VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:56:35 +0000

These Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies are rich, chocolaty, chewy, and soft. They are made of cocoa powder and orange essential oil, which gives them fruity and zesty tones. The cookies are drizzled with dark chocolate and sprinkled with orange zest. The incredible combination of orange and chocolate makes the cookies extra delicious.

THESE CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES ARE:

vegan
egg-free
dairy-free
chewy
soft
rich
chocolaty
fruity
zesty
made with orange essential oil and orange zest
drizzled with dark chocolate
small cookies
so delicious

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES:

You need the following ingredients to make these Chocolate Orange Cookies (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

Vegan butter – use vegan butter that has around 75-80% fat. Let the butter soften at room temperate before making the dough.
White cane sugar
Brown sugar – You can substitute for coconut sugar.
Unsweetened almond milk – Use any plant-based milk of your choice, such as soy, oat, or cashew milk. Make sure the milk has room temperature.
100% orange essential oil – You can substitute for orange zest.
Sea salt – balance the sweetness and helps to bring out the chocolate flavor.
Cocoa powder – Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
Corn starch – makes the cookies chewy.
Baking soda
All-purpose flour
Dark chocolate bar – for drizzle. Use a high-quality dark chocolate bar.
Orange zest – for decoration. Use fresh or dried orange zest.

Equipment you need:

Baking tray – I recommend using a light-surface baking tray.
Parchment paper
Mixing bowl – for cookie dough.
Hand mixer or a stand mixer
Kitchen scale
Cooling rack
Medium-size glass bowl – for melting the chocolate.
Small Pot

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES:

You will find the instructions and ingredients list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Step: Preheat the oven and prepare the baking tray

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the baking tray with parchment paper. It will prevent the cookies from burning at the bottom. Set aside.

2. Step: Make the chocolate orange cookie dough

To a mixing bowl, add vegan butter, white cane sugar, and brown sugar and cream together with a hand mixer (or use a stand mixer) for about 1 minute until fluffy. Add unsweetened almond milk and 3-4 drops of orange essential oil and mix until combine. Then add sea salt, cocoa powder*, cornstarch, baking soda, and half of the all-purpose flour, mix, add the rest of the flour and mix again with a hand mixer until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter.

Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into 20 small balls. Each ball should weigh about 17 g. Or you can divide them into 10 balls (around 34 g each).

*Note: If you don’t use a hand or stand mixer, sift the cocoa powder to avoid lumps.

3. Step: Bake the cookies and let them cool

Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared tray (make some space between them). Bake them in a preheated oven for 10 minutes (12 minutes if you make larger cookies). If you want the cookies to be extra chewy, bake them for a shorter time.

Take the cookies out of the oven and let them sit on the tray for about 2-3 minutes. Then place them on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

4. Step: Melt the dark chocolate

Place a chopped dark chocolate bar into a glass bowl, then place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Take the bowl off the stove.

5. Step: Drizzle the cookies with dark chocolate and sprinkle with orange zest

Drizzle each cookie with dark chocolate and sprinkle with fresh or dried orange zest.

Let the chocolate harden completely.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

DOES CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIE DOUGH NEED TO BE REFRIGERATE BEFORE BAKING?

No, you don’t need to refrigerate the cookie dough. You can bake the cookies right after dividing them into balls. However, refrigerating the cookie dough (at least for 2 hours, preferably overnight) will prevent them from spreading. They will also have more flavor.

You can keep the cookie dough in the fridge for up to a week.

HOW TO STORE VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES?

Store the cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

HOW LONG DO CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES LAST?

The cookies will maintain their taste and texture for 3 days. But you can store them for up to 3 weeks (they will get slightly harden).

CAN I FREEZE CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES?

Yes, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Make sure they are in an airtight container or bag. Let them thaw before serving.

MORE COOKIES RECIPES:

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES:

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment below. Or share your photo on Instagram and tag @plantifulbakery.