Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Shortbread Cookies
These chocolate-dipped candied orange shortbread cookies are a fun and unique recipe that’s sure to get everyone talking this holiday season! Featuring buttery shortbread, candied orange slices, and rich dark chocolate, these cookies are delicate, sweet, and an easy way to switch up the usual holiday cookie rotation.
This might just be the most unique recipe I’ve ever posted — and honestly, I wasn’t even sure I was going to share it. Not because it wasn’t good, or because I’ve got something against shortbread or candied fruit.
But mostly because I wasn’t sure how many people out there would actually like it. But I figured I couldn’t be the only one who enjoys old-fashioned cookie recipes, so I decided to share them after all.
These cookies are definitely in a league of their own — as is the case with most shortbread cookies. And while Christmas might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you see them, I find that they’re perfect for the holiday season.
I love making them for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but they’re also great for tea parties, gifting to friends, or even serving at Easter!
Whatever the occasion, these chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies are sure to get everyone talking — and they might just become a new favorite. Not to mention, they’re super easy to make.
And if you aren’t up for the challenge of making homemade candied orange peel or candied orange slices, you can easily find them at most grocery stores.
So be sure to give these fun, unique, and delicious cookies a try — this holiday season or any time!
How to Make Chocolate-Dipped Candied Orange Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar (also called icing sugar)
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
Toppings
- Candied orange slices (you can also use candied orange peel — see notes below for different orange options)
- Dark chocolate, melted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until the butter is light and fluffy. (You can also use a large bowl with electric beaters, but I find a stand mixer easier.)
Add the flour to the butter mixture ½ cup at a time, mixing just until incorporated between each addition. Once all the flour is added, you should have a crumbly dough that holds its shape when squeezed together.
Gently press the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.
Roll the cookie dough out with a floured rolling pin to roughly ½-inch thickness. Cut into circles (I made mine big enough to fit my orange slices) using a biscuit cutter or a wide-mouth canning jar lid. You can also freehand your circles using a sharp knife.
Place your shortbread circles on the parchment-lined baking sheet, then gently press a candied orange slice into each cookie.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Once the cookies are completely cooled and your chocolate is melted, carefully dip one half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Return them to the wire rack and allow the chocolate to harden before serving. Alternatively, you can drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies instead of dipping.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
These chocolate-dipped candied orange shortbread cookies can be covered gently with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If you’re not a fan of candied orange slices, or you can’t find them (or don’t have time to make them), here are a few easy alternatives:
- Use candied orange peel. Candied peel is easier to find at most stores, especially around the holidays. You can use it in place of the orange slices — simply layer it on top of the cut-out cookies or dice it and mix it right into the dough.
- Add orange zest. If you don’t love candied fruit but still want that orange flavor, add the zest of one orange to the dough. You can even add orange zest to your melted chocolate!
- Use orange extract. You can also add 1 teaspoon of orange extract to your shortbread dough. This keeps the orange flavor without needing fresh oranges.
I wouldn’t recommend using orange juice, as it adds extra liquid and moisture, which would require additional flour to maintain the proper texture and consistency.
I love using baking chocolate for most of my holiday treats, but dark chocolate chips or chunks also work well for melting, too.
Be Sure to Check Out These Delicious Cookies, Too!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Sourdough Discard Cookies
Easy Homemade Black & White Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar also called icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 18 Candied orange slices you can also use candied orange peel — see notes below for different orange options
- dark chocolate melted chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until the butter is light and fluffy. (You can also use a large bowl with electric beaters, but I find a stand mixer easier.)
- Add the flour to the butter mixture ½ cup at a time, mixing just until incorporated between each addition. Once all the flour is added, you should have a crumbly dough that holds its shape when squeezed together.
- Gently press the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll the cookie dough out with a floured rolling pin to roughly ½-inch thickness. Cut into circles (I made mine big enough to fit my orange slices) using a biscuit cutter or a wide-mouth canning jar lid. You can also freehand your circles using a sharp knife.
- Place your shortbread circles on the parchment-lined baking sheet, then gently press a candied orange slice into each cookie.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.
- Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled and your chocolate is melted, carefully dip one half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Return them to the wire rack and allow the chocolate to harden before serving. Alternatively, you can drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies instead of dipping.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use candied orange peel. Candied peel is easier to find at most stores, especially around the holidays. You can use it in place of the orange slices — simply layer it on top of the cut-out cookies or dice it and mix it right into the dough.
- Add orange zest. If you don’t love candied fruit but still want that orange flavor, add the zest of one orange to the dough. You can even add orange zest to your melted chocolate!
- Use orange extract. You can also add 1 teaspoon of orange extract to your shortbread dough. This keeps the orange flavor without needing fresh oranges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
