Simply delicious, these CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITHOUT EGGS AND BUTTER are scented with orange and covered in a delicious glaze. Easy and quick, they melt in your mouth; made with orange zest and juice and Tuscan PGI extra virgin olive oil, they’re healthy and tasty cookies for the whole family to enjoy during the Christmas holidays. They’re also adorable as gifts — just put them in a pretty bag or Christmas box with a ribbon and they’ll make a delightful edible present for both young and old. To prepare my egg- and butter-free Christmas cookies I used Tuscan PGI extra virgin olive oil which added fragrance and aroma to the cookie dough. Follow the recipe and we’ll make them together.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 22-24 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (type 00)
- 1/3 cup orange juice (fresh)
- 2/3 cup Tuscan PGI extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- to taste orange juice
Steps
In a bowl pour the orange juice and the Tuscan PGI extra virgin olive oil, mix and then add the grated zest and the granulated sugar.
Sift the flour in little by little together with the pinch of salt and mix first with a fork, then work the dough with your hands until you have a nice soft and uniform ball.
With the help of a rolling pin and a little flour, roll the dough into a sheet about 1/4 inch thick and, using a star-shaped cookie cutter (or other Christmas shapes you prefer), cut out the cookie bases.
Place all the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 12–15 minutes.
Once baked, let the cookies cool completely.
In a small bowl put the powdered sugar and add a little orange juice at a time; start with one teaspoon of juice and mix. If needed, add more juice and stir until you obtain a smooth white glaze without lumps.
Dip the cookies into the glaze, one side only, and place them to dry on a tray lined with parchment paper.
The egg- and butter-free Christmas cookies are ready to be enjoyed or given as gifts — adorable and truly delicious!
…Vane’s tips
Cookies keep for up to 5 days when stored in a cookie tin or in a food-safe bag.
To flavor the cookies you can substitute the orange with lemon.
