Dark Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
The most tender shortbread with a vibrant pop of orange zest dipped in dark chocolate. These cookies are simple to make yet bursting with delicious flavors. Inspired by an excess of oranges during citrus season, they are the perfect cookie to make all year long!
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I’ve been a little obsessed with shortbread lately. I can’t help it! It’s so easy and SO GOOD.
My favorite is probably chocolate dipped shortbread, because who doesn’t love such an easy, delicious combination?
So, with our last round of oranges from my in-laws’ tree, I decided to grate some zest and make orange shortbread. Which was delicious on its own, but I knew it needed a little something more.
Obviously, you can’t go wrong dipping a cookie in chocolate. And dark chocolate is even better.
The result was one of my favorite shortbread cookies (so far—cause you know I’ll keep experimenting).
Why this recipe works
First, the shortbread. This is one of my most beloved recipes, used as a cookie on its own or the base for several thumbprint cookies. While not everyone loves shortbread, my friends and family seem to all love mine!
My secret is powdered sugar. It is a very fine texture, meaning you’ll get a smooth, fluffy dough without any large sugar crystals. And while some recipes call for beating granulated sugar until nearly dissolved, I’ve found that to be 1. often impossible and 2. too much air in the dough for the delicate, crumbly cookie we want.
Additionally, confectioner’s sugar has a small bit of cornstarch. Cornstarch is that secret rising agent that gives just a slight poof. It keeps these cookies from being dense yet isn’t powerful enough (like baking powder/soda) to make them rise like a chocolate chip cookie. It creates that perfect in-between rise.
As well, European style butter is a game changer. It has far less water and is a MUCH creamier butter, making softer, more tender cookies. I get Kerrygold from Costco (in fact, it keeps going on sale and now we have at least 18 pounds in our fridge for all my summer baking…). But any European style butter will do. I often use salted butter, meaning I only add a pinch of salt. This is because I know Kerrygold and know how salty it will make my dessert. If you’re using a different brand or are unsure, try to use unsalted so you can better control the salt.
This particular variation is so good because of the added dark chocolate orange flavor. The orange zest gives a bright citrusy pop. The dark chocolate, which adds a bit of texture and even more great flavor, pairs so, so well with the orange.
Key ingredients
Butter. As mentioned above, always use European style butter in shortbread. It’s creamier and has less water.
Confectioner’s sugar. This is the secret to the tender texture and perfect sweetness of these cookies.
Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
Salt. Only use a pinch or so if using salted butter.
Flour. Optionally, you can sift this before using, making the cookies even more tender and delicate.
Orange zest. Surprisingly, just a tablespoon of zest is enough to give these a great flavor!
Dark chocolate. You can use semisweet or milk chocolate, but I love dark chocolate with orange.
How to make dark chocolate orange shortbread cookies
1. Cream butter and powdered sugar. You don’t need to beat it for a long time, just make sure it’s well-combined and perfectly smooth.
2. Add vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Reduce salt to a pinch if you used salted butter. Be sure it’s very smooth so that the flour can be mixed in minimally.
3. Stir in flour. Technically, you could sift and whisk the salt and flour, but that requires an extra bowl, and I just don’t have the patience for more dishes.
Optional: You can chill the dough at this point, for 1 hour or up to 3 days, to make it easier to work with.
4. Roll out and cut. I prefer rolling these out between parchment paper before cutting out into stars. Don’t roll the dough too thin—somewhere between 1/8” and 1/4” is perfect.
5. Bake. I froze my dough for a few minutes before baking to ensure the cookies kept their shape.
6. Dip in (or drizzle with) melted dark chocolate. I like a dipped cookie with a small edge left bare so I can hold it without getting chocolate melted onto my fingers (unless you eat these in one bite, which I definitely will do).
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
What do I serve this with?
Anything! This is perfect with coffee or tea—or hot cocoa! Or just to keep on the counter for a quick little something sweet. You can also make shortbread sandwiches with ganache or buttercream filling and dip the entire sandwich in dark chocolate. The possibilities are endless!
Do I have to use European butter?
Personally, I think it makes a huge difference. It’s creamier and has a very different consistency than sweet cream butter. Since you only have a few ingredients here, you want to make sure each one is of the highest quality. But don’t worry—you can often find it at places like Costco on sale!
What if I don’t have powdered sugar?
You can technically make your own, but I can’t vouch for its efficacy in cookies (it works well in buttercream). Simply place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a blender and mix until fine—the texture of powdered/confectioner’s/icing sugar. You can of course increase the amount, but this will give you more than you need already.
Do NOT over mix!
These will become tough and lose their flaky tenderness if you mix them too much. Be careful to stir just until the dough comes together then stop. If you find any unmixed flour, you can pat that into the rest of the dough when you roll it out.
Is the dark chocolate necessary?
No, but why would you want to skip it??? You can definitely omit it, but there’s something extra special about the dark chocolate. Plus, it helps keep the cookies fresh longer as it seals them. However, if you want to use a glaze or would prefer these plain, that’s absolutely fine! They taste ah-mazing any way you eat them.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the dough and refrigerate it (well sealed) for up to three days. If you need to make them further ahead, you can shape them then freeze them. Freeze on a cookie sheet then transfer to a well-sealed container or freezer safe bag once they’re solid. They’ll last in the freezer 2-3 months.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cookies. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a perfect shortbread)
Rimmed cookie sheets (for pre-shaped cookies)
Silicone baking mats or parchment paper (for baking and rolling the dough)
Dark Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
- prep time: 10-15 minutes
- bake time: 10-15 minutes (depending on size of cookie)
- total time: 30 minutes
servings: 20-30 cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (272g) flour, spooned and leveled then sifted
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) finely ground sea salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted European style butter, softened
- ⅔ cups (87g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (13g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (about 6g) finely grated orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- 6 ounces (170g or 1 cup) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark baking chocolate (can sub semisweet or milk)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Finely zest your orange(s) using a microplane zester.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside. (Optionally, you can just add the flour and salt to the butter once it’s blended).
- In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer--I couldn't use mine because it does best with larger quantities), whip the butter with a handheld electric mixer on high until creamed, about 30 seconds. Add ⅔ cup powdered sugar and mix on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla then mix, starting on low then increasing to high to fully incorporate.
- Scrape the bowl then sift in the flour. Add the orange zest and mix on low until fully incorporated. It will be crumbly at first then will suddenly start to stick to the beaters and pull away from the sides of the bowl. At this point, stop mixing.
- Optional: you could chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight at this point, to make rolling easier. Otherwise, form into a disc, sprinkle both sides lightly with flour, then roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Roll to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into circles or desired shape. Roll the scraps back out and cut again. Once you have just a small amount of scraps, you can shape that into a couple round cookies.
- Bake 10-12 minutes (up to 15 for larger cookies), until the edges just begin to turn golden. Let cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes then remove the cookies to a wire rack until completely cool.
- While cookies cool, melt your chocolate. You can use the microwave at half power in 30 second increments or a double boiler (which for me is just a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with 1” of simmering water over low heat). With a double boiler, stir constantly until the chocolate is mostly melted then remove from heat and stir until smooth.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, dip gently into the chocolate. I dipped about ⅔ of the cookie, but you could pour chocolate on top or dip just the top of the cookie. Totally up to your aesthetic. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and let the chocolate dry completely (you can speed this up by placing the pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes).
Enjoy! Cookies will last, covered, for 3-5 days. An airtight container will actually cause them to soften after a day, so I prefer keeping these on a plate covered with foil.
