I remember Grandma Decker making these orange-flavored cookies when I was a kid. They were a real treat, especially since my mom didn’t make these very often. I remember when I was growing up that Mom would make these and then say they didn’t turn out like her mother’s did, not that I could tell any difference, but after a while she didn’t make these any more.

I was talking to her about this recipe the other day, and she said she hadn’t made them in years. I decided that if I could pull off the recipe, it would be a nice surprise for her this Christmas. These are a soft cookie, and the flavors develop nicely after the glaze has time to soak into the cookie. Final verdict after taste testing – they’re just like Grandma used to make 🙂

Grandma’s Orange Delight Cookies

For the Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour milk (1/2 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the Glaze:

1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar

Cream together shortening and sugar until combined. Add eggs, vanilla and grated orange rind, and beat until the mixture is smooth. Dissolve the baking soda in the sour milk, and add milk mixture to the batter. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt to the batter, and mix until well combined.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes. (Mine took 10 minutes.)

While the cookies are baking, combine all the glaze ingredients and set aside.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and while hot, spread the glaze on the cookies. The glaze makes a thin sugary coating over the cookies and must be put on the cookies as soon as they are removed from the oven.