Clementine Sugar Cookies

I've discovered that cookie lovers usually lean one way or the other in their preference for soft and chewy or crunchy cookies.  I like  soft and chewy cookies the best, as evidenced by my recipe file, but am willing to taste test all kinds of cookies, in the event that I might change my mind.  It's a sacrifice, I know, but I'm willing to make it.  

I have a favorite sugar cookie recipe that I blogged about here, and I use it whenever I want to make cut out shapes, like Christmas or Valentine's Day.  Those cookies can go either way, crunchy or chewy, depending on how long you bake them.  I usually under bake them a bit, because, you know, I like them chewy. 

Sometimes you want a sugar cookie that's fast and easy.  No rolling or cutting, just dropping on a sheet and being done with it.  This is that cookie.   But don't let the ease by which these are made fool you into thinking they're just a plain old sugar cookie, because they're definitely not.  These are made with clementines and that makes all the difference.  I've been buying these little gems by the bagfuls and they're tasty all by themselves for sure, but baking with them, I've found out is a good idea too!  These cookies are soft and chewy, coated in sugar, with an aftertaste of fresh citrus.  Doesn't that sound good?   Try them.  I think you'll like them. 

The first thing I do is zest my clementines, 

then I juice them.  

In a bowl, I mixed up the dry ingredients.

The softened butter and sugar go into the stand mixer.

After creaming the sugar and butter, I added an egg, the zest, a little orange extract and the clementine juice.  When that was blended well, I slowly added the dry ingredients.  

Using a small scoop, I made little balls of dough,

and dropped them into a small bowl of sugar, where I rolled them around until they were coated.

On to the cookie sheet they went and were baked for eight minutes.

Soft, chewy, awesomesomeness.  I've made way too many of these lately, but no one seems to mind when I send them off with a bag of cookies.  They freeze well too, and it's nice to have a little treat tucked away for that moment when you need a baked good to take some where or just want a cookie for yourself.  What's your favorite cookie?  Crunchy or chewy?    

Clementine Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups unbleached plain flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 t. orange extract

1 t. clementine zest

2 T. clementine juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt

in a bowl.  In stand mixer beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Mix in egg,

orange extract, zest and juice.  Stir in flour mixture.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll

balls in sugar.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Let cool on

baking sheet one to two minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack.