my mom made these every year for Christmas. They aren’t terribly fussy to make but she almost never made them any other time. That made them Christmas cookies. She would put half a maraschino cherry in the center of each one before she baked them. I prefer them plain.
The recipe is from this cookbook, published in 1968. These cookies are the creation of one Ms. Ann Green of Culpeper, VA and she won a blue ribbon for them from the Culpeper County Fair. I think it was well deserved.
The original recipe calls for shortening, which I never use, so I substituted butter. I also always double this recipe because they are so yummy they don’t last so one batch is never enough. They are the perfect cookie to have with a cup of tea. If you make them let me know.
ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES
1/2 cup of shortening (I use butter)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp orange or lemon rind
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp nutmeg
Blend together shortening, salt, rind and 1 cup of sugar.
Beat in egg and milk.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and baking soda which have been sifted together.
Chill; form into small balls about the size of walnuts. Roll in a mixture of remaining sugar and nutmeg. Place on lightly greased baking sheet; press each ball down with bottom of a glass dipped in the sugar nutmeg mixture.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in 400F degree oven
Enjoy!