Soft, buttery, and filled with silky dark chocolate ganache, these chocolate orange sandwich cookies are the kind of thing you make once and immediately add to your permanent rotation. The fresh orange zest does something incredible to a simple butter cookie dough it brightens everything up, cuts through the richness of the ganache, and leaves this warm citrus scent in your kitchen that honestly smells better than any candle. I first made these around the holidays when I was looking for something a little more impressive than my usual drop cookies, and they landed somewhere between a Milano and something you'd find in a bakery case.
If you love chocolate desserts, you'll also want to bookmark this Easy Cosmic Brownies Recipe for another deeply chocolatey treat worth making.
Why You'll Love These Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
These Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies check a lot of boxes without asking a lot of you. The dough comes together in one bowl, rolls out easily, and can chill in the fridge for up to two days before you even need to think about the oven. The ganache is a simple two-ingredient situation just cream and good chocolate and it thickens up on its own while you wait.
The final Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies are tender and buttery with just enough citrus lift, and the ganache inside sets into something smooth and fudgy that holds the sandwich together without being stiff or messy. They also taste better the next day, which means you can make them ahead for any gathering and they'll be at peak deliciousness by the time guests arrive. If you're planning a dessert spread, these pair beautifully next to something creamy like the Best Ice Cream Cake Recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
- Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
- How to Make Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
- Easy Swaps and Substitutions
- Equipment For Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
- Storage Your Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
- Serving Ideas
- Expert Tips
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything that goes into the dough and the ganache, with a little note on why each one matters.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
For the Cookies
Unsalted butter : This is the backbone of the dough. Room-temperature butter creams smoothly and gives the Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture you're after. Don't rush this cold butter won't cream the same way.
Confectioners' sugar : Powdered sugar keeps the cookies delicate and fine-crumbed rather than dense. It dissolves quickly into the butter for an even, smooth dough.
Fresh orange zest : This is where all the citrus flavor lives. Fresh zest from about one large orange adds a bright, natural orange flavor that orange extract just can't replicate. Don't skip it.
Large egg : Helps bind the dough and adds a little moisture for structure.
Large egg yolk : The extra yolk adds richness and keeps the texture tender without making the cookies cakey.
Pure vanilla extract : Rounds out the flavor and adds warmth behind the citrus.
Salt : Balances the sweetness and sharpens every other flavor in the cookie.
All-purpose flour : The structure of the cookie. Spooning and leveling keeps you from packing in too much flour, which would make them dry.
Coarse sparkling sugar : Sprinkled on top before baking, this adds a little crunch and a pretty bakery-style finish.
For the Chocolate Ganache
Heavy cream : Warmed and poured over the chocolate, cream creates a silky, pourable ganache that sets into a smooth, fudgy filling.
Semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped : Finely chopping the chocolate helps it melt evenly. Semi-sweet hits the right balance here dark enough to stand up to the orange, sweet enough to feel like a treat.
How to Make Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
Make the Cookie Dough
Cream the butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and orange zest, then beat until fully combined. You should start smelling that fresh citrus right away.
Add the wet ingredients: Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until everything is well combined and the mixture looks smooth.
Mix in the flour: Add the flour and mix on low speed until it starts incorporating. Gradually increase the speed until the dough comes together. It will be quite soft — that's normal and exactly what you want.
Roll and Chill the Dough
Roll it out: Generously flour your rolling pin and roll the dough directly on a piece of parchment paper or a silicone mat until it's about ¼-inch thick. Add a little extra flour if the dough is sticking just enough to keep it workable.
Chill the dough: Slide the rolled dough (still on the parchment or mat) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days. Cover it lightly with another piece of parchment or plastic wrap if chilling longer. This step firms up the dough so it holds its shape during cutting and baking.
Preheat and Prep
Get the oven ready: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Cut and Bake
Cut the cookies: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Gather the scraps, gently re-roll, and keep cutting until all the dough is used.
Arrange on the pan: Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If you'd like that bakery-style sparkle, sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops now.
Bake: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges are lightly browned. The centers might look just barely set — that's fine.
Cool: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely before filling.
Make the Ganache
Melt the chocolate: Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer you'll see small bubbles forming around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir until smooth: Gently stir the mixture in slow circles until the chocolate fully melts and the ganache is glossy and smooth. Let it cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it's thick enough to pipe this takes at least 45 minutes.
Assemble the Sandwiches
Fill and press: Fit a piping bag with a large round tip (Wilton #12 works great). Flip half of the cooled cookies over so the flat side faces up. Pipe a small dollop of ganache onto the center of each. Press the remaining cookies on top, flat side down, and gently squeeze until the ganache spreads to the edges.
Easy Swaps and Substitutions
Sometimes you need to work with what you have here are a few easy adjustments that still give you a great cookie.
Butter: If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt to just a pinch.
Orange zest: Lemon zest works beautifully here for a slightly brighter, more tart citrus flavor. Blood orange zest is another gorgeous option when it's in season.
