We’re back! Exams, performances, and final projects are over which means I can get back to posting! There might still be some weird and random spacing between posts as I get things re scheduled and sort everything out, but once summer starts and school’s officially out, you can expect to see a lot more getting published.
As was the case last year, I’m disappointed that I had to take a hiatus for the blog, but exams and other commitments really had to come first. But it’s ok because all the recipes I had scheduled will stile published, just at slightly different times.
With that said lets talk about this recipe. We are well into spring, and it’s almost summer. In the spring I love to use a lot of delicate, floral flavors like lavender and rose. You have to be careful with them because if you add too much they start toast like soap, but when you add just the right amount they can make an other wise simple dessert taste so much more elegant.
Describe These Cookies to me
Taste: These have a careful balance between the delicate and floral rosewater, the bright and zingy orange, the warmer poppyseed and brown butter, and notes of sweet vanilla. There is no one overwhelming flavor, they really just all work together beautifully.
Texture: These cookies have a crisp exterior and a soft and buttery interior. The poppyseeds add just a little crunch that really brings the whole thing together beautifully.
Ease: These cookies are super quick and simple to throw together. After browning the butter, the dough comes together in one bowl with no mixer or chill time required. You can have these cookies done and ready to eat in less than an hour.
Rosewater
I love baking with rosewater because it adds such an elegant and decadent finish to any baked good. Paired with sweet vanilla and bright orange, it adds such a springiness to these cookies. It’s important to keep it minimal though, because if we add too much rose then these cookies might start to taste a little soapy.
The Dough
This doughs starts with brown butter. The nuttiness from the brown butter pairs so beautifully with slightly nutty poppyseeds, which helps to tie the whole thing together. From here we add the sugars with the orange zest, which helps bring out the orange flavor from the zest. We follow this with the eggs, vanilla, and rosewater. From there it’s just the classic dry ingredients, plus the poppyseeds and you’re done!
Orange Rose and Poppyseed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of one orange
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ Tablespoons rosewater
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ Tablespoons poppyseeds
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside
- Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Once melted keep cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter starts to sizzle and foam, at which point it will start to brown. Once the butter has reached a caramel brown color, remove from the heat and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- To a large bowl add the granulated sugar and orange zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest and granulated sugar together for about 30 seconds. This is to release the oils in the zest, strengthening the orange flavor. Add the brown sugar and slightly cooled brown butter and whisk until combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed, and add the eggs, rosewater, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined .
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt, and fold the mixture together using a rubber spatula until just combined. It may take a minute to come together, but it will.
- Scoop the dough into balls, roughly 2 Tablespoons in size. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until browned slightly on the edges and bottom. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes, before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. These cookies are great warm, but just as good cooled down!
- Cookies stay fresh for about 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.