Nice & Naughty Recipe

Bring butter to room temperature

If butter is cold, cut into small cubes and let sit 20–30 minutes until soft but not melted.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Mix in the ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, and the finely grated orange zest. Beat for 10–15 seconds until the spices are evenly distributed and the mixture smells fragrant.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt until uniformly combined.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet spice-butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix; stop when there are no visible streaks of flour. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky but manageable.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 3–4 times to bring it together. Flatten into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) — chilling firms the dough and intensifies the spice flavors.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

If using the optional Naughty Crunch: combine the chopped toasted pecans and demerara sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let sit 5 minutes to soften slightly for easier rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2.5–3 inch round cookie cutter (or desired shape) to cut cookies, re-rolling scraps once.

Place cut cookies onto prepared baking sheets 1.5–2 inches apart. If using the Naughty Crunch, gently press the top of each cookie into the pecan-sugar mixture to adhere a light layer of crunch to the tops.

Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through for even browning. The edges should be lightly golden and centers set but still soft.

Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes) before glazing.

While cookies cool, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with fresh orange juice and fresh lemon juice until smooth and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add orange juice by 1/4 teaspoon increments. Stir in the melted butter for sheen and a slightly richer mouthfeel.

Once cookies are completely cool, place them on a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment to catch drips. Spoon or drizzle about 1 teaspoon of glaze over each cookie, allowing some to run slightly over the edges for a delicate finish.

Immediately sprinkle the fine orange zest over the wet glaze for bright citrus aroma. If using the Naughty Crunch on some cookies instead, you can glaze only half and leave the others with the nut-sugar top for contrast.

Let the glaze set at room temperature for at least 20–30 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days (separate layers with parchment).