This is a fairly simple recipe that, more than anything else, just requires the dough and fudge to chill in the refrigerator. It’s a great recipe to make in advance, as the completed logs can be wrapped and stored in the freezer until they are needed, and a single batch makes 7 dozen (small and thin) cookies.
Fudge Ingredients:
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange extract
1 ½ cups chopped pecans or walnuts
Fudge Instructions:
1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter.
2. Once the chocolate is melted stir in the sweetened condensed milk, nuts, and vanilla and orange extracts. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.
3. Form the fudge into logs between 12″-15″ long and ½″-¾″ thick. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate until firm.
Dough Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 egg
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Dough Instructions:
1. Cut the butter into ½″ cubes and place in bowl of electric mixer.
2. With the paddle attachment, beat in sugar and zest at medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. At low speed, beat in the egg.
4. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. At low speed, mix into mutter mixture just until incorporated. The dough should stick together in clumps but not pull away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Roll the dough into 12″-15″ long × 4″-5″ wide sheets ¼″ in thickness on parchment paper and refrigerate until firm.
Final Instructions:
1. Wrap the chilled dough around the fudge logs so that the edges overlap slightly. Press the edges together to seal as necessary.
2. Re-wrap the logs with parchment paper and chill for another hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. After the logs have chilled, cut into ¼″ slices and set 1″ apart on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until edges begin to brown slightly. The fudge center will remain soft.
6. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
