Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies, delicate, buttery, shortbread pastry flavored with orange and dark chocolate are the perfect cookies for the festive season. Dreamy and delicious they will be the "star" of the show of your holiday gatherings.
Song of the day: O (Fly On) - Coldplay.
Like last year, I was excited to receive an email asking me to participate in a virtual Cookie exchange with fellow food bloggers. It set me in the festive mood and fueled my desire to find a recipe to share that was aesthetically appealing and delectable to eat. It also had to reflect my Italian heritage.
Today I am sharing my Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies as part of The Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange. I've joined several food blogger friends to bring you some amazing cookie recipes for the holiday season. It's a week-long event, running from November 26th to the 30th, so lots of inspiration! Last year I shared my Abbracci, Italian Hugs Cookies. Eager to show you these ones!
Inspiration
Some years ago, when the blogging journey was in the backdrop of our minds and I was still in Rome for the Christmas holidays, I received a recipe booklet called "Biscotti" from one of my friends. (Hint: just a reminder that in Italian "biscotti" is the generic term for any kind of cookies, not only the ones you call, indeed, biscotti, in this side of the world). The booklet is hardcover and magnetic, and in the form of a chocolate cookie. Such a nice little gift! Among the recipes that are in the booklet, I fell in love with the shape and the flavors of these Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies.
Preparation
A delicate and buttery shortbread pastry is flavored with orange juice and zest, then, half of the dough is infused with melted dark chocolate.
Both of the doughs are then wrapped in plastic and set in fridge to rest.
After that time, the preparation of these Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies is a little laborious if you are doing it all yourself (like I did), but it is fun and worth every minute.
I see this, as a family affair. Two work surfaces and a few sets of hands, big and small, to help to roll out the two doughs, cut out the star shapes, and fill the inside of the bigger stars with the smaller stars in the opposite color. A room filled with laughter, joy, and anticipation of the final result.
The Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies are in the oven and the house smells of citrus, vanilla, and chocolate. It seems like you've lit one of those scented candles, only no artificial essences suffuse the air, but good, natural ingredients.
I don't know about you but stars make me feel magical and without boundaries. The difference in colors really make these cookies special and knowing that I made them makes me feel grand.
I have to take a bite. Mmmm is that ever good. I love the combination of orange and chocolate, truly a match made in heaven.
This cookies comes in crisp and just melts and lingers with this smoothness on my tongue. My eyes are closed and I have all these memories floating in my mind.
These Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies remind me of Rome, my city, during the Christmas holidays. Stunning and magical, at night an opulence of lights twinkling, dazzling, welcome you around the city. Streets, squares, churches, monuments, houses, villas, and even the river, they all dress up to bring you a joyful elegance.
Check out The Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange. You'll find hundreds of cookie recipes from this week and the previous several years. All you would want to do is get in the kitchen and start baking!
Song of the day: O (Fly On) - Coldplay.
PrintOrange and Chocolate Star Cookies
Orange and Chocolate Star Cookies, delicate, buttery, shortbread pastry flavored with orange and dark chocolate are the perfect cookies for the festive season. Dreamy and delicious they will be the "star" of the show of your holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 50 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 180 g unsalted butter. at room temperature
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- the zest of 1 organic orange
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 large egg, organic free-range
- 60 g organic dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Over a bain-marie on low heat, melt the dark chocolate.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and the sugar.
- Always beating, add the vanilla extract, the orange juice and zest, the egg, the sifted flour mix, until a dough forms.
- Using a scale, divide the dough into two parts, more or less the same weight. Put one of the dough back in the bowl of the stand mixer. Add the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
- Wrap both doughs in plastic wrap and set in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone mats.
- Take the light dough out of the fridge, leave the other in the fridge. On a floured work surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 5mm thickness.
- With the biggest star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out star cookies and place them on 2 baking sheets. Gather all the scraps of dough and re-roll, cutting out star cookies until finished.
- With the smaller star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the inside of every star cookie that is on the baking sheets. Place them on the board.
- Take out the chocolate dough from the fridge. Roll it out to the same thickness as the other, cut out the bigger star-shaped cookies and place them on the other baking sheets.
- With the smaller star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the inside of every chocolate star cookie. Place them inside the light star cookies.
- Place the small chocolate star inside the light big star until they're all filled. You might have some leftover small stars, I baked them separately on a small baking sheet.
- Bake the star cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. I baked two baking sheets at a time.
- Remove from the oven and let sit in the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Then remove from baking sheet and place on a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store in an airtight container. I put them in a tin box with a lid. They will last for about a week. I didn't freeze them (I usually do not freeze cookies) so I don't know how that works.
The dough is easier to work when it's cold.
The prep time includes the 1-hour resting time in the fridge.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
These are so elegant and festive! I love that first photo with all of them arranged on the baking sheet with the white lights! I wish I had one of these to snack on right now. You can't beat the chocolate orange combo!
Thank you, Leanne! They are indeed magical. I packaged some to bring to my neighbors and they were a hit!
Grace says
These are beautiful and sound delicious!
Thank you! They really are delicious!
