Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies combine tangy orange and rich chocolate perfectly—a Christmas treat that you can also enjoy all year round! The buttery cookie base is infused with orange juice and orange zest to make it sweet and soft. Big chocolate chunks are studded throughout the cookie, then a few flakes of sea salt on top bring all of the flavors together. These will be a huge hit at your holiday cookie exchange!
Since it’s the holidays I decided to make one of my very favorite cookie recipes, these Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt. I have a weakness for the chocolate and orange combination and I wish there were more of it around.
I mean the chocolate oranges at Christmas time and the orange jelly sticks just aren’t cutting it for me (I’m not a big fan of either. I wish they offered better quality chocolate for the chocolate oranges and the sticks are just too much for me. I’m probably just too picky, I know).
Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies
One cookie I do love that is always available though, are those Orange Milanos (one day I’ll get around to making those homemade because they’re amazing, so I can only imagine how good they’d be fresh).
These, however, are my favorite use of the orange and chocolate combination, because it adds in another of my favorite things, chocolate chip cookies.
These cookies are chewy, generously sized (as every chocolate chip cookie should be) and they’re decadently delicious! They have lightly crisp outsides and soft and tender insides. I chose to add three kinds of chocolate because that’s always my favorite way to make chocolate chip cookies, I love how it adds different levels of sweetness and varying intensities of chocolate so each bite is a a little bit different.
And when you top all of that zesty citrus flavor and melty chocolate off with sea salt, you’ve got a cookie that is destined for greatness. Try these and you’ll see why they’re one of my favorites. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Tips & Tricks for Christmas Cookies
- If you want a stronger orange flavor, you can add a tiny bit of lemon juice to boost the citrus.
- Upgrade to silicon mats on your cookie sheet for the best results.
- Fresh orange juice and fresh orange zest make a huge difference.
- You can try different combinations of flavoring: almond extract, vanilla extract, and orange extract.
- Make sure you have fully creamed butter and sugar and orange zest together over medium speed.
- Add your dry ingredients from a small bowl in batches.
If you love the orange and chocolate combination, make sure you try Orange Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cookies.
Follow Cooking Classy
Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp orange extract
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate , chopped into chunks*
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate , chopped into chunks
- 4 oz milk chocolate , chopped into chunks
- Flaky or coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment mix butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in one egg and mix until combined, then add in second egg, vanilla extract and orange extract and mix until combined.
- With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
- Shape dough into large balls, about 3 Tbsp each (58 grams each). Transfer balls to plates, cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 10 minutes of chilling.
- Transfer chilled cookie dough balls to Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets and sprinkle tops lightly with sea salt (keep any that aren't currently baking in refrigerator).
- Bake in preheated oven about 11 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.