Orange Half Moon Cookies: Buttery Rounds Scented With Real Orange Zest and Filled With Orange Jam

Orange half moon cookies bring a fresh citrus note to the Christmas cookie tray: tender butter dough scented with orange zest, sandwiched with bright jam.

In Germany these are called Orangenmonde, “orange moons.” Three egg yolks keep the dough rich and delicate, so the cookies melt in your mouth. Each round is cut in half, the top halves get three small drop-shaped cutouts and a generous dusting of powdered sugar, and the jam glows through the openings. They look elegant on any cookie plate.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, softened butter cut into pieces, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, egg yolks, salt and the finely grated zest of 1/2 washed organic orange.
2. Work everything into a smooth dough with a stand mixer and the flat beater on low speed, or quickly by hand. Do not knead too long, so the cookies stay tender and delicate after baking.
3. Flatten the dough into a rectangle with your palms, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with top and bottom heat (or 320°F (160°C) with convection).
5. Divide the chilled dough into two parts and roll out the first half on a lightly floured surface to an even thickness of 1/8 inch (3 mm).
6. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4-inch (7 cm) round cutter and transfer them straight onto a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.
7. With a dough scraper or a knife, cut each round in half right on the sheet to make half moons.
8. In the top halves, cut three decorative cutouts with a small drop-shaped cutter (1 inch / 2.5 cm), with the middle drop pointing straight toward the center. Gently lift out the cut pieces with a wooden skewer.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are only very lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet.
10. Dust the cooled top halves with the cutouts generously with powdered sugar.
11. Warm the orange jam briefly in a small saucepan, stir until smooth and fill a piping bag with it.
12. Pipe the jam onto the plain bottom halves and carefully cover them with the sugar-dusted tops. Press lightly so the jam shows nicely through the cutouts.

Video Recipe

Tips for Perfect Orange Half Moon Cookies

• Use organic or well-scrubbed oranges and grate only the colored zest, not the bitter white pith.
• Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking it makes the cookies tougher instead of tender.
• Keep the unrolled half of the dough in the refrigerator while you work, so it stays easy to cut.
• Dust the tops with powdered sugar before placing them on the jam, so the sugar stays white.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The recipe is based on a version by SUGARPRINCESS, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.