Orange Creamsicle Cookies

A dear friend of mine came over today for lunch and cookbook browsing. She brought a delicious cauliflower chowder and I made Garlic Knots for dipping in the soup and these Orange Creamsicle Cookies. The food was delicious and we had a fabulous time!

These Orange Creamsicle Cookies were inspired by the Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies I found at Espresso and Cream and made just before Valentine's Day. The strawberry version of these cookies were to die for and I immediately wanted to try an orange version. I imagined the cream cheese frosting when paired with an orange cookie would taste just like a creamsicle!

These cookies were almost as good as I imagined. I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Orange Supreme Cake Mix as the base for these cookies. The resulting cookie was a little more tart than I was imagining, but still really yummy! I think I preferred the strawberry version of these cookies a bit more than the orange but they were still delicious and I'm curious to try more variations. These are a easy treat to throw together and look super cute when decorated with sprinkles, colorful sugar, or edible pearls. With so many cake mix flavors available, the combinations for these cookies are pretty limitless.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies
inspired by and adapted from Espresso and Cream
makes ~2 dozen cookies

For the cookies:
1 box of Duncan Hines Orange Supreme Cake Mix
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Sift the cake mix into a large bowl. Add the lightly beaten egg, oil and water; stir by hand until the ingredients are evenly combined. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll between your hands to make a smooth ball. Set on a baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten the tops of the cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly cracked and very lightly golden around the edges. Be careful not to over bake. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:
8 oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon orange bakery emulsion (optional)
sprinkles for decorating (optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add vanilla extract, orange bakery emulsion, if using, and milk. Beat until fully incorporated and frosting is smooth.

Using an offset spatula or a knife, spread frosting on top of cooled cookies. Immediately garnish with sprinkles. Frosting will be very soft at first, but will set up slightly (enough so that cookies may be lightly stacked) in a few hours. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for a few days.