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Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 112 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: Approximately 4 hours (including chilling and ganache thickening)
  • Yield: About 30 sandwich cookies (60 cookie rounds) 1x

Description

These Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies combine the zestiness of fresh orange with rich chocolate ganache sandwiched between soft, tender cookies. The buttery dough is lightly flavored with orange zest and baked to a delicate texture. Once cooled, the cookies are filled with a smooth semi-sweet chocolate ganache made from chopped chocolate and heavy cream, creating a perfect balance of citrus and chocolate in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons fresh orange zest (about 1 large orange)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling
  • optional: coarse sparkling sugar for topping

For the Ganache Filling

  • 2/3 cup (160g/ml) heavy cream
  • 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preliminary note: The chocolate ganache requires at least 45 minutes to thicken before it can be used for assembling the sandwiches. It’s best to start making the ganache while the cookies are baking.
  2. Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and orange zest and continue beating until fully combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Finally, add the flour and beat on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed slightly to bring the dough together. The dough will be very soft.
  3. Roll out the dough: Generously flour a rolling pin and roll the dough onto a very generously floured sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking mat to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour as needed to avoid sticking. Optionally, place parchment on top before rolling to prevent the rolling pin from sticking.
  4. Chill the dough: Transfer the rolled dough with the parchment or mat onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. If chilling more than a couple hours, loosely cover with parchment or plastic wrap.
  5. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Set oven to 350°F (177°C) and line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. Cut out cookies: Remove dough from fridge. Use a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter (fluted or plain) to cut out shapes. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used. Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar on top and lightly press it in.
  7. Bake cookies: Bake for 9–11 minutes, until very lightly browned at the edges. Cookies will not brown much on top. Rotate baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
  8. Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
  9. Prepare the ganache: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until it gently simmers (no rapid boiling). Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit 2–3 minutes. Stir slowly until smooth and fully combined. Let ganache cool and thicken until pipeable, at least 45 minutes or up to 1.5 hours depending on room temperature.
  10. Assemble sandwich cookies: Fit a piping bag with a large round tip (e.g., Wilton #12). If preferred, spreading with a knife is possible but less clean. Fill the piping bag with thickened ganache. Flip half the cookies over, pipe a dollop of ganache on the flat side, then top with remaining cookies and gently press to spread the filling to edges.
  11. Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough for at least 3 hours is crucial to handle soft dough and to achieve the best texture.
  • The ganache should not be too warm when piping; let it fully thicken for best results.
  • Optional coarse sparkling sugar on top adds a decorative crunch and sparkle.
  • Use fresh orange zest for a bright and natural citrus flavor; dried zest will not provide the same aroma.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can spread ganache with a small spatula or knife, but it may be messier.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus at least 3 hours chilling time for dough, plus 45 minutes for ganache thickening)
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate orange cookies, sandwich cookies, orange zest cookies, chocolate ganache filling, homemade cookies, citrus dessert

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Find it online: https://cooklilan.com/chocolate-orange-sandwich-cookies-recipe/