Semi-sweet chocolate: Dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao) makes the ganache a little more intense and less sweet, which is lovely against the buttery cookie. Milk chocolate will give you a sweeter, milder filling.
Heavy cream: For the ganache, you can use full-fat coconut cream as a dairy-free swap. The flavor will shift slightly but the texture works well.
Equipment For Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
- Handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rolling pin
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- 1.5-inch round cookie cutter (fluted edges look beautiful)
- Baking sheets
- Cooling rack
- Piping bag with large round tip (Wilton #12)
- Saucepan
- Heat-safe bowl for the ganache
Storage Your Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
Store finished cookie sandwiches in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They actually taste even better after a day or two as the ganache sets and the orange flavor deepens into the Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies.
You can also freeze the unfilled baked Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies for up to 2 months. Just thaw, make the ganache fresh, and assemble when you're ready.
Serving Ideas
These Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies are elegant enough to serve on a dessert board or box up as a homemade gift, but cozy enough to eat with afternoon coffee on a Wednesday. Here are a few ways to enjoy them.
Serve alongside a pot of strong black tea or an orange-spiced chai for a classic pairing that really highlights the citrus in the Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies. They also look beautiful on a holiday cookie platter next to something bright and fruity, like Healthy Strawberry Muffins Recipe, for color and variety. A small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream pressed between two of these instead of the ganache is an absolutely unhinged dessert move that I fully support.
Expert Tips
Don't rush the chill. Three hours is the minimum, but overnight is better. Cold dough holds its shape beautifully when cutting and baking, giving you cleaner edges and Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies that don't spread.
Finely chop the chocolate. Big chunks won't melt evenly in the ganache. The finer, the better you want that smooth, glossy result.
Let the ganache cool fully. If it's too warm and runny when you pipe, it'll ooze out the sides of the sandwich instead of setting up neatly. Patient waiting pays off here.
Keep the cookies similar in size. When you're pairing them up for sandwiches, try to match Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies of similar diameter so the filling sits evenly.
Room temperature eggs and butter matter. Both ingredients incorporate more smoothly when they're not cold. Pull them out 30 to 60 minutes before you start.
FAQ
Why did Nabisco stop making marshmallow sandwich cookies?
Nabisco discontinued their Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies years ago, and the exact business reason was never publicly confirmed. Most likely it came down to sales performance and production costs they tend to pull products that don't move as reliably as their bestsellers. A lot of people still miss them, which is probably why homemade versions and copycat recipes still pop up everywhere.
What is the original chocolate sandwich cookie?
The Oreo, introduced in 1912 by Nabisco, is widely considered the original chocolate sandwich cookie. It's been the bestselling cookie in the United States for over a century. Some people argue that the earlier Hydrox cookie from Sunshine Biscuits actually predated the Oreo by about four years, though Oreo became far more popular.
Do chocolate and orange go well together?
Yes, they're a genuinely classic pairing. The natural bitterness and depth of dark chocolate balance the bright, slightly tart sweetness of orange. The citrus cuts through the richness of the chocolate and makes both flavors taste more vibrant. It's common in European pastry traditions and shows up in everything from truffles to cakes to these Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies.
What are the fancy sandwich cookies called?
Milano Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies by Pepperidge Farm are probably the most well-known fancy-style sandwich cookie in the US thin, elegant butter cookies filled with chocolate. In Europe, you'll find similar versions called langue de chat, sablés, or Viennese fingers depending on the country. These chocolate orange sandwich cookies fall into that same dressed-up, bakery-style category.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup 226g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (For a rich, creamy base)
- 1 cup 120g confectioners’ sugar (Sweetness and lightness for the dough)
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons fresh orange zest from about 1 large orange (Adds fresh citrus flavor)
- 1 large egg at room temperature (For binding the dough)
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature (Increases richness and softness)
- 1 and ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract Enhances flavor
- ¼ teaspoon salt Balances sweetness
- 2 cups 250g all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) (Main structure for the cookies, add extra as needed for rolling)
- Optional: Coarse sparkling sugar for topping
Chocolate Ganache:
- ⅔ cup 160ml heavy cream (For creating a smooth ganache base)
- 6 ounces 170g semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (The key ingredient for the ganache)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the confectioners' sugar and orange zest, then beat until fully combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt to the bowl, beating until smooth.
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Gradually add the flour, mixing on low until the dough forms. It will be soft.
- On a floured surface or silicone mat, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use plenty of flour to avoid sticking.
- Chill the dough for 3 hours (or up to 2 days) to firm it up before cutting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Remove chilled dough, cut into shapes with a 1.5-inch round cookie cutter, and place on baking sheets. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Rotate sheets halfway through.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer.
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir slowly until completely smooth.
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Allow the ganache to cool and thicken for at least 45 minutes, or up to 1.5 hours
- Fill a piping bag with the ganache, and pipe a dollop onto half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies and gently press to spread the ganache.
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