Recipe Background
March Madness® Cookies blend citrus and Champagne for an elegant game-time treat.
The magic of these cookies began in a quirky corner of my college dorm. Our hall was infamous for hosting impromptu basketball viewing parties whenever March Madness rolled around. On one particularly electrifying weekend, I decided to whip up a treat that echoed the celebratory yet chaotic spirit of those nights. With a roommate armed with a mixer and my knack for experimentation, we crafted these cookies. We lounged around our tiny shared space, letting the clatter of enthusiastic basketball fans outside our door set the beat for our baking frenzy.
We started with softened butter and piled it high with confectioners' sugar, beating until it was as fluffy as a cloud. Someone had squeezed fresh orange juice, so naturally, we added a splash along with some effervescent champagne—because why not toast to a bit of extra flair. Orange zest mingled with the scent of flour as the cookies took shape. As the aroma filled the room, it became apparent that these cookies were as much a slice of nostalgia as they were a treat for the senses.
A tip from that epic baking venture: always let the cookies cool on the pan for those few extra minutes to ensure they hold their delicate structure. As I dusted them with more confectioners' sugar, it seemed like the perfect fluffy layer to match the drama of the games on TV. Now, every time I pipe out those crisp, cheerful rounds, I’m drawn back to that dorm, the echo of cheering friends, and the sweet victory of a well-loved recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar plus more, to taste, for topping
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup Champagne
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two 18x26-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the butter, 1 1/4 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the orange zest, and the salt and, using an electric hand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add the orange juice and the Champagne and stir to combine.
- Add the flour and the juice-Champagne mixture to the butter mixture, adding a little at a time and alternating between the two, and beating after each addition.
- Add the cookie dough to a pastry bag with a star tip.
- Pipe the dough in 2-inch circles about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until the edges of the cookies are set, about 10-12 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
- Serve dusted with the extra confectioners' sugar.
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