Think your classic crisp edge, chewy center, chocolate chip cookie but with a chocolate cookie base, flavored with orange and cardamom for a little holiday twist, these Double Chocolate Orange Cardamom Cookies are perfect for your holiday cookie box.

Side view of double chocolate orange cardamom cookies.

How to get a thin chewy cookie?

Getting that thin chewy cookie, with crisp edges, that stays soft is all about getting the right ratios of the recipe. Don’t stress about doing something perfectly, I’ve made these cookies so many times and they’re simple and always turn out!

Preground cardamom versus cardamom seeds

Swedish cardamom buns are made with just the seed part of a cardamom pod. However, when you buy pre-ground cardamom it includes the pod which makes a bit more of a grey color and a more subtle flavor. Both will work but if you can get your hands on just the seeds you’ll get the beautiful black specks and a stronger flavor! If you live in nyc Kalustyans has it! The recipe is written using freshly ground but if using preground, check the notes for an adjusted amount.

Can these be made in advance?

Yes! You can either freeze the cookie dough balls in a ziptop bag until ready to bake, or you can bake them and keep in an airtight container for up to a week! They will stay soft and chewy as long as they are in a lidded container.

Tips for making Double Chocolate Orange Cardamom Cookies

When whisking the butter and sugars, make sure it becomes a completely homogenous mixture. The sugar doesn’t need to fully dissolve but it should look like caramel.
Don’t worry about the ingredients being at room temperature, they will all even out as the dough gets mixed together.
If you don’t like orange or don’t like cardamom you can absolutely leave either or both out and they will still be delicious double chocolate cookies.
Be careful not to over mix the dough once you’ve added the melted chocolate, literally just one or two folds. It will mix more as you scoop the cookie dough.
If the dough seems too soft to hold it’s shape when scooping, let it chill a bit longer.
Do not over bake these cookies. They will look almost underdone in the middle but as they cool on the baking sheet, the residual heat will finish cooking the inside and cause them to firm up but not become hard.

Ingredients

Butter: I prefer to use salted butter for these cookies but unsalted will work too!
Brown Sugar: I recommend dark brown sugar for ultimate flavor and chewiness but light brown sugar will work too!
White Granulated sugar: The white sugar is in the cookie dough to add sweetness and structure.
Fine Sea Salt: A bit of salt helps to enhance the flavors in the cookies and balance out the sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla also enhances all of the sweet flavors of the cookies.
Orange zest: Orange zest gives these cookies their orange flavor in the most natural way!
Cardamom: Preground or freshly ground cardamom seeds will work but if you can get your hands on just the seeds you’ll get a stronger flavor! If you live in nyc Kalustyans has it! The recipe is written using freshly ground but if using preground, check the notes for an adjusted amount.
Cocoa Powder: Natural cocoa powder should be used for these cookies!
Espresso Powder: A bit of instant espresso/espresso powder is used in the base of these cookies to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Egg: One large egg is used for this recipe.
All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Both baking soda and baking powder affect the texture of these cookies.
60%-70% dark chocolate: I like a darker chocolate in these cookies to really balance out the sweetness.

Overhead view of double chocolate orange cardamom cookies on a baking sheet.

How to make a Double Chocolate Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.

In the a large microwave safe mixing bowl add in the butter and both sugars. Microwave in 30 second intervals, 3 times, whisking between each one until the mixture is homogenous and looks like caramel.
Add in the orange zest using a microplane, ground cardamom (if grinding your own use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder), salt, vanilla, espresso powder and cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Then add in the egg and whisk again.
Pour in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
Place the bowl in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate.
In a smaller microwave safe bowl or over a double boiler, melt the roughly chopped chocolate until smooth.
Once the cookie dough is scoopable, it doesn’t need to be super firm but it should hold it’s shape, pour in 80% of the melted chocolate.
Use a flat rubber spatula to do two big folds of the dough and chocolate together, then pour the remaining 20% over the dough. If it seems soft, let the dough sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Use a cookie scoop, I like big cookies so I used a 3 tablespoon (close to a 1/4 cup) scoop, and scoop the cookie dough.
You should be able to fit about 6 large ones on a standard half size baking sheet (13″x18″). Stagger and space them so they have room to grow.
The rest of the cookie dough can sit out at room temperature while the first batch bakes.

Bake the cookies

Place the first tray of cookies in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
Then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 3-4 minutes until the edges look set but the centers still look quite soft.
Take the pan out of the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt so it can stick to the melted chocolate.
Allow the cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Continue baking until all the cookies have been baked!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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