Indulge in the ultimate festive treat with these incredible Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cookies! Crafted with a generous blend of both rich dark and classic milk Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, these cookies deliver an unparalleled double chocolate experience. Each delightful cookie is thoughtfully shaped like a chocolate orange wedge, making them not only irresistibly delicious but also fun, unique, and visually perfect for any holiday gathering. They are truly the ideal Christmas cookie for every devoted chocolate orange enthusiast!

The inspiration for this beloved chocolate orange cookie recipe struck me around 2012, specifically for my husband, a true connoisseur of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. From that first festive batch, these cookies quickly became a cherished Christmas tradition in our home. They are incredibly popular throughout the holiday season, offering a delightful and engaging baking project for the whole family. Perfectly suited for holiday cookie exchanges, their unique flavor and charming wedge shape make them stand out. While they shine during Christmas, their delicious taste makes them a fantastic treat any time of year. Much like my other family-favorite holiday cookie staples, such as Raspberry Jam Cookies, the effortless 4-ingredient Whipped Shortbread Cookies, our festive Christmas Biscotti, and the adorable Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies, these chocolate orange cookies are adored by everyone who tries them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Effortless to Make. These Terry’s Chocolate Orange cookies are incredibly straightforward to prepare, requiring no fancy kitchen gadgets or specialized equipment. A simple bowl, a mixer (or even just a wooden spoon!), and basic baking tools are all you need to create a batch of these delectable treats.
• Perfectly Festive! Elevate your holiday baking tray with these eye-catching and delicious cookies. Their delightful wedge shape and rich chocolate orange flavor make them an ideal addition to any Christmas party spread or a thoughtful, homemade edible gift for friends and family. They truly capture the spirit of the season!
• Authentic Chocolate Orange Flavor Inside. What makes these cookies truly special is that real Terry’s Chocolate Orange (both dark and milk varieties!) is finely chopped and baked right into the dough. This ensures an intense, authentic chocolate orange flavor in every single bite, creating the ultimate immersive experience for fans of the iconic chocolate.
• Fun and Iconic Wedge Shape. Replicating the distinct segments of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, these cookies boast a charming wedge shape that is surprisingly easy to achieve. This unique presentation adds a touch of whimsy and makes them instantly recognizable and enjoyable for all.
• Freezer-Friendly Dough. This recipe yields a generous quantity of cookies, which is fantastic for holiday entertaining or gifting. But don’t worry about having too many; the cookie dough freezes beautifully. This means you can prepare a large batch in advance and bake fresh cookies whenever a craving strikes, or spread out your holiday baking over several days.

🥘Ingredient Notes

The delightful combination of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, orange extract, and fresh orange zest infuses these cookies with an incredibly vibrant and natural orange flavor that perfectly complements the rich chocolate. For this double chocolate orange cookie recipe, you’ll also need these essential ingredients:

• Unsalted butter. Using unsalted butter is key for a lighter-textured cookie. It also allows you to precisely control the overall salt content in your recipe. For these cookies, no additional salt is needed, letting the chocolate and orange flavors truly shine.
• Brown sugar. Brown sugar is essential for achieving the perfect chewy texture and adding a wonderful depth of molasses flavor to these chocolate orange cookies. Its moistness contributes to a tender crumb.
• Sour cream. This ingredient is a secret weapon, adding incredible moisture, richness, and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the cookies. It helps create a soft, cake-like consistency.
• All-purpose flour. The backbone of our cookie dough, all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure, ensuring the dough is strong enough to handle and shape without tearing, resulting in perfectly formed cookies.
• Orange zest. Fresh orange zest is a powerhouse of natural citrus oils, imparting a bright, aromatic burst of pure orange flavor. It’s crucial for that authentic chocolate orange taste.
• Orange extract. To amplify and deepen the citrus notes, orange extract works in harmony with the zest, ensuring an even more pronounced and delightful orange flavor throughout these orange chocolate cookies.
• Terry’s dark chocolate orange and Terry’s milk chocolate orange. These are the stars of the show! By incorporating both dark chocolate and milk chocolate oranges, chopped into small pieces and mixed directly into the dough, we achieve a complex, intense, and utterly satisfying chocolate orange experience in every single bite.

