11 Days 'till Christmas - Orange Cookies!

This is definitely my family's number one favorite cookie. This is a soft, cake cookie with the perfect orange flavor. The orange icing is the best!

Orange Cookies

adapted from an old family recipe
makes about 5 dozen cookies

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. Combine buttermilk and orange juice in a 2-cup measuring cup. Cream the butter and sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures starting and ending with the flour mixture. Drop by tablespoons or by a cookie scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are just beginning to brown. Cool completely before topping with orange icing (recipe follows).

Orange Icing

3 tablespoons butter
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar (1 pound box)
4 to 5 tablespoons orange juice (approximately)
1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
a pinch of salt

Cream butter, orange zest and salt in a bowl with an electric stand or hand mixer. Add sugar gradually, alternating with enough orange juice to make frosting the right consistency for spreading.