TASTE OF CHILDHOOD
Nostalgia is a powerful thing, especially in food. It makes me want to eat what I ate growing up, and it even makes me want to eat things that merely remind me of growing up.
This might explain why I was drawn to these Creamy Orange Cookies, which cookbook author Megan Porta said were inspired by Creamsicles. I could practically feel the summer sun beating down on me at my childhood pool when I saw the recipe.
I was skeptical before I baked them, but these soft and chewy cookies are a pretty fine ringer for the essence of the frozen treat. Except, of course, the flavours are brighter, cleaner and, yeah, a bit more adult.
A piece of advice: do not disregard the recommended 2 inches of space between mounds of dough. The cookies do spread a lot (the degree can vary in the same batch or even on the same baking sheet), so unless you enjoy cookies that run into each other, be sure you allow enough room. That means baking multiple batches.
If you have to reuse baking sheets, be sure to let them cool completely, which takes 10 to 12 minutes. I’d also suggest using a fresh piece of parchment paper for each batch, as reusing greasy parchment can cause additional cookie spread.
Position racks in the upper and lower parts of the oven; preheat to 350 F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. (If you have one or two baking sheets, bake in batches and allow each pan to cool for at least 10 minutes before the next use; also, line with fresh parchment paper.)
Combine the butter, sugar, sour cream, heavy whipping cream and orange juice in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for about two minutes, until creamy and free of lumps. Add the orange zest and beat on low speed, just until evenly distributed. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder; begin mixing on low speed and then increase to medium speed and beat just until incorporated, to form a soft, relatively sticky dough. Reduce the speed to low; add the white chocolate chips and beat until incorporated.
Use a disher (maybe a #40) or two large tableware spoons to drop mounds of about 1½ tablespoons’ worth of dough on the baking sheets, spacing the mounds at least two inches apart. (The spacing is important, as these cookies tend to spread.)
Bake (upper and lower racks for multiple baking sheets; reposition for middle rack when baking one sheet at a time) for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the bottom edges, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through.
Let cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Per serving: 160 calories; 7 grams fat (5 g saturated fat); 15 milligrams cholesterol; 65 mg sodium; 23 g carbohydrates; 0 g fibre; 14 g sugar; 1 g protein.
Adapted from “Cookie Remix: An Incredible Collection of Treats Inspired by Sodas, Candies, Ice Creams, Donuts and More,” by Megan Porta (Page Street Publishing, 2018).