Orange Crisps are an Afternoon Tea treat from the time that the sun never went down on the British Empire. They have a rich history, but the most important thing you need to know is … this the recipe for THE BEST COOKIE you will likely ever eat!
Why Oranges?
Oranges were exotic. Originally a fruit from China, oranges grew to symbolize wealth in Europe. As you see portraits of Europeans during colonial times, look for oranges painted into the portraits. You may be surprised by how many you find.
Oranges were quite the status symbol. Only the wealthiest could afford them, so sharing them at your Afternoon Tea was quite a statement.
I am certain that great care was taken to formulate the best possible way to showcase the oranges. We benefit from that diligence today, as it forms the foundation of THE BEST COOKIE recipe.
Thankfully, oranges are in abundance now, and we can all enjoy the luxury of this little English Biscuit, which is THE BEST COOKIE you will likely ever taste.
But the cookie is so tender, why is it called a ‘Crisp’?
Much like oranges, sugar was also an exclusive, expensive ingredient. These biscuits cover the top with sugar and let it bake down into a glorious candied crisp top.
You will enjoy the crunch as you bite through the crisp sugar top and delight as the texture immediately becomes so tender it nearly melts as you taste it. The contrast is remarkable. This texture and the enjoyment of the bite is one reason why this is the best cookie.
THE Best Cookie Recipe
This recipe uses homemade Candied Orange Peel, which is spectacular. The original Orange Crisps used fresh orange zest and juice. Simply replace the peel and syrup for zest and juice and you will have a sparkly, orange flavor that will blow your mind.
Both versions would rival for the title of THE Best Cookie. The candied orange peel version has an edge, due to the flavor burst of the orange peel pieces inside the cookie. Try both and you decide.
THE Best Cookie: Orange Peel Candied Crisp. quick and easy
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar, granulated or caster
- 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder if using self-rising flour, do not add baking powder
- ⅓ cup candided peel, orange, lemon or lime or substitute zest of one orange, lemon or lime
- ¼ cup syrup from candied peel or substitute juice from 1 lemon, 1 lime or ½ orange
- 1 large egg separate yolk and egg white
- ½ cup sugar, granulated or caster for dredging
- flour, for rolling out
Instructions
- Prepare
- Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C
- Grease two baking sheets
Make the cookie dough
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color
- Add all purpose flour and baking powder, sifted (alternatively add sifted self rising flour)
- Add candied citrus peel and syrup (or zest and juice)
- Add the egg yolk (reserve the white in a bowl or ramekin for dredging)
- Mix thoroughly and until it forms a thick paste. It will have a sandy texture for a while but keep mixing until the dough is sticky and holds together
- Roll out the cookie dough
- Knead until it holds together in one ball
- On a lightly floured surface and with a floured rolling pin, out to just under ¼ inch (½ cm)
- Cut into 2½ inch (6 cm) round cookies (size of a biscuit/scone cutter)
- Take extra dough and roll out again to cut more cookies out, until dough is used
- Dredge the cookies in egg white and sugar to form the sugar crunch topping
- Coat the top of the cut, raw cookie dough with the egg white (brush with pastry brush or dip carefully to only cover the top)
- Fling the cookie, egg white side down, into the sugar dredge, to embed the sugar into the top of the cookie. Rub the cookie around in the sugar lightly to ensure the top is fully coated with sugar
- Place on greased baking sheets, with at least ½ inch (1 cm) in between each cookie
- Bake, Rest and Cool
- Once all the cookies are on the baking sheets, bake for 10 minutes until slightly golden edges appear. The top will remain pale
- Remove them from the oven. Keep the cookies undisturbed on the baking trays and allow them to rest 5 minutes
- Place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature
Serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Homemade Orange Peel
Perhaps you don’t have glazed or candied orange peel already in your regular pantry. You are not alone. But once you have them, you will tuck them into so many recipes.
They brighten sweet recipes like fudge, cakes, muffins, scones, ice creams. Add them to anything you may think to put chocolate chips or nuts in.
Savory food also is enhanced by Orange Peel. Add a glorious sweet kick to saucy or stir fried Chinese food. Dice them up and add to a chicken sauce or ham glaze. And don’t forget to put a slice in your water or in a glamorous cocktail, sangria, white wine or champagne for extra flavor.
My recipe for homemade Candied Orange (or Lemon or Lime) Peel is also shared below. Try it once and I bet you’ll add it as a pantry staple from here onwards.
