These orange thumbprint cookies need no butter and no long list of ingredients. One egg, a little oil and a juicy orange make a tender Christmas cookie with a golden outside, a soft inside and a silky orange filling in the center.
Looking for holiday baking that looks special but costs very little? You need no scale tricks and no pastry experience. Just one egg, plain oil and one orange. The result is a cookie with a shiny orange well in the middle that disappears fast from the Christmas table.
At a Glance
- What it is: Soft oil-based cookies with a homemade orange filling.
- The trick: The tops are pressed into powdered sugar before baking for a lightly sugary, slightly crisp top.
- Cost: Budget-friendly, with no butter.
- Prep time: 20 min
- Baking time: 18 min
- Servings: about 20–25 cookies
- Calories: about 105 kcal per cookie
Ingredients
(US cups, with metric in brackets)
Cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons (100 ml) sunflower or other neutral oil
- 1 orange, zest only (unwaxed or organic)
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (for the dough)
- 1 7/8 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, for coating the tops
Orange filling
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) fresh orange juice
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C), conventional setting (no fan). In a bowl, whisk the whole egg briefly with the 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar.
- Pour in the oil and add the grated zest of one orange. Mix well so the citrus aroma is released.
- Squeeze the orange. Add exactly 3 tablespoons of the juice to the egg mixture and mix again.
- Gradually add the flour mixed with the baking powder. Stir with a whisk first, then work it by hand into a smooth, soft dough that does not stick.
- Pinch off small pieces of dough and shape them in your palms into small ovals, like leaves or little lemons. Press the top of each piece into a bowl of powdered sugar.
- Place the cookies sugar side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press a deep well into the center of each cookie with the handle of a wooden spoon (a small boat shape).
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 18 minutes. Keep an eye on them: they should stay pale and only turn lightly golden.
- While the cookies bake, make the filling. In a saucepan, combine 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) orange juice, the water, 1 tablespoon sugar and the cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (like a thin pudding).
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, spoon the hot filling into the wells. Let them cool completely so the filling sets.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Orange Thumbprint Cookies
- Watch the baking time: Every oven bakes differently. Check the cookies after 15 minutes. If they are overbaked they turn hard. Properly baked cookies are delicate on the outside and soft inside once cooled.
- Use organic or well-scrubbed oranges: Because you use the zest, buy an organic (unwaxed) orange, or scrub it well with a brush under hot water with a little baking soda.
Easy Variations
- Lemon version: Swap the orange for 2 lemons (zest and juice). The cookies will have a stronger, tangier flavor.
- Chocolate drizzle: Once cooled, drizzle the cookies lightly with melted dark chocolate, which pairs well with orange.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use butter instead of oil? For this recipe, keep the oil. It is what makes the cookies soft, and the dough handles differently from a classic butter dough such as Linzer cookies.
How long do they stay soft? Store them in an airtight tin in a cool place. They stay soft and tasty for 5–7 days.
Do I need an organic orange? Since the zest goes into the dough, an unwaxed or organic orange is best. Otherwise scrub a regular orange well under hot water before grating.
Can I make them ahead for Christmas? Yes. Bake them a day or more ahead and keep them in a tin; they taste best the day after baking, which makes them handy for a cookie tray.
Can I use orange marmalade instead of the filling? A spoonful of marmalade is a common shortcut for thumbprint cookies, but it changes the recipe: the cooked orange filling here is thin and glossy and sets as the cookies cool.
The cookies are best the next day, when the dough has taken up moisture from the filling.
The recipe is based on a version by Fatto in Casa da Alba, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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