Mini Chip Chocolate Orange Cookie Bites

Christmas cookie season is upon us and also my favorite part of the year! This is the time of year I go a bit crazy making dozens and dozens of cookies. The amount of butter I use is embarrassing, so I don’t keep track. The extravagance is justified in my eyes with a big family to bake for- lol! Every year I try to add one or two new ones for variety in addition to all the old favorites. Anything with a shortbread base is always popular, so this year I created a new shortbread cookie: Mini Chip Chocolate Orange Cookie Bites. This recipe was a recent creation that is now a new favorite. We had no problem putting away the whole batch. Needless to say, this is on the cookie menu this year.

These cookies are moist and rich shortbread that is polka-dotted with tiny chocolate chips and orange zest. Orange extract boosts the orange flavor creating a well-balanced chocolate orange cookie. If you have not had chocolate orange pairing before then you are missing out!

MINI CHIP Chocolate Orange Cookie Bites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. orange zest

1 cup of softened butter (salted kind)

2 tsps. orange extract

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Extra powdered sugar for coating cookies

Start by combining the flour, powdered sugar, and sea salt in a stand mixer. Next, add softened butter, orange extract, and orange zest and mix using paddle attachment until dough comes together. After this, chill dough for about an hour. Heat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place a couple inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Remove from oven and sheet pan quickly. Dip still-warm cookies in powdered sugar and let cool. When cool dip in powdered sugar again. Enjoy!