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Sally’s Baking Addiction got a facelift yesterday. A few changes to the overall look including easier navigation– especially for mobile– slightly darker colors (for easier reading!), fonts, new recipe format, and the sidebar. I’ll take a moment to fully explain all of the changes (and recap our NYC bakery tour!) later this week. Please let me know if you notice anything wonky. Site updates are never easy!
But right now we have to discuss cookies. Business as usual.
More specifically, slice and bake shortbread-like cookies with a drench of dark chocolate and scented with fresh orange. A sprinkle of sea salt to bring it all together, not to mention butter + brown sugar + cinnamon + vanilla inside the cookie itself. This is where you want to be and that salted dark chocolate edge is allllll you want to taste. Do yourself a favor and actually cover the entire thing in dark chocolate. I promise you won’t hate it. ♥
These cookies are a nod to my classic stand-by: the toasted hazelnut slice ‘n’ bakes that changed my opinion on slice and bake cookies altogether. Prior to those gems, I thought slice and bake cookies were dry and boring. Because honestly? They can be very dry and even more boring. But when carefully crafted with the proper ratio of ingredients, plus a little flavor– these thick buttery cookies melt in your mouth and the words dry + boring only belong to plain rice cakes and cardboard.
Still need convincing? Try pinwheel cookies or pistachio chocolate chunk slice and bake cookies next.
I’ve sort of explained all this before, so I’ll just recap here. The dough for these slice-and-bake cookies is similar to my cranberry orange icebox cookies. The base recipe couldn’t be easier: flour, sugar, egg and butter. Creamed butter and brown sugar is the base; brown sugar because there’s flavor and moisture there! A teensy bit of vanilla extract adds more wonderful flavor, while the egg keeps the cookies from crumbling all over your hands and lap.
You’ll need 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons of flour. I know that amount is weird. Why the 2 extra Tbsp? Well, you’ll add 2 Tablespoons of fresh-squeezed juice from delicious Sunkist oranges. More on that in a sec. The 2 Tablespoons of flour keep the added moisture in check and prevent the cookies from 0ver-spreading. A pinch of cinnamon, fresh orange zest, and just enough finely chopped walnuts for flavor. You can leave out the walnuts, I just added them because NUTS belong in all cookies. I know .01% of you agree. Please comment if you agree so I don’t feel nuts! (Get it??)
The dough is soft, but sturdy enough to be shaped into logs. What I mean by that is this: you’ll take the dough, turn it out onto a floured work surface, divide in two, roll into logs, wrap the logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. That all sounds like a lot of work but it will take you all of, like, 2 minutes. What I love about this log business is that you can slice off however many cookies you want to bake and eat at any given time. The dough can chill in the refrigerator for 5 days, but I’ve kept it in there for a week and the cookies still taste fabulous.
Roll the logs in a little coarse sugar for sparkle. This is optional, but it’s pretty.
So is it really optional then???
See that gorgeous orange zest in the cookie? I love it. So much flavor. This is a recipe I’m making in partnership with Sunkist and their juicy, refreshing navel oranges SHINE in these slice ‘n’ bake cookies. What better to pair with orange than dark chocolate? Truly an underrated flavor combination, chocolate and orange is not only spot-on delicious– the pair’s kinda perfect for Halloween, no?
So good it’ll scare you. (I couldn’t help myself with that one!!!)
These dark chocolate orange slice and bake cookies are soft in the centers, super thick and dense with crunchy edges, with lots of salted dark chocolate and orange zest. And I’m being serious about coating the entire thing in dark chocolate…
Print
Dark Chocolate Orange Slice & Bake Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes (includes chilling)
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These dark chocolate orange slice & bake cookies are loaded with flavor! A little crunch from sea salt and cinnamon spice bring it all together.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer light in these!)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- zest from 1 medium navel orange (plus more for sprinkling on top if desired)
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) orange juice from 1 medium navel orange
- optional: 1/2 cup (63g) chopped walnuts
- optional: coarse sugar for rolling (I use sugar in the raw brand)
- 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, and continue to beat until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Switch to high speed and beat in the zest, fresh orange juice, and walnuts (if using). Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. The measurements don’t have to be exact. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Remove logs from the refrigerator and roll into coarse sugar, if desired. It’s added only for a little crunch! Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or (carefully!) use the microwave. For the microwave, place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Dip each completely cooled cookie halfway into the chocolate and place onto a parchment or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and orange zest (if desired). Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set. Once set, enjoy!
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Baked and chocolate-dipped cookies freeze well – up to three months. Or you can freeze them without the chocolate and dip/decorate after they thaw out. Cookie dough logs freeze well too, up to three months. Allow the logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then continue with step 3.
