These White Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft yet chewy, and packed with fresh flavor courtesy of the orange zest.
As a new mom, I find myself reaching for the cookie jar every afternoon during naptime. Having a cookie with iced coffee is a sweet treat that keeps me ready for the rest of the afternoon.
And a cookie that’s loaded with white chocolate and orange zest is the perfect “wintertime” cookie, when citrus is in season! The combination pairs so perfectly together, and it’s really delicious with either coffee or tea.
I’m not fussy when it comes to cookies, but I do love a chewy cookie that’s still soft in the middle. I was excited to find that the secret to the chewiest cookie is something I already had in my pantry: corn syrup!
I’ve been using corn syrup for my Special K Bars for years (my husband Longe is a huge fan of them).
I also use it in my Grandma’s Rum Balls, which are a holiday tradition in our family.
It turns out that the addition of ½ cup of corn syrup to this cookie recipe makes an irresistibly chewy cookie that’s still soft in the middle. It’s cookie perfection.
How to Make Chewy White Chocolate Cookies
1. Start by creaming together the softened butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. You could also use a handheld mixer for this.
2. Mix in the corn syrup, egg, and vanilla.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low just until combined.
4. Stir in the white chocolate chips and orange zest.
I use a cookie scoop to get perfectly portioned cookies every time. And it keeps my hands clean—no rolling cookie dough into balls!
Then, bake the cookies at 350°F for 9–11 minutes.
Cookie mix-ins
While I love a classic chocolate chip cookie, I’m a fan of white chocolate too. For this recipe, I used white chocolate chips, and I wanted to add a hint of fresh flavor. Since citrus season is fast approaching, I added the zest of one orange to the cookie batter. It complements the white chocolate beautifully.
Another variation on this recipe is to use dark chocolate chips and orange zest. It’s a classic combination—think about those chocolate oranges that appear around Christmas time!
Here are a few more combinations that I love:
– Pecans and butterscotch chips
– Toffee bits and milk chocolate chips
– M&Ms and chopped peanuts
– Dark chocolate chips and chopped mint wafers (like Andes)
– White chocolate chips and dried cranberries (these are particularly festive for the holidays)
More cookie ideas
Why bake one batch of cookies when you can bake even more? 🙂 Especially around the holiday season, I churn out batch after batch of cookies for my family to enjoy. Here’s a few of my favorites:
– Corn Flake Cookies are a vintage recipe from my Grandma. They’re also chewy thanks to the oats and corn flakes!
– Grandma’s Rum Balls are another vintage recipe that we love. And yes, you can taste the rum!
– Snowball Cookies are MUST at Christmas time. They’re so addicting.
– One more chewy cookie recipe for you: Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies. These are another must-have every December.
– If you’re baking with kids, these no-bake Boiled Cookies are a fun one for little hands to help measure and scoop!
With a cup of coffee or a glass of milk, these Chewy White Chocolate Cookies with Orange Zest are perfect for an afternoon treat.
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below, or tag me on Instagram or Pinterest. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Chewy White Chocolate Orange Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until creamy, about 3–4 minutes. Beat in the corn syrup, egg, and vanilla just until combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, carefully add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and orange zest.
- Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 9–11 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool.
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