Orange Creamsicle Cookies
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These Orange Creamsicle Cookies are nostalgic and will have you dreaming of a classic orange creamsicle ice cream bar. These are soft baked orange cookies stuffed with an orange cream cheese filling and rolled in sugar before baking. Your favorite bright citrus ice cream bar is now in cookie form.
Who didn’t love the ice cream truck driving around town? That was the inspiration behind this cookie recipe. It is full of orange and cream flavors. The outside has a nice crisp sugar coating and the inside is a soft tender cookie with a pocket orange cream cheese filling in the center of it all. If you’re a fan of orange creamsicle popsicles, these cookies will be your new favorite citrus dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tastes like an orange creamsicle
- Bright orange flavor from fresh zest and orange extract
- Great for spring and summer gatherings
- Fun surprise filling inside each cookie
- Made completely from scratch
- Easy to make ahead!
What Makes This Recipe Special
Most orange cookies rely solely on orange extract for flavor, but these cookies use both fresh orange zest and orange extract to create a more natural citrus flavor.
The cream cheese filling also helps recreate that signature creamsicle flavor while adding a soft, creamy center that stays smooth after baking.
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
Butter – Real butter that has been softened to room temperature is needed. The butter will give the cookie batter the richeness that it deserves and offer a softer baked texture.
Sugar – Powdered sugar and granulated sugar is used in this recipe.
Extract – Vanilla extract will create a light and sweet aroma that helps blend ingredients together. You will use the orange extract for the filling.
Food Coloring – Red and yellow food coloring is used to help create that perfect lightish orange color.
Cream Cheese – For the filling, use room-temperature cream cheese. It needs to be blended creamy for the proper texture.
Orange Zest – I used orange zest to enhance the orange flavor even more. This is a must-have ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
- Coconut: Add some shredded coconut to the cookie dough. Do 1/4 cup and mix well with the dry ingredients.
- Berry Filling: Mix some freeze-dried fruit with cream cheese filling to add berry flavor to the orange cookies. That would dress up the flavor.
- Almond Extract: Use almond extract to replace vanilla. YOu will use just a few drops to help add a nutty and sweet flavor to the cookie dough.
- Vanilla Bean: Swap the vanilla extract with some vanilla bean to ramp up the vanilla flavor further.
- Chocolate Chips: Add white chocolate chips to the cookie dough for added sweetness in each decadent bite.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Step 1: In a small bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange zest, and extract. Mix on low speed until thoroughly blended and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Step 2: For the cookie dough, grab a large bowl or stand mixer and add butter and sugar. Whip up on medium speed for 2 minutes. Work in the egg, vanilla, and orange zest.
Step 3: Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until incorporated. Add the food coloring and mix until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out two portions of cookie dough for each cookie. Flatten the first portion and add 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center.
Step 5: Flatten the second portion and place it on top of the filling. Seal the edges and for the dough into a ball.
Step 6: Roll the dough in the granulated sugar and place in the prehated oven to bake as directed. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
How to Store and Freeze
Make-Ahead Dough: Want to make the cookie dough in advance? Whip it up and roll it into balls with the cream cheese mixture inside. Place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze. Then, remove the balls and put them in a freezer container. Then place on a cookie tray and bake the same way, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Refrigerate: Any cookies need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The cookies will last up to 5 days. You can make the cookies 1-2 days ahead of when you need them.
Freezer: You can also freeze the cookies for 2-3 months. Place them in a freezer bag or freezer container. Thaw on the counter for 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight before enjoying!
Tips for the Best Results
- You must chill the cookie dough and the filling! It will make everything much easier to work with.
- Ensure all cookie edges are fully sealed so the cream cheese mixture doesn’t leak out as it bakes.
- Don’t overbake these cookies! The cookies should look set on top but still soft in the center. They wiull continue to firm up as they cool.
- Use fresh orange zest for a strong orange flavor. It makes a difference in the finished cookies!
- Leave space between the cookies, as the dough spreads as it bakes up.
Recipe Troubleshooting
Chilling the cookie dough and the cookie filling is a MUST. This will help the cookies take a bit longer to spread, resulting in a better texture. While the cookies are still very warm, place a large glass or round cookie cutter over the cookie and move the glass/cookie cutter in a circular motion to smush the cookie into a more compact shape.
Adding too much dry ingredients or overbaking cookies causes dry or hard cookies. Make sure to measure properly, watch the cookies, and use the time as a guide. Every oven heats slightly differently.
Using a cookie scoop is going to make sure all your cookies are the same size. This is great for presentation, but more importantly, it ensures the cookies bake up evenly in the oven. No more undercooked cookies on one pan and overbaked cookies on another.
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Creamsicle Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring, about 10 drops
- 1/8 teaspoon yellow food coloring, about 10 drops
Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Filling
- In a small mixing bowl, add the 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon orange extract, and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Beat using a hand mixer on low speed the powdered sugar is almost completely combined. Turn mixer up to medium speed and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
- Cover and refrigerated the filling for at least 45 minutes.
- While the filling is chilling, work on the cookie dough.
Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, add the 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until creamed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Beat until the egg is combined.
- Add the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat on low speed until the flour is almost completely worked into the cookie dough. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat until well combined. and mix well.
- Add 10 drops of yellow food coloring and 10 drops of red food coloring. You can also use orange food coloring or no food coloring. (Add less if desired) Beat until the food coloring is thoroughly mixed into the dough.
- Cover the cookie dough and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- While the cookie dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop two cookie dough balls for each cookie.
- Flatten one of the cookie dough balls and put 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the cookie.
- Flatten the second cookie dough ball and place it on top of the filling and seal the edges of the cookie dough together.
- Form the cookie dough back into a ball and roll it in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar to coat the outside.
- Place on the prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are golden brown and the top is no longer shiny.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)