Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, then blend in the vanilla extract.

Fold in the orange zest until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually mix this into the wet batter.

Drop generous portions of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers are slightly underbaked.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

For the optional glaze, whisk together confectioner’s sugar and a splash of orange juice and drizzle over cookies once cooled.