Orange Poppy Seed Drops is a tender rounds have the fresh, citrusy flavor of orange and the crunch of poppy seeds. Their small size makes them rather addictive, as does the pinch of orange sugar on top. Store poppy seeds in the freezer, because they go rancid if left too long at room temperature.

Ingredients 

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

¼ teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted

butter, softened

½ cup sugar, plus 1⁄3 cup for

making the orange sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons finely grated orange

zest, plus 1½ teaspoons for

making the orange sugar (from

about 1 large orange

Method 

PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

WHISK together the flour, poppy seeds, and salt in a medium bowl.

USING an electric mixer, beat the butter and ½ cup of the sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the egg yolks. Mix in the vanilla and 2 teaspoons of the orange zest. With the beaters on low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, work the dough into a ball.

TO MAKE the orange sugar: Whisk the remaining 1⁄3 cup of sugar and 1½ teaspoons of orange zest in a small bowl.

PINCH off small clumps of dough and roll into balls between ¾ and 1 inch in diameter. Place on the prepared sheets, arranging them about 1½ inches apart. Press down on the balls with your fingers to form rounds that are a scant ½ inch thick. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon of orange sugar onto the top of each round, pressing down gently so the sugar adheres.

BAKE for about 13 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, or until the edges are golden and the tops feel mostly firm. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

STORE, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

MAKES ABOUT 55 COOKIES