# Adding flavourings to sugar cookies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429 "2014-10-05T01:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/1 "2014-10-05T01:48:32Z")
I like to make sugar cookies, and next time I’d like to try something a little different. I’d like to try adding orange extract and lemon extract. How much of each should I put in? I was thinking of trying maybe a teaspoon of the orange and half a teaspoon of the lemon. Could I add a bit more flour to make the dough mixture a bit less liquidy? The recipe calls for the following ingredients in the following proportions: 1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 1/2 cups flour (or a little more), 2 teaspoons baking powder, pinch of salt. Would I need to alter these proportions if I added the orange and lemon flavourings? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/2 "2014-10-05T02:33:04Z")
I’ve never tried it in sugar cookies, but I’ve replaced vanilla with flavored liquors in other recipes. I like to use cherry brandy or a raspberry liquor in chocolate cake recipes. A tsp is enough to add flavor for my three layer cake recipe. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/3 "2014-10-05T02:46:46Z")
I have mixed lemonade into sugar cookie dough - the powdered kind. I have no idea what proportions I used - I generally taste the dough and see if it tastes good. Ill have to try lemon extract and orange extract - I am sure that will be awesome! THe lemonade cookies were a hit, though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/4 "2014-10-05T03:13:42Z")
When I make sugar cookies for work(I’m a baker IRL) I use almond flavoring. I also use almond flavor in the icing that goes on the cookies. For every pound of powdered sugar I use about two teaspoons of almond flavor, and mix in enough milk or cream to make it thin and spreadable. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/5 "2014-10-05T03:23:52Z")
My suggestion (based on a recipe I once made) was to tell you to just zest the orange or lemon and use that. You’ll get plenty of flavor out of it (and some color). You could also just get extracts, again plenty of flavor, no extra liquid. For lemon, you could pick up some [True Lemon](https://www.truelemon.com/store-locator), but I wouldn’t bother with it. But instead, I’ll just link to the recipe I made and you can get use it as a jumping off point to get your measurements. > **[margarita cookies](https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/04/margarita-cookies/)** > > In a cruel, cruel world, we’d have to choose between a cocktail and a cookie, but never in the Smitten Kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/6 "2014-10-05T12:14:32Z")
Thanks for the responses! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/7 "2014-10-05T18:29:17Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > When I make sugar cookies for work(I’m a baker IRL) I use almond flavoring. I also use almond flavor in the icing that goes on the cookies. For every pound of powdered sugar I use about two teaspoons of almond flavor, and mix in enough milk or cream to make it thin and spreadable. I love almond flavouring but I think I’ll leave it out this time because potential customers might have nut allergies. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/8 "2014-10-05T19:13:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Baker > When I make sugar cookies for work(I’m a baker IRL) I use almond flavoring. I also use almond flavor in the icing that goes on the cookies. For every pound of powdered sugar I use about two teaspoons of almond flavor, and mix in enough milk or cream to make it thin and spreadable. > [@EmilyG](#): > > I love almond flavouring but I think I’ll leave it out this time because potential customers might have nut allergies. On behalf of all tree nut allergy sufferers, I thank you. Even baked goods that seem like they should be safe, like sugar cookies, so often aren’t. Eating anything that you haven’t made yourself is like a game of Russian Roulette when you have serious food allergies. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/9 "2014-10-06T21:59:13Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > On behalf of all tree nut allergy sufferers, I thank you. Even baked goods that seem like they should be safe, like sugar cookies, so often aren’t. Eating anything that you haven’t made yourself is like a game of Russian Roulette when you have serious food allergies. It’s nice to know that my nut-avoiding baking is appreciated. I made some sugar cookie dough today, and I put too much flavouring in at first. A whole teaspoon of orange extract, half a teaspoon of lemon and about half of vanilla. So I tried again with some new dough, adding half a teaspoon of vanilla, about half of orange, and only a tiny bit of lemon. The dough had a somewhat strong orangey flavour, and the flavour was less pronounced in the baked cookies. I think tomorrow I’ll have some friends taste the cookies and see how they like them. If the cookies are generally liked, I can start making them for bake sales. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/10 "2014-10-07T07:28:58Z")
Emily, I seriously think you should send ME some samples of your modified sugar cookies to test. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-flavourings-to-sugar-cookies/700429/11 "2014-10-07T17:17:31Z")
For baking purposes, I’ve found [True Lemon](http://www.truelemon.com) products to be really nice since they bring flavor without messing with the texture. It’s just crystallized citrus juice! (Disclaimer: I’m not associated with the company in any way.)