White Chocolate Orange Cookies are soft, chewy cookies made with orange zest and juice, white chocolate chips, and walnuts. It’s the perfect blend of citrusy sweetness and a nutty crunch! I also have White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: For the butter to cream properly with the sugars, ensure the ingredients (specifically butter and eggs) are at room temperature. This usually takes about 30-60 minutes.
Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter in many of my baking recipes. It lets you control the amount of salt in a recipe. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt added.
Orange Flavor: For the orange flavor in the cookies, use the zest of a medium orange (about 1 tablespoon). Then, after zesting the orange, squeeze out the juice for about 2 tablespoons. If using bottled juice, look for 100% juice with no added sugars.
White Chocolate Chips: Choose high-quality white chocolate chips, like Ghirardelli Classic White Baking Chips. Or, try the cookies with milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate chips.
Walnuts: I love the added crunch from walnuts in these cookies. Or, experiment with other varieties of nuts like pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts. However, if you have a nut allergy or simply don’t like nuts, you can leave them out. The cookies will still be delicious!
Can I Make The Cookies Ahead Of Time?
Yes, for convenience, make the dough ahead of time! To make the dough in advance, prepare the dough according to your recipe. Then, store the dough in the refrigerator or freezer for longer storage.
- To Refrigerate: Store the dough, covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- To Freeze: First, scoop out individual dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, transfer the balls of dough to the freezer for an hour or two, or until solid. Once frozen, store them in a freezer-safe container or zippered bag. When ready to bake, simply add a couple of minutes to the baking time, no need to thaw first.
How To Store White Chocolate Orange Cookies
Once cooled, store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If stacking layers of cookies, separate the layers with parchment paper. They will stay fresh for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies.
Freezing Baked Cookies
To freeze the cookies, first, let the cookies cool completely after baking. Next, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the cookies to a labeled and dated zipped freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They will last up to 3 months. Check out my Guide to Freezing, Baking, and Storing Cookies for more helpful tips!
White Chocolate Orange Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, about 1 medium orange
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups (336 g) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (117 g) walnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes), stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- To the butter and sugar mixture, add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
- With the mixer still on low, add the white chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, drop the dough onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
The texture of these cookies is my favorite! The edges get slightly crispy but the center stays soft and chewy. You get hints of orange, white chocolate, and walnut in each bite. Definitely a must-try cookie!
Elizabeth
I am not sure about this cookie. I love the texture with the crispy edges. But, the orange with the white chocolate would not be my first choice for a flavor combination. But, both really shine, so if you are looking for that, try the cookies!
Rachael
Really nice thin crisp cookie. The walnut and white chocolate flavor pulls more prominent for me but they all work together.
Bella
I was a little skeptical about the flavor combination at first, but I kept going back for more once I tried it! I really enjoy the crispy edges, and the middle of the cookie is still chewy. The orange flavor is quite subtle but it still shines just enough!
Annabelle
I really liked the texture of these cookies, but thought they could have just a little bit more orange flavor. It reminds me of a creamsicle!
Selena
These are so good! So many flavors going on, but they complement each other so well.
