Orange Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Print Page)
Zesty orange, crunchy almonds, and rich dark chocolate chunks in every chewy bite.
# What You Need:
→ 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
# Directions:
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, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest until evenly distributed.
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 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
09 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The orange zest cuts through the richness of the dark chocolate in a way that makes you reach for a second cookie before finishing the first.
- They look like something from a bakery case but come together with zero fuss and basic pantry staples.
- The almonds add a toasty crunch that makes these feel grown up without being pretentious.
02 -
- Overbaking is the enemy here because the cookies firm up significantly as they cool on the pan.
- Rubbing the orange zest into the sugar before creaming releases essential oils and doubles the citrus flavor throughout the dough.
03 -
- Freeze scooped dough balls on a sheet pan, then store them in a bag for fresh baked cookies straight from the freezer with two extra minutes of bake time.
- A tiny pinch of cinnamon in the dry ingredients adds warmth that makes the orange and almond flavors bloom in a way guests will notice but never quite identify.