Orange Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Print version)
Zesty orange, crunchy almonds, and rich chocolate chunks in every chewy bite. Ready in 32 minutes.
# What goes in:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 2 oranges
→ Add-ins
11 - 1 cup chopped roasted almonds
12 - 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
# Cooking steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest, mixing until combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped almonds and dark chocolate chunks until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The orange zest perfumes the entire dough without needing any fancy extracts or oils.
- Crunchy almonds and melty dark chocolate create the perfect contrast of textures in every bite.
- They stay soft and chewy for days if you can resist eating them all straight from the oven.
02 -
- Overbaking is the enemy here, pull them out when the centers still look a bit wet because they will continue cooking on the hot pan.
- Rubbing the orange zest into the sugar with your fingers before mixing releases the essential oils and doubles the citrus flavor throughout the dough.
03 -
- Chill the dough for thirty minutes before scooping if your kitchen is warm, it prevents the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven.
- Use a microplane to zest the oranges directly over the mixing bowl so every drop of fragrant oil falls straight into your dough.