Orange cookies are made with orange marmalade and "spiked" with flecks of dark chocolate and pieces of Mandarin oranges. Iced with an orange buttercream frosting, these cookies are made for extra special occasions. However, they are so easy to make, you could make them everyday!
Orange is not a flavor I was fond of as a child. But as I grow older, I find that I am attracted to the orange chocolate combination.
Perhaps it was the slices of chocolate oranges that I took from Manservant's stash in the pantry that "converted" me but I have to admit now that I love this combo.
These cookies with orange pieces, orange zest and flecks of chocolate are not ordinary cookies.
And wouldn't you know they are Zoe requested! At the very last minute she and Alex are coming home to ski with Manservant.
Frankly, I'm not sure what they are going to ski on as there isn't much snow this year. But Manservant is excited and I didn't tell him they are worried he doesn't have many years left to ski!
Why I Love Orange Cookies with Chocolate
For starters, I always ask the kids what they want to eat when they come home.
Zoe asked for a Spring cookie-specifically an orange cookie. I asked her where she came up with this and she said they just sound good.
So, always up for a challenge I told her I'd see what I can do.
Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered this recipe for Mandarin and Marmalade cookies from Mrs. Fields. (I just love Mrs. Fields!)
As usual I zhuzhed these cookies up-Abbe style- and both Manservant and I thought they turned out great.
So, I guess, it's official. I now love orange cookies.
They are easy to make and taste Spring-y and look pretty on a plate.
Table of contents
You May Want To Know:
Orange and chocolate are a popular pairing as the tangy citrus helps balance bitter dark chocolate.
Debbi Fields launched her first bakery store in 1977 that quickly turned into a multi-million dollar business. I often devoured her soft, warm cookies at our local mall.
Orange cookies became popular around 1910-20 when citrus became more accessible to consumers.
These cookies tend to be cake-like, and soft. They are not crisp. Be sure not to over cream the butter sugar mixture and that will help with the cakiness. Additionally, they taste better the next day, in my opinion. Not only do the flavors become more balanced, the cookie dries out a bit. I love them with the frosting, but frosting is optional, except in my house!
Ingredients and Tips For Orange Marmalade Cookies
I always use unbleached all purpose flour. If you want to read more check out this article from King Arthur. If I'm making an angel food cake-which I rarely do-I use bleached flour, though both types can be used interchangeably.
Butter- I like choosing the amount of salt I want in a recipe. If you only have salted butter, decrease the salt in the recipe.
Orange Marmalade - I use Trader Joes. My guess is it's available seasonally. Manservant loves orange marmalade and I am not a fan, but quickly discovered that many are made with corn syrup, whereas Trader Joes is not.
Mandarin oranges - it seems everyone has a can of these hiding in the cupboard. They are perfect for these cookies and one of my favorite salads. Be sure they are well-dried and drained. Though I haven't tried it, the next time I make these I will try candied oranges. I think they would be outstanding and make this cookie more chewy rather than cakey.
Grated Chocolate vs chocolate chips: Use what you have. I like slicing bars of dark chocolate into shards. This is easily done by using a chef's knife and slicing the chocolate bar on a diagonal. They blend well into the dough and add flair! And flavor!
Want more chocolate? Be my guest! White chocolate would also be a great addition.
Orange zest - Zest the entire orange. A little bit is used in the batter to add freshness, some is used in the frosting, and some is used to decorate. The orange is also juiced and the fresh juice is used in the frosting!
Chilling the dough before baking is something I will try next go round. My guess is that the cookies would be chewier and even more flavorful.
How To Serve and Store Orange Flavored Cookies
For starters these would be fabulous with an orange chocolate liqueor.
These cookies with orange would be fabulous on a cookie plate. Just be careful to store them separately so that the orange flavor doesn't seep into the other cookies on the plate.
I may have to put these into my holiday cookie box. They are that good.
Sipping a cup of Constant Comet would taste very balanced when served with this cookie as would a cup of mocha coffee.
These cookies should be kept in a separate sealed container.
You can keep them in the freezer for months or on the counter for up to a week.
Now it's time to make breakfast burritos. She requested those, too!
I guess that's because she will have something in her tummy before she hits the slopes and something when she returns at the end of the day.
That's my daughter. Food comes first!
I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!
Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe
Frosted Orange Cookies With Marmalade and Chocolate
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 22 Minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 36 Servings 1x
- Category: Cookies/Bars
- Cuisine: American
Description
Orange cookies are made with orange marmalade and "spiked" with flecks of dark chocolate and pieces of Mandarin oranges. Iced with an orange buttercream frosting, these cookies are made for extra special occasions. However, they are so easy to make, you could make them everyday!
Ingredients
2 ¾ c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder (½ t in Denver)
½ t fine sea salt
1 c unsalted butter or 2 sticks
1 c sugar
½ t vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ c orange marmalade (I used Trader Joes)
1 10 oz can well drained and dried Mandarin oranges, chopped
½ t orange zest (Zest the whole orange)
¾ c grated dark chocolate (optional)
Orange Frosting
1 t orange zest
2 T orange juice from the zested orange
1 ½ T unsalted soft butter
1 ½ c powdered sugar
Dash of vanilla and salt
Using a mixer or whisk or an immersion blender, combine all ingredients together. You may need a dash more of orange juice or milk to reach the consistency of frosting you desire.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix with a wire whisk and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat softened butter and sugar to form a grainy paste. Add vanilla extract, egg, and marmalade and beat at medium speed until smooth.
Add the flour mixture, oranges, orange zest and chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 18-22 minutes and maybe longer until the bottoms of the cookies begin to brown and the edges turn golden.
Let cool and then frost if desired.
Notes
This cookie dough is very sticky and would benefit from chilling, if you have time. I baked them without chilling.
More Orange and Chocolate
Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels
Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
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