Double chocolate orange cookies are rich and chewy and perfect for the holidays. The dough uses double chocolate and double orange ingredients, made with dark chocolate, cocoa powder, orange extract, and orange zest, so they are bursting with the flavors of Christmas.
These orange chocolate chip cookies use a Terry's chocolate orange in either milk or dark chocolate depending on your preference. Each cookie gets topped with a slice of the candy immediately after they bake so the chocolate melts slightly on top. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty bite.
Chocolate and orange is a classic flavor combination, especially around the holiday season. If you love this flavor profile, try this Terry's Chocolate Orange Cake and no-bake chocolate orange cheesecake!
If you're just here for the chocolate cookies, these Dark Chocolate Almond Cookies will satisfy your chocolate dessert craving!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Chocolate orange - This classic flavor combination is great all year round but is perfect around the holidays. This recipe uses cocoa powder, dark chocolate, orange extract, orange zest, and slices of a Terry's chocolate orange to really bring home the chocolate orange flavor.
Easy - This recipe for chocolate chip orange cookies is so simple to make. All you'll need are a few bowls, a hand mixer, and a cookie scoop!
Cookie swap - These cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie swap. They are quick to make but impressive and unique. Everyone will gravitate towards the dark chocolate cookies with the chocolate orange slice on top!
Ingredients
- Orange. One large orange gets zested and rubbed into the granulated sugar to produce the base orange flavor for these chocolate orange cookies.
- Cocoa powder. The recipe calls for dutch-processed cocoa, which is a bit darker in flavor and color than natural cocoa. This can be found in most grocery stores, especially under the Hershey's Special Dark brand.
- Eggs. Only the yolks will be used in this recipe, which produces an ultra-chewy cookie.
- Sugars. Both granulated sugar and brown sugar are used to create the perfect crispy and chewy cookie combination.
- Chocolate. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate gets chopped and added into the cookie dough for extra chocolate flavor.
- Terry's Chocolate Orange. A common treat to receive in the toe of your Christmas stocking, this seasonal candy is the perfect addition to these cookies! Don't worry, if you can't find one, there are additional instructions for how to make the cookies.
- Orange extract. If you're not topping the cookies with chocolate orange slices, you'll want to add a touch of orange extract to bump up the flavor.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute milk or white chocolate chips for the dark chocolate chunks.
- Add chopped candied orange peel to the dough before scooping.
- Mix in chopped candied ginger for added spice.
- For extra crunch, incorporate chopped hazelnuts.
- Add dried cranberries for an added fruity chew.
- Add up to ½ teaspoon of cardamom for a nice, unique flavor pairing.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Rub the orange zest together with the granulated sugar (use your fingertips) until very fragrant and orange.
Two: Cream together the butter and both sugars until very smooth.
Three: Add the egg yolks and beat to combine.
Four: Whisk together the dry ingredients until smooth. Sift if there are large chunks.
Five: Add the dry ingredients and mix until halfway combined.
Six: Add the chopped chocolate and finish folding the cookie dough together by hand, getting all of the flour from the sides.
Seven: Scoop the dough on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Cover (or put into a zip top bag) and refrigerate for 3 hours - 3 days.
Eight: Bake until set around the edges, then immediately top with a slice of Terry's Chocolate Orange and flaky sea salt.
Hot tip! These cookies bake up best after 8-12 hours in the fridge to allow the dough to fully hydrate.
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Expert Tips
- This dough requires chill time for the cocoa powder to hydrate, so don't skip this step! You can chill the dough overnight and bake the next day.
- Use room temperature ingredients so they incorporate easily.
- Measure the flour with a digital scale or use the fluff, scoop, and level method for best results.
- Rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingers until the mixture turns very orange for the best flavor.
- Scoot the cookies using a biscuit cutter immediately after baking so they turn out perfectly round.
Recipe FAQs
During the holidays, grocery stores typically carry them, or you can purchase them on online retailers such as Amazon.
Adding too much flour will prevent the cookies from spreading and will make the cookies hard. Be sure to measure the flour accurately with a kitchen scale or using the fluff, scoop, and level method.
Yes, it's very important to let this dough chill for at least 3 hours, and overnight is best. This allows the dough to hydrate. If the dough is not chilled, it will result in very thin cookies.
Storage
Pre-baked: Store the cookie dough balls in an airtight container in the fridge for three days. Bake from the fridge according to the recipe instructions.
Frozen:Freeze the cookie dough balls in an airtight container for up to two months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
Baked: In a sealed container at room temperature for up to four days.
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📖Recipe
Dark Chocolate Orange Cookies
Equipment
- Microplane or zester
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- 2 large baking sheets
Ingredients
- 1 orange zested
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- ½ teaspoon orange extract see notes section
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 4 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate chopped and divided (4oz)
- 1 Terry’s Chocolate Orange optional
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Zest a full orange (only getting the orange parts) then rub the zest into the granulated sugar using your fingertips until very orange and fragrant.1 orange zested, ½ cup granulated sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and orange sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides at halfway and at the end.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar
- Note: it’s important to cream the butter and sugars for the whole time to dissolve the sugar as best as possible.
- *Add the egg yolks and beat for another two minutes, then scrape down the sides.2 large egg yolks
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, and add to the creamed ingredients, mixing until halfway combined.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup dutch process cocoa powder
- Add the chopped chocolate (reserving about ¼ cup), then finish mixing by hand.4 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop all of the dough onto a small cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Flash freeze for 15 minutes, then wrap the entire tray tightly in plastic wrap (or transfer to a zip top bag) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃ and add 6 cookies to a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges look set, but still look gooey in the centers. Scoot the cookies to make them round, then top with a slice of Terry’s Chocolate Orange and flaky sea salt.1 Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Flaky sea salt
- Note: if not using chocolate orange slices, sprinkle on the extra chopped chocolate.
- Cool on the pan for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Pre-baked: Store the cookie dough balls in an airtight container in the fridge for three days. Bake from the fridge according to the recipe instructions.
- Frozen: Freeze the cookie dough balls in an airtight container for up to two months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
- Baked: In a sealed container at room temperature for up to four days.
Pamela Wenner
Yes Callan is my daughter in law and I may be a bit partial but everything this lady cooks/bakes or creates is 5 star in my book including these delicious dark chocolate orange cookies. They combine two of my favorite ingredients - dark chocolate and fruit. They look like a 5 star bakery creation but are so simple to make at home! Rich w/dark chocolate with a hint of orange - not too sweet so you can taste the full flavor of the chocolate and orange - SOOOOO GOOD!