- Special Tools: Silpat Baking Mat | KitchenAid Flex Edge Beater | KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Raw Sugar
- Chocolate: Make sure you are using quality, pure chocolate. Not chocolate chips. You can also use bittersweet chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or white chocolate instead.
Keywords: dark chocolate orange cookies, orange slice n bake cookies
I love this recipe and often have a log in the freezer to pull out. For a party I decided I wanted a lighter flavor and played with lemon. I used the same recipe just used two small lemons (1 medium one should work) instead of orange, used almond and vanilla flavor and removed the cinnamon. I drizzled white chocolate over the cookies once cooled. I served both versions and they both all went.
I never leave reviews, but I wanted to with this recipe, because these cookies are our favorite!! I came across your recipe years ago and have made them almost every year since. We’ve given them out for neighbor gifts on multiple occasions and always get compliments. One friend liked them so much that she asked for the recipe and now makes them for her neighbor gifts too! It’s a winner for sure. Thank you so much for willingly sharing your talent!!! Grateful for people like you!
★★★★★
Absolutely fantastic recipe. I do need advice though, on how to have mine keep their edges and shape like the photo. I made the dough, rolled into logs, wrapped in cling wrap and put in fridge for 24+ hours. They didn’t ooze everywhere, but they didn’t come out with the gorgeous edges as above — should I have chilled them longer? BTW, they taste just incredible with the dark chocolate dip, Maldon sea salt and orange zest. I could live on these 🙂 . Advice welcome!
Hi Illya, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. There are quite a few factors that can cause cookies to overspread — this post on how to prevent cookies from spreading may be helpful to start. Let us know if we can help further, and thank you so much for giving these a try!
Hi Sally, I used to make chocolate orange cookies many years ago and they were a hiy. I lost the recipe but i wanted to try a shortbread version. Instead of dipping in chocolate, could i add unsweetened cocoa powder to make them a good chocolatey orange cookie? If so, with this recipe what would the amount be of cocoa powder? What brand do you feel is best?
Hi Beth, We have not tested a chocolate version of this dough. Unfortunately cocoa powder is not an even swap with flour, so it would take some testing for us to give you a confident answer. Let us know if you try anything!
Im wondering if anyone had made this with ginger or possibly cloves? I don’t love chocolate and cinnamon. Just wondering about quantities
Do you think I could make a version of this with lemon instead of orange?
We haven’t tested it but can’t see why not!
Hey! I played with that thought and made a batch. I wrote how I adjusted it above.
Hi there! Any chance I can make these into “bars” by gently pressing dough into 13×9 or jelly roll pan then topping with melted chocolate ? Thanks!
Hi Laurie, that should be fine but I haven’t tested it to be certain. I would perhaps use a 9-inch square baking pan because I fear 9×13 would be too large for this amount of dough. I’m unsure of the best bake time. Let me know if you test anything!
Amazing cookie! I used a dark chocolate and sea salt baking bits for the chocolate coating. Delicious!!!
I’m wondering how to adapt this dough to use to line a tart. Ideas?
Hi Virgil, We have never tested it. You can take a look at this lemon tart with a shortbread crust and use those assembly and baking directions as a starting point. Let us know if you try it!
This looks delicious. I am going to have to add these to the Christmas cookie list.
Sally, you always deliver. Truly. You taught me about caramel to the delight of my neighborhood and every teacher my kids have!
I’m considering using home candied orange peel in the cookies and espresso powder in the chocolate.
Amy tips for flavoring melted chocolate that way?
Hi Jess, sounds delicious! We’d recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate — feel free to scale it up or down depending on how much espresso flavoring you’d like. Let us know how it goes!
Hi Sally,
You may have already answered this, but can I roll out the dough and use cookie cutters before chilling it? Love your sight – great tips! Thanks
Hi Judy, we don’t recommend this dough for cookie cutters — they will spread too much. Best to stick with slice and bake here!
These were so easy and really tasty!
I replaced the walnuts for dried Cranberries and dipped them in lindt orange dark chocolate. I also didn’t bother rolling them in sugar.
Will definitely make these again.
Thank you for the recipe x
★★★★
Good to know regarding the chocolate you dipped them in. I have the same brand but one’s dark chocolate with orange and the other is dark chocolate with blood orange. Love blood orange. Yummy. I’ve been looking for a recipe to use them in. And now I have one. Thanks for sharing your feedback…
Why wouldn’t an addiction of orange oil bring more flavor to this cookie?
★★★★★
Hi Sky, we haven’t tried adding an orange oil to these cookies, but some readers have reported success doing so. Keep in mind that oils can be very potent, so if you decide to experiment we’d recommend starting out small and then adjusting for future batches. Happy baking!
