Orange Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe
Delight your taste buds with these Orange Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies, featuring a perfect balance of zesty orange, rich dark chocolate, and a hint of cardamom for enhanced citrus notes. These chewy, thick cookies offer a sophisticated twist on a classic treat, ideal for sharing or savoring with a cup of tea.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour chilling
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: About 36-40 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 5⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp kosher sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (optional, for citrus enhancement)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2½ cups packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp orange zest (about 4 large oranges)
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Add-ins and Garnish
- 12 oz orange dark chocolate, chopped (brands like Lindt, Theo, Chocolove recommended)
- 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional, for crunch)
- ½ cup candied orange peel, chopped (optional, for intensified citrus flavor)
- Extra dark chocolate for drizzling (optional)
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, kosher sea salt, and ground cardamom if using. This ensures they are evenly combined and ready to be mixed with the wet ingredients.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the room temperature unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light in color. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add Flavorings and Eggs: Mix in the orange zest and vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to incorporate fully.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can result in dense cookies.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the chopped orange dark chocolate, toasted nuts if using, and candied orange peel if desired, ensuring even distribution without deflating the batter.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This step helps the cookies maintain thickness and enhances the flavors.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion out 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, spacing them adequately on prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers remain soft. Resist the urge to overbake for chewy cookies.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Finish and Garnish: Once cooled, drizzle with melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with flaky sea salt for a gourmet finish.
Notes
- For thicker cookies, do not skip the chilling step; if the kitchen is warm, chill dough for up to 2 hours.
- If substituting orange zest with extract, use 1 tsp of orange oil from baking stores rather than artificial orange extract for best flavor.
- To prevent chocolate chunks from sinking, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet only until just combined to avoid cakey cookies.
- Optional twists: Add 1 tsp ground cardamom, use toasted pecans or walnuts for extra crunch, and include ½ cup candied orange peel for intensified citrus notes.
- Reduce sugar by ¼ cup or swap half the butter for unsweetened applesauce to make a lighter version.
Keywords: orange dark chocolate cookies, chocolate chunk cookies, citrus cookies, orange zest cookies, chocolate chip cookies, baking cookies, homemade cookies, holiday cookies
