Orange Almond Chocolate Cookies (Printable)
Zesty orange, crunchy almonds, and rich dark chocolate chunks baked into soft, chewy cookies.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 2 oranges
→ Add-ins
11 - 1 cup chopped roasted almonds
12 - 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest until evenly incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped almonds and dark chocolate chunks until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookie edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The orange zest perfumes the entire cookie without making it taste like dessert cleaner, which is a real risk with citrus and sweets.
- That crunchy almond and melty chocolate contrast in every single bite makes people ask what your secret is.
02 -
- Pulling the cookies from the oven when the centers still look wet and doughy is the single biggest secret to thick, chewy cookies instead of crunchy disks.
- Fresh oranges matter enormously here because bottled zest or dried peel will taste flat and medicinal compared to the real thing.
03 -
- Freeze the scooped dough balls on a sheet pan for thirty minutes before baking and you will get thicker cookies with more concentrated flavor.
- Press a few extra chocolate chunks and almond pieces into the top of each dough ball before baking so every cookie looks gorgeous and bakery worthy.