Winter is citrus season, so let these orange-infused cookies snap you out of any seasonal doldrums and brighten your day. This recipe is inspired by a favorite orange olive oil cake that is made with polenta. Olive oil replaces butter in the cookie dough, which results in a soft and chewy cookie, mildly redolent with the oil. Stoneground cornmeal is added to the flour mix to deliver satisfying crunch to every bite without compromising the cookie’s delicate texture.
These cookies are light and delicate. Do not skimp on the orange zest, which should ripple throughout the cookie. Use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil with a mild flavor—nothing too grassy or peppery—so the oil will gently perfume the cookies without overwhelming them. Bake the cookies until set and the tops are crinkled, but without coloring. The texture of the cookie will be soft and chewy with a firm exterior. Resist baking them until golden, which will result in a crunchy cookie with a toasty flavor that (while pleasant) will overpower the fragrance of the orange and olive oil.
