These cookies were awesome, and pretty easy to make! I had a ton of frosting left over that I could’t think of anything to put on, so I ended up eating the odd spoonful now and then when I had a sweet tooth! I think these cookies are great for any time of year. I got them out of the BHG Christmas Cookies magazine, but I think the blood orange flavor makes these cookies a good fit for summer too. Without further ado:

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tsp finely shredded blood orange peel

1 TBSP blood orange juice (I just zested a couple blood oranges for the peel and then squeezed them for the juice)

1/4 tsp anise extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 recipe Blood Orange Frosting

 

1.) In large mixing bowl/kitchen aid mixer bowl beat your butter on medium/high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt, beating until combined and scraping the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg, blood orange peel, blood orange juice and anise extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with your mixer, blending the rest in with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill about an hour.

2.) Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1inch balls and place 1inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Frost.

Ingredients for Blood Orange Frosting:

1/4 cup softened butter

3 cups powdered sugar

3 TBSP milk

1 TBSP finely shredded blood orange peel

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

Beat butter with electric mixer at medium/high speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in the milk, blood orange peel and vanilla. Beat in the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar. If you need to, add milk 1 tsp at a time until frosting reaches spreading consistency.