Italian Frosted Chocolate Cookies

These frosted chocolate cookies have a hint of orange flavor with a deliciously decadent frosting drizzled over top. Make a big batch and share!

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 78 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large orange, zested
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon orange juice, or as needed
• 0.5 cup chopped walnuts
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.25 cup orange juice
• 0.5 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1.5 teaspoons ground allspice
• 0.25 cup whole milk
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cloves
• 0.5 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco®)
• 0.25 cup baking powder
• 0.5 cup margarine (such as Parkay®)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey's®)
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Form dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place onto ungreased baking sheets.

Step 3

Whisk flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in orange zest, then mix in vegetable shortening and margarine with your hands until mixture is crumbly.

Step 4

Beat eggs and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until foamy. Add egg mixture to flour mixture along with 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup milk; knead in the bowl until dough is thoroughly combined and stiff and it doesn't stick to your hands, about 8 minutes. Knead cream cheese thoroughly into dough, followed by walnuts.

Step 5

Bake cookies in the preheated oven in batches until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies on racks.

Step 6

Make the frosting: Beat 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon orange juice, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting is thick and drizzles slowly from a spoon.

Step 7

Dip tops of cookies into frosting and place onto racks with waxed paper underneath to catch the drips. Let cookies dry, 8 hours to overnight.