Orange Pecan Cookies

Buttery slice-and-bake cookies with fresh orange zest and juice baked right into the dough alongside chopped pecans and brown sugar. Roll the dough into a log, chill it, slice thin, and bake. The citrus aroma that fills the kitchen is reason enough to make these.

Orange zest carries the concentrated oils from the peel, and it’s where most of the orange fragrance lives. Combined with a splash of fresh orange juice, it gives these cookies a bright, citrusy flavor that balances the richness of a full cup of butter. Brown sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness than white sugar alone.

Chilling the dough log for several hours (or overnight) firms the butter so the cookies slice cleanly and hold their shape during baking. A quick 8-10 minutes at high heat crisps the edges while the centers stay slightly tender.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice thin. These are meant to be delicate, crispy cookies. Thick slices bake up cakey instead of snappy.
• Use a sharp knife and cut with a firm, clean motion. A dull knife drags the dough and distorts the round shape.
• The dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. Bake fresh whenever you want them.
• Watch closely after 8 minutes. Thin cookies go from golden to burnt fast at this temperature.

Variations

• Dip cooled cookies halfway in melted dark chocolate for a chocolate-orange combination.
• Replace pecans with walnuts or pistachios for a different nut flavor.
• Add a pinch of cardamom to the dough for a Scandinavian-inspired orange spice cookie.