🔪How to Make Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cookies

Creating these distinctive chocolate orange cookies is surprisingly simple, and you won’t need any specialized tools beyond your basic kitchen essentials. For shaping and etching, a standard butter knife is all that’s required to achieve their charming, intricate details.

Prep: Begin by preheating your oven to 370 degrees F (187 degrees C). Line a sturdy baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.

MAKE THE DOUGH (STEP 1): First, give your Terry’s Chocolate Oranges a good whack to separate them into segments, then unwrap them. (Image 1) Proceed to finely chop both the dark and milk chocolate oranges into small, manageable pieces. Set these aside for later incorporation into the dough. (Image 2). In a separate medium bowl, combine all your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda). Whisk them thoroughly to ensure they are well mixed, then set this bowl aside. (Image 3) Now, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, add your wet ingredients: eggs, sour cream, orange extract, vanilla extract, and fresh orange zest. Beat these together with the electric mixer for about 30 seconds until they are smoothly blended into the butter and sugar mixture. (Image 4).

MAKE THE DOUGH (STEP 2): Gradually incorporate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Start by mixing with a sturdy wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. You may find that as the dough thickens, it becomes quite stiff, and for truly complete combination, you might need to use your hands to fully mix in all the flour. (Image 5). Once the base dough is well combined, gently fold in the chopped pieces of both Terry’s dark and milk chocolate oranges. Distribute the chocolate evenly throughout the dough. (Image 6).

SHAPE THE COOKIES (STEP 3): Begin by rolling portions of the cookie dough into 1-inch round balls. Once formed, gently flatten each cookie dough ball with the palm of your hand to create a disc shape. (Image 7). *If you prefer not to make the wedge shape, you can simply continue with these flat, round cookies and proceed directly to the baking instructions below. To create the iconic wedge, carefully cut each flattened round cookie in half with a knife. (Image 8). For a more authentic orange wedge appearance, take the straight edge of each half-cookie and use your knife to gently flatten and thin it, creating a more pronounced wedge shape. This step is optional but adds to the visual appeal. Next, using the dull side of your knife (or a plastic knife for kids), carefully etch small lines or nicks into the wedge cookies to mimic the internal segments of an orange. A segment from a real Terry’s Chocolate Orange can serve as a helpful guide for this detail. (Image 9). Finally, use a butter knife to create a delicate outline around the curved, half-circle outer edge of each cookie. (Image 10).

BAKE THE COOKIES (STEP 4): Carefully place the shaped cookies onto your parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced approximately ½ to 1 inch apart to allow for slight spreading. (Image 11). Bake for a precise 7 minutes in your preheated oven. *If you decided to make whole, round cookies instead of wedges, they will require an extra minute, baking for 8 minutes total. It can be a little tricky to discern if these chocolatey cookies are lightly browned due to their dark color, so a good indicator is to gently lift one and check the underside; it should appear set and slightly firmer (Image 12). Once baked, if you split a cookie in half, it will look fully cooked but with delightful pockets of melty chocolate throughout (Image 13). Immediately transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. (Image 14). These festive Terry’s Chocolate Orange cookies are absolutely perfect served alongside a warm cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk for a truly satisfying treat!

Hint: This recipe is designed to yield a generous batch of approximately 80 cookies. If, at any point during the shaping process, you find yourself wanting a simpler approach, feel free to switch to making whole, round cookies instead of the intricate wedges. Remember, you can also easily freeze a portion of the dough for future baking endeavors (refer to the storage section for details).

