Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

If you like the chocolate orange combination, you’ll love these deliciously crunchy and easy to make chocolate orange shortbread cookies.

Today I share my easy and quick orange-flavored chocolate cookies. Even if you are not a fan of the orange-chocolate combo, you’ll probably love these delicious cookies just like my sister.

The other versions of these cookies are Easy Cinnamon Cookies, Vanilla Shortbread Cookies and Almond Shortbread Cookies.  I dip vanilla cookies into white chocolate which makes these cookies even more delicious and my almond shortbread cookies to semisweet chocolate. All the versions of these cookies are perfect for holiday baking.  They are all easy, yummy and quick recipes. 

I make these chocolate orange slice and bake cookies with a mixer.  If you don’t want to use a mixer and don’t want to make them as slice and bake, you can check my Almond Shortbread Cookies or Easy Cinnamon Cookies for the no-mixer method.

If you love chocolate-orange recipes, you may want to check my delicious Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Peel post. 

The Ingredients for Chocolate Orange Cookies

• All-purpose flour-gives the structure
• Cocoa powder-gives the rich chocolate flavor
• Butter-I use unsalted butter.  
• Granulated sugar
• Orange zest-I use 4 tablespoons in the cookies to give both the orange flavor and sprinkle some more over the melted chocolate.  
• Melted chocolate-I dip the cookies into chocolate once they are cool which makes these cookies extra delicious. 

How to Store Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

You can store these cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 7 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Do You Want To Make These Cookies Ahead?

You can make these slice and bake cookies ahead. After you make the log, you can keep the cookie dough in the fridge up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Make Slice-and Bake Shortbread Cookies

First, I place the flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and mix. I set aside the bowl.

Next, I  put the orange zest into my mixing bowl and add the sugar.  Then I mix them to bring the orange flavor out. You can either rub them with your fingertips or mix them with a fork.

Later I add the cubed butter and mix with a paddle attachment until creamy.  After creaming, I add in the cocoa-flour mixture and mix well. I stop the machine and scrape the sides of the bowl when needed to mix them thoroughly.

Then, I divide the dough in half.  I put half of the dough on a plastic film and give a rectangular shape.  Next, I cover it with plastic film and roll out the dough into 6 inch (15 cm) long logs.  Later I repeat the same steps for the other half.  

I keep them in the freezer for 40-60 minutes until they are firm.  If you want to keep them in the fridge, you need to wait 4-5 hours until they are firm.  After I take them from the freezer, I cut them into 0.4 inch (1cm) thick slices.

Then I place the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.  The top of the cookies will be slightly soft. I remove the cookies from the oven and keep them on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.  The cookies will be crunchy and firm up as they cool.    

I either melt chocolate over a bain-marie or in the oven.  Today I use the oven method.

When the cookies are almost cool, I put the chopped chocolate into a heat-proof dish and place it into the preheated oven(210°F (100°C)).  I check the oven and stir the chocolate as it starts to melt.  I repeat melting/stirring steps until the chocolate totally melts.

If you want to melt over bain-marie, place the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl that sits over a pan of simmering water. Stir often until the chocolate melts.

Finally, I dip the cooled cookies into the melted chocolate and I sprinkle orange zest over the chocolate.

Enjoy your delicious chocolate dipped cookies!

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

If you like orange and chocolate together, you'll love these crunchy chocolate orange shortbread cookies.

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Course: Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Servings: 30 cookies

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Meymi

Ingredients

• ▢ 245 g (1 and ¾ cup) all-purpose flour (dip and sweep)*
• ▢ 35 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder
• ▢ 105 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• ▢ 185 g (¾ cup and 1 tablespoon) butter, at room temperature
• ▢ 24 g (4 tablespoons) orange zest

coating

• ▢ 150 g (5 oz) semi sweet chocolate, chopped
• ▢ orange zest

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Instructions

• Combine flour and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.
• Place the peels into a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Rub them with your fingertips or mix them with a fork to bring the orange flavor out.
• Add the butter and beat on medium speed until the mixture is creamy with a hand-held mixer or with paddle attachment if using a stand-mixer. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula when needed to be sure they are all mixed.
• Add in the flour-cocoa mixture in 2 batches and mix until totally incorporated.
• Divide the dough in half and place each on a plastic film. Give a rectangular shape to each and cover with plastic film. Start to roll the doughs into approximately 6 inches (15 cm) long logs. Keep them in the freezer for almost 40 minutes, or 4-5 hours in the fridge until they are firm enough.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F(177C°). Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
• Take the doughs from the freezer/refrigerator and cut the logs into 0.4inch(1cm)thick slices. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes until the edges slightly change color.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet. When you remove the cookies, the top of the cookies will be soft. They will firm up and be crunchy as they cool.
• Melt the chocolate over bain-marie. Place the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl that sits over a pan of simmering water. Stir often until the chocolate melts. Melt the chocolate in the preheated oven at 210F(100C): Place the chopped chocolate into an ovenproof dish. When the chocolate starts melting, stir the chocolate.  Continue melting-stirring steps until the chocolate melts.
• Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle orange zest over the chocolate.

Notes

*You can click here for dip and sweep method if you use cup measurements.

How to Store Cookies:  You can store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 7 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Make These Cookies Ahead:  After you make the log, you can keep the cookie dough in the fridge up to 3 days and in the freezer up to 3 months. 

The calorie information above is an estimate that is provided by an online nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal

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Update Notes:  I originally shared this recipe on March 16, 2017.  Today I republish it with extra information.   I keep the recipe and pictures the same.