These easy to make slice and bake cookies dotted with toasted almonds and bright orange zest are dipped in melted chocolate and topped with coconut flakes, for an enticing Christmas treat.
Winter break is here. It’s Christmas week. And baby, is it cold outside!! But, this is the perfect weather for warm cookies, enjoyed with a hot cuppa coffee or hot chocolate. The best sort of cookies are those that make themselves. Slice and bake cookies fall into this category.
I wrote a post last year about mixing, freezing and baking slice and bake Christmas cookies. I did sugar cookies and cookies with cranberries and chocolate chips at that time. This year, I wanted to do orange cookies. This month, my orange crinkle cookies have been the most searched for and most popular post so far. Then I made these lemon mini cakes. So I carried on the citrus theme onto these cookies as well. They also have toasted almonds in them. But the pièce de ré·sis·tance is the final dip in melted chocolate. So Christmasy!
The convenience of slice and bake cookies can’t be beat. Once you mix the dough, shape into logs and freeze, it is so easy to make cookies as and when you need them. Cut and bake the whole log or just a couple of pieces. Some recipes may tell you to completely thaw the entire log before baking, but I’ve found that you can make clean cuts while the log is still a bit frozen.
These orange and almond cookies are so good on their own. This recipe is based on last year’s slice and bake recipe, but I have subbed powdered sugar with light brown sugar. You can really use what you have on hand. You can use any kind of nuts too. Think cashew nuts, pecans, hazelnuts or pistachios. But don’t forget the fresh orange zest. It adds such a lovely flavor to an already amazing cookie. And that just-baked cookie smell is simply to die for. I want to bottle it and sell it!
These need not be only Christmas cookies, you can have them anytime. But what takes them over-the-top Christmas-worthy is that final dip in a bowl of melted semi-sweet chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, you can top it with crushed nuts, peppermint candy or coconut flakes like I did.
Pretty and delicious cookies – that’s always a win in my cookie book!
Find recipe below.
- Butter - 1 cup, softened
- Light brown sugar - ⅔ cup
- Egg - 1, large
- Orange extract - 1 tsp
- Orange zest - 1 tbsp
- Salt - a fat pinch
- All-purpose flour - 2 cups, sifted
- Toasted almonds - ¾ cup, chopped
- Demerara or sanding sugar - ¼ cup (optional)
- Dark semi-sweet chocolate chips - 1 cup
- Sea salt - as needed
- Coconut flakes - 2 tbsp
- Take the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed till soft. Add sugar and beat well on medium-high till soft and creamy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add egg, orange extract, orange zest and salt and beat well to incorporate, 1 more minute.
- Add flour and combine on low speed till the dough just comes together. Add chopped nuts and mix to combine.
- Divide dough into two portions and form each portion into logs, 7-8 inches long. The dough will be sticky, but you will be able to work it into logs to freeze for later. I recommend forming logs on large sheets of cling wrap. This way, you can wrap it around the log and seal the ends. Place formed logs in a large resealable freezer bag and freeze dough till required, upto 3 months.
- To bake the cookies, pre-heat oven to 350 deg.F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take the dough from the freezer, remove cling wrap and cut into slices ⅔ inch thick. If you wish to, you can roll the plain cookie dough log in some Demerara sugar or sanding sugar before slicing.
- Arrange sliced cookies ½ inch apart on the baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes. Cookies will be soft but bottoms will be lightly browned. Remove from oven, move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips. You can do this in one of 3 ways - in a saucepan on a really small flame on the stove, a double boiler or in the microwave in 20 second increments. Stir well and make sure it is completely melted.
- Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate. Allow excess to drip off and place on a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat. Immediately top with sea salt and coconut flakes. Refrigerate dipped cookies for half an hour so that the chocolate sets.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days or as long as they will last!
2. Use other nuts like chopped cashew nuts, hazelnuts, pecans or pistachios.
3. You can use other toppings like crushed nuts, peppermint candy or sprinkles.
Make sure you include these delicious cookies in your Holiday baking list this year. Aren’t you excited for Christmas?!!
Don’t forget to PIN & SAVE this recipe for later.
What are some of the Christmas cookies that you bake? Do you like citrus flavored cookies? Have you tried slice and bake cookies? Do try this easy and delicious recipe and let me know how it goes.
Want more Holiday recipes? Check out this page for all recipes under #ChristmasRecipeSeries.
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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday, FoodieFriDIY & Saucy Saturday.
I love anything citrus and these are perfect!!!
Thank you. Me too!!
Thank you, me too!!