Chocolate orange shortbread biscuits are light, buttery, melt in your mouth cookies with the flavours of chocolate and orange zest. They are a variation on traditional shortbread and are just as easy to make.
These shortbread cookies are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee or for adding to lunch boxes. They also make a tasty homemade gift.
And similar to many other homemade biscuits they are also ideal for making in bulk and freezing.
If you like shortbread you may also like to try this recipe for lemon and poppy seed shortbread, or lavender shortbread, walnut shortbread made using wholemeal flour, cherry shortbread or fruit shortbread.
For other British baking recipes you may also like to try these delicious vanilla slices, Eccles cakes, Bakewell tart or rock cakes.
The quantities in this easy shortbread recipe are sufficient to make around 26 biscuits.
Ingredients
- 175 grams butter - at room temperature so that it is easier to mix
- 90 grams caster sugar
- 150 grams plain flour
- 50 grams cornflour
- Zest of 1 orange
- 75 grams chocolate chips - or chocolate chunks
Prepare the shortbread dough
Mix the butter and sugar together.
Sift the flour and cornflour into the bowl with the butter and sugar.
Add the orange zest and chocolate chips and mix.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured pastry board to form a log about 4 centimetres (1.5") in diameter. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the cling film. Cut the shortbread dough into slices about 1 cm (about 0.4") thick and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake
Bake at 150oC, 300oF, gas mark 2 until they are just starting to turn golden at the edges (around 20 minutes) but check regularly to avoid overcooking.
Leave on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
To store
- Store your chocolate orange shortbread in an airtight container for up to a couple of days.
- For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container. The shortbread biscuits can be defrosted at room temperature or in a microwave.
Tips
- Don't skip the chilling part. If the shortbread dough isn't chilled before baking it is likely to spread.
- Remove the butter from the fridge so that is softens enough to mix easily.
- Check after 10 minutes in the oven and then every 5 minutes until ready to avoid overcooking.
Other shortbread recipes
Chocolate orange shortbread
Ingredients
- 175 grams butter
- 90 grams caster sugar
- 150 grams flour
- 50 grams cornflour
- 1 orange zest
- 75 grams chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare the shortbread dough
- Mix the butter and sugar together until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Sift the flour and cornflour into the bowl with the butter and sugar.
- Add the orange zest and chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Again, don't overmix.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured pastry board to form a log about 4 centimetres (1.5") in diameter. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cling film. Cut the shortbread dough into slices about 1 cm (about 0.4") thick and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake
- Bake at 150oC, 300oF, gas mark 2 until they are just starting to turn golden at the edges (around 20 minutes) but check regularly to avoid overcooking. If you are baking in batches, chill the second batch before baking and do not reuse a baking sheet which is still warm.
- Leave on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- The preparation time noted in based on baking in a single batch.
- Store your chocolate orange shortbread in an airtight container for up to a couple of days.
- For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container. The shortbread can be defrosted at room temperature or in a microwave.
- Don't skip the chilling part. If the shortbread dough isn't chilled before baking it is likely to spread.
- Remove the butter from the fridge so that is softens enough to mix easily.
- Check after 10 minutes in the oven and then every 5 minutes until ready to avoid overcooking.
Jane
These spread a lot almost merged into one. Very disappointed as I followed the recipe to the letter. Omission of how much baking powder should be used in the recipe - I guessed at .5 tspn.
Judith
Sorry to hear that your shortbread spread. It is possible that this is due to overmixing the sugar and butter or overworking the dough. I have added a note to the recipe to help other readers avoid this. Also, no baking powder is needed for this recipe. If you have used baking powder this may also result in the shortbread spreading.