Giant Orange flavored sugar cookie stuffed with vanilla buttercream then topped with a white chocolate drizzle. These chewy cookies are served chilled making them just as refreshing as your favorite popsicle.
Creamsicle Cookies
Surprisingly enough, THIS cookie has been requested by readers time and time again. It has been on my list of cookies to create for as long as I can remember and I am happy to say, it’s finally here!
My neighbors are HUGE Creamsicle people, so when they both audibly sighed ‘ohhhhh’ after their first bite, I knew this cookie was a winner.
It tastes EXACTLY like that Creamsicle Popsicle that childhood dreams are made of.
Ingredients for Orange Creamsicle Cookies
- Butter- You’ll want softened salted butter for this recipe. Butter will go into both the cookies and the vanilla buttercream center. If you only have unsalted butter, you’ll want to add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough and frosting.
- Sugar- We will just use granulated sugar in the cookie dough since it is a sugar cookie base.
- Egg- Just two egg in this recipe.
- Natural Orange Bakery Emulsion by Lorann Oils– THIS is where the magic happens. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE. Trust me on this one. I’ve tried several different flavorings and nothing was right except this. It is just over $5.00 on amazon.
- Flour- Just all purpose flour needed for these cookies.
- Baking Powder- This is the leavening agent we will use in these cookies, this will give the cookie a little bit of lift while also keeping it super soft.
- Orange Gel Food Coloring- I always use Lorann’s brand of gel food coloring because a little goes a long way! Plus they are in a squeeze bottle, which makes it so easy to use. 100% mess free!
- Powdered Sugar- The powdered sugar is used in the vanilla buttercream center of the cookie.
- Milk- Just use what you have on hand. You’ll use just a tad in the buttercream to get it the right consistency.
- Vanilla Extract- This goes into the buttercream to give it that classic vanilla ice cream flavor.
How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cookies
First thing we are going to do is make the buttercream filling. I know, it seems kind of backwards but we will actually be freezing the buttercream before we stuff the cookies so it doesn’t all just melt away when the cookies are baking.
To make the frosting, whip the butter until smooth with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until it is fully incorporated. Add a splash of milk as needed to help the powdered sugar come together with the butter.
Now, spread the frosting onto parchment paper or a silicone lined baking sheet and place in the freezer.
Now, let’s preheat the oven. Make the cookie dough by first creaming together the butter and sugar, then add the wet ingredients (eggs, bakery emulsion) and then mix in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder). One the dough has come together, color the dough orange with gel food coloring.
Portion out the dough into 1/3 cup portions. Roll into a ball and then press your thumb in in the center to create a pocket for the frosting to go. Repeat with all of the cookie dough and arrange on your baking sheets. Place 6 cookies per baking sheet.
Take the frozen frosting out of the freezer and cut into small chunks. Fill the cookie with the frozen frosting (see picture above). Close the cookie dough around the frosting then flatten the cookie dough slightly so it looks like a hockey puck.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes. The cookies will flatten and spread slightly, puff up and the center of the cookie will no longer look wet and glossy when they are ready to come out of the oven.
Let the cookies cool completely on the pan and then drizzle the top with melted white chocolate. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.
Can I make these Cookies smaller?
Absolutely. You’ll just need to shorten the bake time slightly. Watch for the indicators listed above to know when to pull them out of the oven.
Can I make the frosting center ahead of time?
Definitely! That is usually what I do. The frosting can be in your freezer for a loooong time. This actually works great for if you have leftover frosting from something else that needs to be used up, too.
How to store leftover cookies
I love these cookies chilled, so I store them in the freezer. You don’t HAVE to, though. They can be stored at room temp for up to 3 days. Make sure to store them in an air tight container. Room temp for 3 days, fridge for up to 7 days and freezer for up to 3 months.
More Summer Flavored Cookies
Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temp
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- milk as needed
Orange Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp natural orange baking emulsion
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- orange gel food coloring
Toppings
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips melted
Instructions
- Start by making the buttercream frosting. Whip the butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until it is fully incorporated. You may need to add a few tsp of milk to help the powdered sugar come together with the butter.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added to the butter, add the vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Spread the frosting into a thin layer on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- While the frosting is in the freezer, make the cookie dough.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Cream together the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. Cream for 2 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the eggs and orange baking emulsion. Mix until well combined.
- Add in the flour and baking powder. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Add the Food coloring a few drops at a time until the dough has reached your desired color.
- Portion out the dough into 1/3 cup portions. Roll the portions into a ball and then press your thumb into the dough to create a deep pocket and arrange on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
- When all of the dough has been prepped, take the frosting out of the freezer and chop the frosting into small pieces.
- Fill each cookie dough ball with pieces of frozen frosting.
- Close up the cookie dough around the frosting and flatten the cookie dough slightly with your hands so it looks like a hockey puck. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake at 350° for 13- 15 minutes. The cookie will flatten and spread slightly, puff up and the center of the cookie will no longer look wet and glossy when they are ready to come out of the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the top of the cookie with melted white chocolate.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.
Tiffany says
What is your trick for making sure the frosting stays creamy in the middle? I made these cookies and the frosting melted out of the cookie and left the inside hollow. The cookies that didn’t spill out just left the inside hollow with some crunch (im assuming it was the frosting that cooled). Mine did not have the nice creamy filling like yours shows in the pictures. Needing help!!!
Karli Bitner says
Hi Tiffany! Was your frosting frozen when you put it in the middle prior to baking?
Stacey Verley says
Hi Karli,
First off, I wanted to say thank you for all your amazing cookie recipes! Everyone I’ve tried have been AWESOME! 2ndly, does it have to be lorann’s brand or will any orange flavoring work?
Thanks again!
Patricia Dalton says
I had the same problem. The frosting was frozen, the only thing I can figure out was that I chilled the dough because I wasn’t quite ready to bake them.
Kristen says
Super easy to follow! I’ve never made buttercream frosting before and it came out amazing!! They taste amazing (and that comes from someone who doesnt care for orange cream, i made these for my bf)!