Description
Indulgent chocolate orange shortbread cookies blend rich cocoa with zesty citrus, creating a delightful harmony of flavors. Crisp edges and buttery crumb invite you to savor this irresistible treat that promises pure culinary comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (473 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Coating:
- 1 cup (170 grams) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or butter (optional, for smoother melting)
Instructions
- Whip butter and sugar in a spacious mixing vessel until achieving a cloud-like, aerated consistency.
- Incorporate vibrant orange zest, aromatic vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, blending thoroughly.
- Gently fold in flour, stirring until ingredients harmonize without excessive manipulation.
- Transform dough into a compact disc, encase in plastic membrane, and chill within refrigerator’s cool embrace for minimum 60 minutes to guarantee structural integrity during baking.
- Calibrate oven to 350°F, positioning rack in central zone, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dust work surface with flour, then tenderly roll dough to approximately quarter-inch thickness, utilizing cookie cutters to craft desired silhouettes.
- Arrange delicate shapes onto prepared sheet, baking 10-12 minutes until edges transform into a delicate golden hue.
- Transfer cookies onto wire cooling platform, allowing complete temperature reduction.
- Melt chocolate chips via microwave technique, executing brief 20-second intervals and stirring between each, until achieving silky smoothness.
- Artfully immerse cookie halves into molten chocolate or elegantly drizzle using spoon’s graceful motion.
- Position chocolate-adorned cookies on parchment-lined tray, permitting chocolate to solidify naturally at ambient temperature or expedite process within refrigerator’s cool environment.
Notes
- Swap regular flour with gluten-free flour blend for celiac or gluten-sensitive bakers, ensuring the same tender texture.
- Chill dough longer than an hour for more defined cookie shapes and enhanced flavor development.
- Use high-quality dark chocolate with orange zest for deeper, more complex flavor profile if standard chocolate chips feel too sweet.
- Replace butter with vegan margarine and plant-based chocolate for dairy-free and vegan-friendly version without compromising taste or texture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg