Terrys Chocolate Orange Christmas Cookies

I'm a huge Terry's Chocolate Orange fan at Christmas, I ask Ryan (hem hem, Santa) to put one in my stocking every year. I'm also a huge fan of Christmas cookies, obviously. Several years ago, I felt the need to combine the two, and after many years of trail and error and improvements, I feel I've perfected it.

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I have about 5 Christmas cookie recipes that are annual repeats, and I enjoy trying a few new ones every year too. This one is for sure on the annual repeat list! Ryan isn't the hugest Terry's fan, but this is his favourite of the Christmas cookie repertoire.

Besides the Terry's, I think what makes this cookie is the addition of the turbinado sugar. Turbinado sugar is just really course brown sugar, like you find in Starbucks sometimes in those little packets you can add to your coffee. It's so good in a cookie! It makes the inside have these little crunchy bits. The inside of the cookie is perfectly gooey and delicious, and the outside the perfect amount of crispy. That's just how we like our cookie. If you don't have turbinado sugar, you can substitute it for brown sugar, but I would highly recommend going to the grocery store and buying some! You'll use it, cuz I promise you'll make this recipe more than once ;)

Without further ado, I shall present the recipe, cuz that's all we really want!

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Terry's Chocolate Orange Christmas Cookies

Servings: about 25 cookies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 12-14 minutes

Total time: ~30 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup/225g Unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3/4 cup/170g Dark Brown Sugar

• 1/2 cup/100g Granulated / White Sugar

• 1/4 cup/50g Raw / Turbinado Sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• 1 tsp orange extract

• 2 cups/300g All-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup/110g chopped pecans, toasted

• 10oz/280 g good quality dark chocolate and Terry’s Chocolate Orange, roughly chopped

• Flaky Sea Salt for finishing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, and orange zest on high speed for 5 minutes, until pale, and light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange extract, and mix to combine, scraping down the bowl when necessary.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the mixing bowl, and mix on low to just combine (you still want a few streaks of flour remaining that will get mixed in when you add the chocolate).

3. Add the chopped chocolate and toasted nuts and mix until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and give a few mixes by hand using a flexible spatula, to ensure even incorporation of the chocolate.

4. Using a 3 Tbsp Cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (you can place them close together). If you want big puddles on the top of your cookies, you flatten a ball of dough, press the chocolate onto the top side, then continue as usual and roll it into a ball, which then gives you even chocolate distribution as the cookie bakes.

5. If you are not adding additional chocolate, there is no need to re-shape into a ball - you can bake right from the scooped shape. Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and chill the dough balls for an hour in the fridge (if you want to freeze some, now is the time)

6. Toward the end of the chilling process, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper (you can bake these in batches)

7. Arrange 6 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, leaving room for spreading. Leave the remainder of the dough balls in the fridge.

8. Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until lightly golden and beginning to set. Baking time depends on personal preference - if you like them quite soft, bake for 13 mins, if you like them a tiny bit crispy then bake for 14. Remove from the oven, and if desired, use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to scoot them into a perfectly round shape.

9. Sprinkle liberally with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool on the pan - the cookies will deflate slightly as they cool. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookies.

10. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

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