Hey friends!
The holiday season is here, and that means it’s cookie time! 🎄🍪
Today, I’m excited to share my favorite recipe for Christmas cookies with marmalade.
These little treats are sweet, tangy, and oh-so-festive.
They’re perfect for sharing or just enjoying at home with a cup of hot cocoa.
So, grab your apron and let’s get our bake on!
| Preparation Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 50-75 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients
- 3 cups plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 3 cups icing sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets
Start by preheating your oven to 300°F.
Line at least two cookie sheets with baking parchment to ensure the cookies do not stick and are easy to remove after baking.
Step 2: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cinnamon into a bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed for one minute.
Add sugar and vanilla extract, and continue beating for two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the marmalade.
With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour and spice mixture.
Increase to medium low speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Step 3: Chill the Dough
Remove the bowl from the mixer and place it in the freezer to chill the dough for 30 minutes.
This helps the dough firm up and makes it easier to handle.
Step 4: Form and Bake the Cookies
Drop the chilled cookie dough from a spoon in walnut-sized dollops onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cookies are light brown in color.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely before icing.
Step 5: Prepare the Icing
For the icing, combine orange and lemon zests and juices in a bowl.
In a separate bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on low speed.
Add one cup of the powdered sugar and blend thoroughly.
Gradually add the remaining sugar, salt, and citrus juice mixture, mixing until smooth.
Step 6: Ice the Cookies
Using a teaspoon or butter knife, evenly ice the cooled cookies.
Allow the icing to set for an hour before serving.
If you are packaging the cookies for gifting, you can layer them between sheets of waxed paper in an air-tight container to keep them fresh and prevent the icing from smudging.
