Name: Chocolate Orange Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: 125 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 125 g Light brown soft sugar; 75 g Caster sugar ((superfine sugar)); 1 Egg (large); 2 tsp Orange extract; 215 g Plain flour; 35 g Cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp Baking powder; 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda; 1/4 tsp Salt; 2 whole Terry's chocolate orange

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I posted a photo of these cookies on my Instagram and asked if you wanted the recipe, and the answer was an outstanding yes! So here it is, my recipe for delicious Chocolate Orange Cookies. There's plenty of chocolate orange chunks in the cookie dough, as well as cocoa powder and orange extract, or you can use orange zest. Each one has it's own segment of Terry's chocolate orange on top too, which is not only incredibly tasty, but it's such an easy decoration for these cookies too!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and egg) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used unsalted butter for this recipe, a baking spread will work but butter is nicer!
I recommend using light brown soft sugar for delicious flavour and a more gooey cookie, but you can replace it with caster sugar if you can't get hold of brown sugar.
If you can't get hold of orange extract*, you can use the zest of one orange instead.
You will need 2 whole Terry's chocolate oranges* for this recipe. I used one milk and one dark, but you can use any combination of milk, white or dark.
You can swap the chopped chocolate orange in the cookie dough for chocolate chips if you prefer.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Chocolate Orange Cookies

To make the cookie dough, mix together the butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar. Then mix in the orange extract and egg. Next, mix in plain flour, cocoa powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Finally, mix in the chopped up Terry's chocolate orange pieces.

Roll the dough into balls with your hands, then flattened them a little and place them onto lined baking trays. Bake them for 12 minutes, then take them out of the oven and put a segment of Terry's chocolate orange on top of each one. Leave to cool on the trays.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Do you have to chill the cookies before baking them?

You can chill them before baking for even thicker cookies, but I prefer to bake them straight away. If it's a warm day, you handle the dough a lot, of your butter was over softened, then chilling may be beneficial.

How do you get perfectly round cookies?

As soon as they come out of the oven get a round cookie cutter, or a glass held upside down, that is larger than the cookies and put it over each cookie. Move it in a circular motion, pressing against the sides of the cookies gently to adjust any irregularities. This is called "scooting" or "hula hooping" the cookies.

How should the cookies be stored and can they be frozen?

You can keep the balls of unbaked cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months, and you can bake them straight from frozen whenever you fancy a fresh cookie. The baked cookies will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze the baked cookies too, wrap them well or store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Put a square of baking paper between each one to stop them from sticking together.

Do you need any electric mixer to make this recipe?

While an electric mixer is helpful in making these cookies and will give the best results, you don't need one to make them. You can absolutely make the cookies by hand with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease. If you have an electric stand mixer, then you can use the paddle attachment to make these cookies.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Terry's Chocolate Orange is not fully gluten free as it is processed on shared equipment, therefore you may also need to swap this out for a gluten free alternative. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can this recipe be made dairy free?

For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread instead of butter for the cookies. I recommend the block style ones such as Flora Plant or the Stork Baking Block. You will also need to use a dairy free alternative to Terry's Chocolate Orange. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

More tips for making the Chocolate Orange Cookies:

Make sure to leave space between the balls of cookie dough on the baking trays as they will spread when baking, about 2" should ensure they don't stick together. If you make bigger cookies, you will need to leave more space.
Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for at least 5 minutes (nearer to 10 minutes is ideal) before trying to move them onto a cooling rack. Otherwise they will be too soft and will break or stick to the baking paper.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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