Milena says
As usual, I love your taste in music:) Orange and chocolate are such a festive combo for me, always remind of Europe and even though I have not experienced Rome in the cold months, not to mention around the holidays, I can tell that it is magical. These are lovely cookies - I can see myself sipping on a Picon Biere and making these on a weekend afternoon! All the extra small stars will be devoured by my little boy, I am sure of it:)
I am so happy somebody listens to our song of the day! That song is magical and I thought it would go perfectly with the cookies. Thank you so much, they are not only pretty but so delicious.
Vanessa | Zest & Simmer says
These are absolutely beautiful, and you can’t beat the chocolate orange combination! These will impress everyone!
Thank you! The combo is amazing and they did please everybody 🙂 .
Elaine Benoit says
These cookies are so beautiful! Not only are they fun to look at, but they are so pretty and look crispy and delicious! I always enjoy looking at your photos! My noni used to make different cookies every year and a lot of your recipes remind me of her! 🙂
Awww thank you! Your nonni must have been adorable. These cookies just melt in your mouth. So good!
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
Ahh these are so cute! I love the two-toned star. I bet these are lots of fun to make.
Thanks! They were a bit laborious, but also fun! And delicious to eat 🙂 .
Analida Braeger says
What beautiful cookies! Christmas is a time I look forward to because of the trays of sweets of course!
Thank you! And these would look amazing on a holiday tray 🙂 .
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
These cookies look gorgeous! I Would love to make these for the holidays!
They look pretty and they are also delicious. A great combination. Thank you!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Ohhhh, such a beautiful cookie! I'm sure all the other cookies on the holiday tray will line up to sit next to these!! Pinned!
Thank you, Annie! They will sure make a good impression on a party tray 🙂 .
Sherri says
Oh, I just love these star cookies! They are so pretty! I really love the addition of the orange flavor too! Sounds amazing! 🙂
Thanks so much! Orange and chocolate is a flavor that I've always loved and here it is perfect!
Kelly Anthony says
I cannot even handle these cookies! They are so perfect and the photography is gorgeous. So perfect for Christmas!
Thank you! I think so too, they are just perfect for the Christmas holidays. they put you in the right spirit 🙂 .
Aleta says
Whoa. Not only are these the most beautiful cookie I have ever seen, but the combination of chocolate and orange? My absolute favourite. I can't wait to get to baking so I can indulge in these beauties. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you! In Italy it is a very popular combo, my favorite is dark chocolate orange gelato. Here, it just makes these cookies extra special.
lauren says
Orange and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The perfect amount of citrus to balance the sweet! I love how festive these cookies are, these are going to be great to bake with the smalls!
I think the little ones would love to help make these cookies! Thank you 🙂 .
Karyl Henry says
Orange and chocolate is such a delicious combination. I like that you use both the zest and the juice, for even more orange flavor.
It is such a delicious combo! Especially in a pretty cookie like this 🙂 . Thanks!
Jyothi (Jo) says
These cookies are definitely fun way to start the holidays, taking little ones assistance at home. They look so beautiful and absolutely love orange flavor in my cookies
The little ones would love to help to make these cookies!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow these cookies look amazing and so cute!! They would be perfect for a holiday bake sale!
Thank you! They are amazing, look and flavor 🙂 .
Jagruti Dhanecha says
These delectable cookies are perfect for the coming festive season, and flavours are so amazing! Loving that tiny star Christmas light decor here 🙂
I wanted to create an enchanted look that would fit the beauty of these cookies. Thank you!
Jacque Hastert says
Those cookies are almost too cute to eat.... ALMOST 😉 A great holiday cookie platter addition.
Nothing is too cute to eat 😉 . They were polished among mmmmms of admiration, though 🙂 . Thank you!
Cheryl | Pook's Pantry says
These cookies are so gorgeous! I love the chocolate orange combination, it reminds me of a treat my Mom used to put in my stocking every year 🙂
Thank you! It is truly a delightful combination!
Joan says
I made these, but had tremendous difficulty with the rolling and cutting. The chocolate dough is much stiffer than the orange only dough, and so the two acted differently. Even with several hours of chilling, the orange dough was sticky and hard to handle. The cooking is tricky. They need to be quite thick and baked until only just staring to color. It is very easy to overbake the cookies and the flavor is so delicate that overbaking overwhelms the orange. I found the orange flavor a little too delicate.
Sorry you had such a tremendous effort! I know these are not the easiest cookies to make... As it is a very delicate dough, when it gets hot, with lots of handling and re-rolling it can get stickier, but I did not find the orange dough to be that sticky. Hope that they turned out nice, would love to see a picture. If we lived closer, it would be nice to bake together, I would gladly remake them. Thank you for your feedback!
Erin Parker says
These cookies are absolutely STUNNING! I love the look of them, but more importantly, the flavors used, too. SUCH a delicious and delightful cookie for the holiday season, and definitely one that is perfect for making as a family. (I know my older daughter would LOVE helping with this!)
Thank you so much for participating in this year's exchange and joining us in sharing some cookies and spreading the love!