Orange Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies Recipes

ORANGE SHORTBREAD WITH SPICY DARK CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Place first six ingredients in a food processor; process until dough comes together. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. diamond-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Refrigerate 15 minutes. , Bake 9-11 minutes or until until edges are light brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix chocolate and cayenne until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; refrigerate until set. Freeze option: Freeze undecorated cookies in freezer containers. To use, thaw in covered containers and decorate as desired.

ORANGE DARK CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine sugar and orange zest with a fork until fragrant.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and orange sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• With the mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix until combined and a stiff dough forms.
• Divide dough in half and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Use your hands to form and roll two 1-½ inch thick logs. Sprinkle logs with coarse sugar and roll to coat. Wrap logs tightly in the plastic wrap and place on baking sheet. Freeze logs for 1 hour or until firm. (You can stop here and freeze them to make another time. See notes below.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove dough logs from the freezer and unwrap. Slice dough into ¼ inch thick slices and arrange on the baking sheet, approximately 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 16-18 minutes or until cookies are just golden at the edges.
• Allow cookies to cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
• Melt the chocolate slowly in a double broiler or in a heat safe bowl over a simmering pot of water. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Do not allow any water or moisture to touch the chocolate. Just one drop can cause the chocolate to become thick and grainy.
• You can decorate the cookies by dipping or drizzling the chocolate.
• Dipped: Dip each completely cooled cookie halfway into the chocolate. Remove the excess by pulling the cookie across the edge of the pan. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set.
• Drizzled: For a more controlled drizzle, place melted chocolate in a heavy plastic bag and snip off a tiny piece of one corner so you can use it as a pastry bag. Arrange cooled cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle chocolate over the edges and tops of cookies. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Cookie dough logs, baked cookies and chocolate-dipped cookies freeze well for up to three months.
• If baking from a log, allow to thaw for 30 minutes on the counter before you slice and bake. Continue to Step 6.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add butter and beat until mixture resembles crumbs and starts to stick together. Work until dough sticks together and forms a smooth ball that is not sticky, adding milk if mixture is too dry. Press into a disk shape and wrap in wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Lightly flour a clean countertop. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until bottoms are lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Line the countertop with wax paper. Dip tops of cookies into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Place cookies on the wax paper and immediately sprinkle tops with remaining 1 tablespoon orange zest. Let dry.

ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour large baking sheet. Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, orange peel, and orange extract in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in yolk, then cream. Add flour mixture; beat until dough comes together in moist clumps. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop dough by generous tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, spacing 3/4 inch apart. Using moistened fingertips, flatten each to 1/2-inch-thick round. Bake cookies until golden, about 18 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)