Hi, after dipping the cookies into melted chocolate, how do you place them to cool? If you put them on a cooling rack or a tray, won’t all the chocolate on the under side be messed up or drip off?
Hi Lydia, just place on a lined baking sheet. The bottoms of the cookies won’t be as pretty as the tops, but if the dipping chocolate is thick enough, it won’t squeeze out from the bottom or be wiped off completely.
Hi, this cookies look very delicious, i will try this, but please I want to know before i made it, is these cookies are crunchy or chewy?
Thank you
Hi Suha! These shortbread cookies are thick and buttery. They’re soft in the centers with crispy edges. Hope this helps!
Would it be possible to roll these out and use cookie cutters for shaping etc?
Hi Michele, we don’t recommend this dough for cookie cutters — they will spread too much. Best to stick with slice and bake here!
I haven’t made these cookies yet but they sound amazing! I wanted to made a simple cut out cookie. Do you think this dough will work?
Hi NonnaLisa, we don’t recommend this dough for cookie cutters — they will spread too much. Best to stick with slice and bake here!
Hi Sally! I love this recipe, and I’ve made it many times. I use California blood orange juice and zest, which really makes it sing (I also put blood orange oil in the chocolate coating for extra yum).
The only thing I’m still having trouble with is keeping my cookies from spreading in the oven. I’ve tried putting them back in the fridge after slicing, and today I even threw them in the freezer before baking, but they still rounded out the edges. Any other recommendations?
Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Hi Brandon, it’s normal for these cookies to spread a bit! The best way to keep cookies from spreading in the oven is to keep the dough very cold – you’re on the right track. You could try freezing for longer before baking. We’re so glad you love these cookies!
These cookies are awesome.love the orange flavor!
Sally these biscuits are amazing- they look incredible too w the orange and chocolate. We’re all addicted. And I froze the logs too and worked perfectly.
★★★★★
Hey Sally! The first time I made these cookies they came out perfectly! So yummy! But, the other times I have tried to make these, despite baking them at 350 for even longer than 14 minutes, the insides are not cooking through. They look gorgeous on the outside – browned bottoms and golden around the edges, but still raw in the center. I don’t think I’ve changed anything – I’m stumped. Any ideas of what could be going wrong?
Hi Ali, I’m just seeing your comment/question now so my apologies for the delay responding to you. How thick are you cutting the cookies? See if you can cut them a little thinner, which would yield more cookies but also help cook them a little more evenly in the centers. Odd that this didn’t happen the first time you made them! What could also help is lowering the oven temperature to 325F and baking for longer– a lower temperature will help bake them more evenly as well.
Hello Sally,
I love this recipe and was wondering if you thought it would hold up as a stamped cookie?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Janae, We haven’t tested this recipe with stamps, but they don’t rise much so they may work! Let us know if you try it! You may also be interested in these Cinnamon Brown Sugar Stamped Cookies.
Hi Sally, I’m baking these as a component of a Christmas cookie box that I’m making for friends. I have made them a couple times before, once with the chocolate dip and then again last night using chocolate chunks instead of the dip (they turned out great and taste even better day 2 in my opinion!). I love the delicate flavor of the orange, but I was curious if you thought this was a good idea: I wanted to try using finely chopped chocolate from a Terry’s chocolate orange — I think that could look really beautiful and punch up the orange flavor even more. Would you have any concerns about that? I’m not an expert baker but I’m worried about irregular melting messing up the texture of the cookie. Thanks so much!
Hi Isabel! I’m just seeing your comment/question now so my apologies on the delay responding to you. I love these cookies too and using an orange chocolate for dipping shouldn’t be an issue though I have not tested it myself to be certain. I would melt a little bit of it and dip one cookie. Let it set and see how it looks/tastes. Best to test it before melting it all and ruining a whole batch!
Can I double batch this to make 48 cookies by doubling all the ingredients or should I make 2 sepera te batches>? These cookies are perfect with Starbucks Christmas Reserve coffee. I make them for a coffee tasting: the chocolate orange notes in the coffee really shine with this cookie.
★★★★★
Another hit! Hubs loves orange and chocolate combo, and these made him happy!
I’d never made a slice n bake cookie, but your recipe was sooo easy to follow!
I added a couple drops of wild orange essential oil to the cookie for extra orange flavor!
★★★★★
You shouldn’t be eating essential oil, but if you meant orange extract then that’s ok.
There are plenty of food-grade, organic, and FDA-approved essential oils on the market.
This is a great recipe!! Very straightforward and they came out really delicious. The salt is a great touch. I didn’t use walnuts or coarse sugar and I still really liked the texture. Yum, thanks Sally!
★★★★★