These chocolate dipped orange logs are part of a sponsored Christmas Cookies event.
Ingredients for chocolate dipped orange log cookies
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- grated orange peel (can use
- vanilla (Adams Extract recommended)
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- finely chopped pecans (Millican Pecan Co. recommended)
How to make cookie logs
Beat softened butter until smooth in an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, blending each one into dough well before adding the next. Mix in orange peel and vanilla, then gradually add in the flour and salt and mixture.
Form the dough into a disc shape. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (about 2 hours).
Shape chilled dough into 1-inch balls then roll on a flat work surface into logs (about 3 inches long and about 1/2-inch thick.)
Place about an inch apart on ungreased baking sheets—these Anolon nonstick cookie sheets are my new fave—10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks then melt the chocolate chips for dipping.
How to melt chocolate chips in a double boiler
The best way to melt chocolate is in a double boiler on the stove. Heat the water over low just until simmering. When most of the chocolate is glistening, stir until fully melted.
It’s not the fastest method but it ensures the chocolate melts slowly without overheating. When chocolate overheats (as it can easily do in the microwave), it starts to seize, loses its shine and becomes gloppy and gunky. That’s definitely not what you want.
You can see that my chocolate is still beautifully shiny with the ideal consistency.
I moved the double boiler next to my workspace and even though it was off the heat, the hot water below kept it at the perfect dipping consistency the entire time.
Dip each of the rolled log cookies partway into the chocolate, turning it in a full circle to coat completely. It’s entirely up to you how much of the log cookie to coat with chocolate. I dipped about an inch on most of them.
Let the extra chocolate drip off and then roll the cookie in the finely chopped pecans or sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate as you turn the cookie.
To be honest, I found it easier to sprinkle the pecans over the chocolate.
Let the cookies sit on a cooling rack until the chocolate firms up or blast chill them in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. I let mine sit out on the countertop for an hour or so.
These chocolate dipped orange logs are soft, tender cookies with a hint of orange flavor and the semi-sweet chocolate and pecans finish them off perfectly. They’re very pretty!
Other Christmas cookies you’ll love:
- Pecan bar cookies
- Snowball cookies
- Polar bear cookies
- Lump of coal cookies
- Marbled star cookies
- Cranberry and vanilla chip cookies
- Chocolate pecan cookies
Chocolate Dipped Orange Logs
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh orange peel or dried orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 10 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups pecan pieces finely chopped
Instructions
- In medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
- In electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each egg. Mix in orange peel and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture until blended.
- Press dough into a ball, then flatten into a round disk. Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then roll on flat surface to form 3-inch logs. They should be about 1/2-inch thick. Place an inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 14 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are golden brown. Tops will still be white and soft. Transfer to cooling rack.
- Melt chocolate chips in double boiler. Sprinkle pecans on sheet of waxed paper or in a bowl. Dip one end of cookie in the melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Roll chocolate dipped end in pecans or use your fingers to sprinkle the pecans onto the chocolate. Place on waxed-paper sheets to rest until chocolate is set or refrigerate for about 5 minutes to quick-set the chocolate. Store in airtight container.
