Chocolate Orange Cookies

There are a lot of amazing flavors that pair perfectly with chocolate, but one of my favorites is orange. That's how this Chocolate Orange Layer Cake and this Chocolate Orange Pudding were born. It's also why I decided we needed a cookie version of this classic combo, leading to the creation of these Chocolate Orange Cookies!

These Chocolate Orange Cookies are fudgy and rich, but the hint of orange gives them a refreshing zesty flavor. Rolling them in sugar and more orange zest gives them a nice, subtle crunch, which works great with their soft centers.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED.

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that your butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
  • Eggs: You want to make sure that your eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

Now let's bake! Get started by preheating your oven to 350º F. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and melted chocolate on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time and mix until combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Place the bowl of dough in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and sugar until combined. Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, form cookies into balls and place each cookie on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Once all cookies have been formed, roll each in the orange sugar mixture and place them back on the parchment a few inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are firm around the edges and slightly puffed in the middle.

Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully moving them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

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