Candied Citrus Peel – Orange, Lemon, Lime
Equipment
Ingredients
Orange Peel
- 5 medium Oranges (or 3 large American Oranges)
- 1½ cups sugar, granulated or caster
- 2 cups still mineral water orange flavored is nice
- 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier (optional) Other orange flavored liqueur will also work nicely
- 1 Tbsp honey (prefer orange blossom or mild honey) can be replaced by Glucose Syrup or Light Corn Syrup
Lemon or Lime Peel
- 5 medium Lemons or Limes (or 4 large Lemons)
- 1¼ cups sugar, granulated or caster
- 2 cups still mineral water citrus flavored is nice
- 1 Tbsp Lemoncello (optional)
- 1 Tbsp honey (prefer orange blossom or mild honey) can be replaced by Glucose Syrup or Light Corn Syrup
Key Lime
- 20 Key Limes
- 1¼ cups sugar, granulated or caster
- 2 cups still mineral water key lime flavored is nice
- 1 Tbsp Key Lime Juice (optional)
- 1 Tbsp honey (prefer orange blossom or mild honey) can be replaced by Glucose Syrup or Light Corn Syrup
Sugar Coating
- 1 cup sugar, coarse or granulated
- 1 tsp cinnamon, ground (for orange peel only)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar (optional)
Instructions
Prepare and Cook the Peel
- Bring large saucepan of water to a rolling boil
- Cut Citrus Fruit Peel to include all the peel, all the white pith and nice sliver of fruit (about thickness of white pith). Cut to ¼ inch (½ cm) wide strips – can be larger if desired, but keep all of them the same size.For Key Limes, simply cut them into 6 to 8 segments including all peel, pith and fruit
- Put peel into the boiling water. Blanch by cooking for 1 minute, removing it from the boiling water to cool.
- Add fresh water to sauce pan, bring to a boil.
- Repeat blanching the peel (cooking for 1 minute in boiling water, and boiling fresh water) so oranges or limes are cooked a total of 3 times. Lemons a total of 4 times.This is very important to use fresh water each time, as each cooking removes bitterness from the pith and allows the citrus flavor to shine brighter.
Make the syrup
- Combine sugar and mineral water in clean large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, dissolving all the sugar.
- Add Grand Marnier/Lemoncello/Key Lime Juice, if desired, for extra flavor.
- Add all the peel. Boil for 2 minutes.
- Stir in honey.
- Have canning jars waiting on wire rack. Pour syrup and peel equally into your canning jars. Let sit to cool completely before sealing.
- Store in refridgerator for up to two months or use wet canning method to preserve for longer. Can store peel in syrup (recommended since there are so many uses for the syrup and peel) and divide out some peel to candy further in sugar coating and kept separately.
Sugar Coat
- Drain the peel on wire rack for at least 1 hour until sticky.
- Pour sugar into a layer on a shallow baking pan. For Orange peel, combine and whisk together sugar and cinnamon first before layering out on baking pan. Put the peel on top of the sugar and toss gently to coat on all sides of the peel.
- Store sugar coated candied peel for 2 months in air-tight container.
Wet Canning for Peel in Sugar, OPTIONAL to preserve peel for up to 18 months
- Sterilize jars by placing clean jars in simmering water and cooking for 10 minutes. Or in hot dishwasher. Keep jars warm until ready to fill.
- Simmer new lids in small saucepan for 10 minutes to activate seal. Do not boil, keep at simmer 180 F / 85 C
- Fill jars with syrup and peel, per directions in recipe above. No need to cool them at this stage; move onto wet canning process. Ensure no air bubbles. Wipe rim to ensure air-tight, clean seal.
- Place lids and bands on jars to a gentle hand tighten.
- Boil water in deep pan with wire rack at the bottom. Water should be deep enough to cover the canning jars by 1-2 inches (3-5 cm).
- Use canning tongs to carefully place sealed jars into boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes for small jars, 15 minutes for medium to large jars.
- Carefully remove the jars from the boiling water with canning tongs. Allow to cool on wire rack for 24 hours. Lid should not "pop" up – if it does keep it in refridgerator up to 2 months or freeze for up to 1 year. All sealed jars are sterile and can be stored long term.
Notes
Use flavored syrup in recipes instead of citrus juice. Delicious!
Can store sugar coated separately in a jar.
Nutrition
What’s Next?
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