Tips & Tricks

• Achieve Uniformity with a Cookie Scoop: For perfectly consistent cookie sizes and even baking, a cookie scoop is an invaluable tool. It helps ensure each cookie bakes at the same rate and looks aesthetically pleasing. This OXO cookie scoop (affiliate link) has been highly rated by Bon Appétit for its ergonomic design and efficiency. You can read more about why it’s considered the best in this Bon Appétit article.
• Kid-Friendly Crafting: If you’re involving small children in the fun of shaping and decorating these chocolate orange cookies, consider using disposable plastic knives. This makes the activity safer and allows for easy cleanup.
• Silicone Trivets for Easy Cooling and Cleanup: For cooling your beautiful double chocolate orange cookies, I highly recommend using my favorite silicone trivets (affiliate link), visible in the photo below. They are significantly easier to clean than traditional fabric or cork trivets, being completely dishwasher safe. These non-slip, heat-resistant trivets can withstand temperatures up to 600˚F, come in various rectangular and circular shapes, a range of vibrant colors, and are made from BPA-free, stain-resistant silicone.
• Freezing Dough for Future Batches: This recipe yields a generous 80 cookies, perfect for big events or gifting. To manage the quantity, you can easily freeze a portion of the prepared dough. Store it in an airtight container or a heavy-duty Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, remember to defrost the dough in the fridge overnight, then bring it to room temperature before shaping and baking.
• Freezing Individual Cookie Portions: For even greater convenience, you can freeze the cookie dough in individual portions. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then freeze them spaced ½ inch apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet until solid. Once frozen, transfer the individual cookie balls to an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag, where they will keep for up to 3 months. As with the larger dough portions, allow them to thaw in the fridge and come to room temperature before flattening, decorating, and baking.
• **Room Temperature Ingredients:** Ensure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together more smoothly, creating a more cohesive dough and a better cookie texture.
• **Do Not Overbake:** These cookies bake quickly! Overbaking will result in a dry, crumbly texture. Stick to the recommended baking times and look for the cues mentioned in the instructions for perfect results.

🌡️How to Store These Chocolate Orange Cookies

Proper storage ensures your delicious orange chocolate cookies stay fresh and delightful for as long as possible:

Store these baked chocolate orange cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This keeps them soft and prevents them from drying out.

If you’re looking to get a head start, the unbaked cookie dough can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge overnight. Simply wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing any odors or drying out.

For longer storage, baked and completely cooled cookies can be frozen. Place them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper if stacking, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.

👪 Serving Size

This versatile recipe is designed to yield approximately 80 delightful chocolate orange cookies when cut into wedges! If you opt for whole, round cookies instead of cutting them, the recipe will make about 40. This generous batch size makes them perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or simply stocking up your cookie jar. For your convenience, you can easily adjust the recipe’s yield to suit your needs: simply click on the serving number in the recipe card below and select your desired quantity (half, double, or triple). The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust to match your selection!

If orange extract isn’t readily available, you can absolutely rely on additional fresh orange zest to impart a natural and vibrant citrus flavor. Start by adding an extra 1-2 teaspoons of zest to the dough, tasting and adjusting as needed to achieve your desired intensity. While the extract provides a deeper note, zest offers a brighter, fresh orange essence.

To prevent your chocolate orange cookies from spreading excessively and losing their beautiful wedge shape, a simple trick is to chill the shaped cookie dough for 15-20 minutes in the fridge before placing them into the preheated oven. The colder dough holds its shape better, resulting in thicker, more defined cookies. Ensure your butter isn’t too soft when you start.

Absolutely! This is a fantastic make-ahead recipe. The cookie dough can be conveniently refrigerated overnight, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, or even frozen for up to three months for ultimate flexibility. If you plan to freeze it, portion the dough into balls first, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Remember to thaw frozen dough in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before you proceed with shaping and baking.

While Terry’s Chocolate Orange is essential for the authentic flavor of these cookies, if you’re looking for a variation, you could experiment with other orange-flavored chocolates or combine regular chocolate chips with extra orange zest and extract to boost the citrus notes. However, for the true “Terry’s” experience, the original is best!

After separating the segments, placing the chocolate on a cutting board and using a sharp chef’s knife or a serrated knife works best for finely chopping. Alternatively, you can briefly chill the chocolate before chopping to make it less prone to melting from the heat of your hands, resulting in cleaner cuts.

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