Chocolate Orange Freaky Face Cookies (Printable)
Festive chocolate orange cookies with playful Halloween decorations
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 2 large oranges
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
→ Add-ins & Decorations
12 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - Candy eyeballs, colored sprinkles, or gel icing for decorating
14 - White and dark chocolate melts (optional, for decorating)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix until thoroughly combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Sop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft.
09 - Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
10 - Create spooky faces using candy eyeballs, sprinkles, or icing. Use melted white and dark chocolate for additional decorative details if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The chocolate orange combo tastes like those fancy oranges filled with chocolate cream but in cookie form
- Kids go absolutely wild for the decorating part and the cookies taste just as good as they look
02 -
- Overbaking these cookies makes them dry, pull them out when edges are set even if centers look underdone
- The decorating step works best when cookies are completely cool or the chocolate will slide right off
03 -
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it feels too sticky to work with, especially in warm kitchens
- Mix a little orange food coloring into white chocolate melts for custom decoration colors