Spiced Citrus Holiday Cookies
One of the winners of our 2025 Employee Holiday Recipe Contest, Erin Berg, a Lab Technician at our Keaʻau refinery, says this about her cookies, "These tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy cookies are inspired by pomanders, a festive scented decoration made by pushing whole cloves into orange rinds. Using Maiden Hawaii Sunflower Oil keeps these cookies moist and tender even after cooling, and the infusion can be prepared ahead of time to use later whenever you want a flavorful addition to your cooking!"
Ingredients (makes approximately 2 dozen):
- ¼ Cup of Maiden Hawaii Sunflower Oil
- Zest of one orange
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 Tsp Cloves
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp Ginger (powdered or fresh)
- 1½ Cup Granulated sugar (plus more for dusting)
- 1 Tbsp of orange juice
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Tsp of Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 2¼ Cup of All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of baking soda
Instructions:
- In a saucepan mix the oil with orange zest, lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Heat on low for one hour to infuse the oil with the citrus and spices. Set aside to cool. (Optional: Strain out the zest with a coffee filter if you want a more uniform texture)
- In a separate bowl mix together the granulated sugar and orange juice until the juice is fully saturated. Pour in the infused oil slowly before adding the vanilla extract and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
- Slowly fold in the salt, flour, and baking soda. Mix until the dough is smooth and there are no lumps.
- Cover the dough and let sit for a minimum of thirty minutes in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cookie sheets.
- In a separate bowl or mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon (I used roughly a 4:1 ratio but adjust to your personal tastes). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape into small balls. Dust each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops look slightly crinkly. Allow to cool before serving and enjoy!
