Orange Butter Cookies

Sometimes, in the heat of this "not-yet-summer" weather you just need a cookie that doesn't include chocolate! I mean, don't get me wrong. Chocolate chips cookies are the number one fave around these parts but this one's so good, too.
This cookie is thick and cakey and full of delicious orange flavor and perfect with some cool refreshing sorbet.
The 3 ounce cookie is big enough to share but I'm sure making these in a smaller size would work also. And with the extra egg yolks in the batter, my cookies came out with a nice golden color. Because I buy my eggs from a local egg farm, the yolks have a deeper orange color than supermarket eggs.

You'll need quite a bit of orange zest and cream it with the sugar and butter...

Get your dry ingredients whisked together and set it aside...

Gradually add in the eggs and egg yolks to the creamed mixture.
Then add in the dry ingredients and mix just til combined.

I love my scale ( I weigh everything!) and, yes,  these are big cookies.

Once you put them on the parchment lined baking sheets, press them firmly with your fingers, then sprinkle the tops generously with sugar and bake.

Orange Butter Cookies ( from "The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread byAmy Scherber & Toy Kim Dupree)

Makes 1 dozen large cookies

1 3/4 cups (9.20 ozs.) unbleached AP flour
1 2/3 cups (6.70 ozs.) cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt ( a little less if using Morton's Brand)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 1/2 tsp. orange zest, tightly packed
1 large egg
2 egg yolks, from large eggs
extra sugar for sprinkling on top of cookies
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Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Position racks in bottom and top third of oven.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar, butter and orange zest together on medium speed for 2 minutes or til light and fluffy. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl often.
3. Gradually add the eggs and egg yolks, mixing on medium speed til everything is well combined.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in stages. Mix only til everything is combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure there are no pockets of  dry flour remaining.
5. Using a large metal scoop, a large spoon or your clean hands, moistened with water, scoop out large balls of dough, placing 6 balls per sheet. Each ball should weigh 3 ounces. ( If you don't have a scale, the balls should be a scant 1/2 cup).
6. Press firmly on the balls, making ridges with your fingers ( for the sugar to hold) to  thickness of 1/2".
7. Sprinkle, generously, the sugar on top of each cookie.
8. Bake approx. 17 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking. The cookies should be pale but baked all the way through into the center. They should be soft but careful not to underbake them or the centers will be doughy. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.