Chocolate Panettone Cookies

Total Time Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min./batch
Yield 4-1/2 dozen
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
These rich and buttery chocolate panettone cookies channel the deliciousness of the Italian holiday bread—with much less effort. A slathering of chocolate cream cheese frosting is a surprising and delicious topper for each cookie.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup each raisins, dried cranberries and chopped candied orange peel
  • 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, patted dry
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • CHOCOLATE ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/8 teaspoon orange extract
  • Confectioners' sugar and orange zest, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and orange extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Fold in dried fruits, chocolate chips, cherries and orange zest. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
  2. Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are light brown, 11-13 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Add to bowl with orange juice, zest and extract until light and fluffy.
  4. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar and additional orange zest, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 136 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 50mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

Panettone is a family tradition in my stepdad's family. I came up with these bread-inspired cookies as a surprise for him on my annual Christmas cookie plate. —Deborah Biggs, Omaha, Nebraska
Recipe Creator

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