Yummy and Easy Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
These whole-wheat orange chocolate chip cookies are easy to make and taste delicious. No chilling is required! They are soft and chewy and melt in your mouth, with an incredible taste of orange with every bite.
Modifications From The Traditional Recipe
Chocolate chip cookies are frequently made in my house because my kids (and us adults 😊) love them. There are many different recipes I have come across and tried over the years, but there were always things that I would find and don’t like. Two central problems were – too much sugar and too much butter.
Since I began my healthy eating journey, I have learned to minimize the amount of sugar and butter, especially in my dessert recipes. So, I experimented with different chocolate chip cookie recipes, modified what worked for me, and ended up with my own healthy whole-wheat orange chocolate chip cookie modification.
Less Sugar and Less Butter in the Whole-Wheat Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
Regarding sugar, I decided to cut the amount typically recommended in recipes significantly. And, when you think about it, we are adding chocolate chips to the cookies, so there is an additional sugar source. Therefore, why would we need to add more, right?
I found that the cookies were on the dry side when cutting the amount of butter. So, I tried adding orange juice as an additional moisture source, and it worked well. The cookies ended up chewy and soft, and I got the bonus of an excellent orange taste with every bite.
I typically recommend switching from white flour to whole-wheat flour, either entirely or replacing a portion. In my post, Delicious & Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies, I explained the advantages of whole-wheat flour and why this might be better for our health.
1. You should prepare two bowls – one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients.
2. Mix your dry ingredients well with a wooden spoon or spatula.
3. Prepare your wet ingredients. You don’t have to beat the eggs with a mixer; you can use a fork to beat them lightly. Melt the butter on the stove or microwave; don’t overheat it. Add all wet ingredients to a separate bowl.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
5. Add orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the best taste, but bottled orange juice will work if you don’t have a fresh orange handy.
6. Add orange zest to the batter for a more citrusy, tangy flavor.
7. Mix everything well with a spatula.
8. You can decide on the size of the cookies. I like when they are smaller, but you can adjust them to your liking. I typically use a tablespoon scoop or make a ball with my hands.
9. Set the cookie on the baking sheet. Once they lie on the baking sheet, gently press to flatten the dough.
10. You don’t have to chill the dough; the cookies are ready to bake!
It is best to bake your chocolate chip cookies at a lower temperature slowly. This way, you ensure that the cookies don’t burn on the outside and are cooked through the inside.
1. Preheat oven to 355 Fahrenheit (180 Celcius).
2. Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven, so keep checking to ensure they don’t burn). The cookies are done when they develop a firm, golden edge.
Now, this question has a charming scientifical explanation. Whether your cookies will end up flat depends on how much butter you have in the dough and how hot your oven is. The more butter you have in the dough, the more liquid it will become as you heat it in the oven, spreading the dough more. So, adding less butter now makes more sense if you want to avoid flat cookies. Secondly, the hotter the oven, the faster the butter will melt and flatten the dough. So, the sweet spot is to bake the chocolate chip cookies at a lower temperature (355 F or 180 C) and to cut the amount of butter in the dough.
If you like this recipe, here are some other great options to try:
- SIMPLE HOMEMADE WHOLE-WHEAT OLIVE BREAD RECIPE
- BEST PUMPKIN MUFFIN RECIPE
- EASY & DELICIOUS WHOLE-WHEAT CREPES WITHOUT SUGAR (WITH COCONUT OIL)
- EASY TIRAMISU CUPS WITHOUT MASCARPONE (NO EGG RECIPE)
- DELICIOUS & EASY WHOLE WHEAT BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 eggs large
- 1 orange freshly squeezed
- 1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
Instructions
- Prepare two bowls – one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them well with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Prepare your wet ingredients. You don’t have to beat the eggs with a mixer; you can use a fork to beat them lightly. Melt the butter on the stove or microwave; don’t overheat it. Add all wet ingredients to a separate bowl. Mix well.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients.
- Add orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the best taste, but bottled orange juice will work if you don’t have a fresh orange handy.
- Add orange zest to the batter for a more citrusy, tangy flavor.
- Mix everything well with a spatula.
- You can decide on the size of the cookies. I like when they are smaller, but you can adjust them to your liking. I typically use a tablespoon scoop or make a ball with my hands.
- Set the cookie on the baking sheet. Once they lie on the baking sheet, gently press to flatten the dough.
- You don’t have to chill the dough; the cookies are ready to bake.
- Preheat oven to 355 Fahrenheit (180 Celcius).
- Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven, so keep checking to ensure they don’t burn). The cookies are done when they develop a firm, golden edge.
Video
Notes
- It is best to bake your chocolate chip cookies at a lower temperature slowly. This way, you ensure that the cookies don’t burn on the outside and are cooked through the inside.
- Nutritional value is an estimate only, based on one cookie per serving.
