Chocolate Orange Brownies
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These chocolate orange brownies are fudgy, rich and utterly delicious and made with a wonderful mix of dark chocolate, orange zest, and chocolate orange chunks. They are easy to bake, and create that wonderful brownie texture with a deep flavour and citrus finish, with a crinkly top.
I have made this recipe many times now as it’s a personal favourite, and they have that ideal brownie texture. The dark chocolate base creates a better texture, more delicious flavour, and a more reliably fudgy finish to the bake.
Notes from The Patisserie
The delicious texture and moistness of a brownie is heaven in a bite, and with the addition of the chocolate orange, these are utter perfection in my opinion. I make these in the same way as the majority of my other brownie recipes.
I live in the UK, which means we have easy access to a brand call Terry’s chocolate orange, and it’s just incredible. It has the perfect balance of the orange oil flavour with the milk chocolate, and works as a dream in these brownies.
If you don’t live in the UK, there are alternatives that you could use to bake with instead. My first suggestion would be to use basic milk chocolate chunks, and add the zest of an extra orange, or use a strong orange based flavour extract over all.
After melting the chocolate and butter together, everything happens in one bowl. The brownies are packed full of flavour, because adding orange zest as well as chunks of Terry’s chocolate orange, add’s a genuine zesty hit that satisfies the taste buds.
This recipe is so similar to my classic triple chocolate brownies, just with a couple of alterations to suit the terry’s chocolate orange brownie theme, is ideal for getting ahead.
Updates to the recipe January 2026
After originally publishing this recipe in 2015, the recipe has evolved over time due to ingredient changes and more modern baking ideas for a better bake and consistency
I you are using Terry’s chocolate orange in the base like me, I recommend using 150g of Terry’s chocolate orange. The product has changed weight throughout the years, so if you find you are slightly short, simply top it up with extra dark chocolate instead
I have updated the dry quantities a little (35g cocoa powder = 50g cocoa powder) and (85g plain flour = 100g plain flour) as I prefer this version. If you liked it before, you can use the smaller quantities. The bake timings and methods remain the same.
Ingredient notes & tips
Dark chocolate is something that some bakers are a little afraid of as you don’t all necessarily love the bitter flavour that it can create. By the time you marry it with the rest of the ingredients, it doesn’t taste bitter at all. I would always recommend the 70% or higher cocoa content. I use supermarket own dark chocolate where possible, or bakers chocolate, not a brand
The Terry’s adds the orange flavour naturally with the chunks throughout the brownie mixture, as well as a little in the base brownie. If you are unlucky and you can’t buy Terry’s where you are, that is totally fine – you can use any chocolate orange based chocolate, or you can use a milk chocolate, and add in extra orange zest or orange oils.
I find the natural flavour of the orange zest best, but a valencian orange extract is my favourite alternative – they have strength, without too much acidity – it wonderfully balances with the sweetness of the brownie.
As you can see from the images, these are the fudgiest and most glorious things on the planet. You want to bake the brownies, ideally in the correct size tin like mine for the baking times/temperatures, and bake until there is a small wobble in the middle.
The wobble doesn’t meant that the brownies are underbaked, but you may think it. The entire tray shouldn’t wobble, this might mean it needs a bit longer, but once that smaller central area wobbles, let the tray cool fully and then set the brownies in the fridge. This will firm up the chocolate and butter again, and create that fudge texture.
How to get a shiny and crinkly top
The method of whipping the eggs and sugar until pale, doubled in volume and mousse like helps create that delicate top layer that people love. I tend to use my stand mixer when whipping the eggs and sugar (I find light brown soft sugar creates a wonderful flavour, as well as the natural molasses helping the top of the brownie) because it just makes it quicker.
You can whip the eggs and sugar by hand, with a balloon whisk, and it will totally work – you just need to stick at it. When you lift the whisk out of the bowl, the mixture should leave a trail for at least one full second before melting into the bowl.
How to make chocolate orange brownies
Full instructions on how to make the chocolate orange brownies can be found in the recipe card below
Starting off with a base of dark chocolate that contains at last 70% cocoa, and some chocolate orange chocolate (I use Terry’s chocolate orange – if you don’t have this, you can use a total of 200g of dark chocolate instead) and you melt with butter. A block butter creates richness, but a baking spread also works.
The texture of the eggs and sugar without whipping is quite thick, and whilst a lot of brownie recipes use this method, the air that you create by mixing them together for a few minutes creates the crinkly top you all adore on the top of a brownie.
Folding in the dry ingredients helps maintain that texture, you can sift the dry ingredients if you are worried they are lumpy, and then also add in the orange zest. I like to use a finely grated zest for better distribution, but chunky bits of zest also works.
Baking in a 9″ square tin creates the best bake and size of piece for me – and the timing is designed for this size tin. I always recommend cooling the brownies fully, and then setting the tray in the fridge for a few hours before slicing for the perfect portion.
FAQs
Yes, you certainly can. I like to use 1-2 large oranges, and would recommend 1-2 tsp of high strength orange extract to replace it
Generally, I would say no. I would recommend using at least 150g of 70% dark chocolate in the base for the fudgy texture.
Brownies that turn out cakey generally are over baked. Ovens can vary in time/temp, even if you think they are on the correct setting, so you likely just need to bake for less time.
Bake the brownies until there is a small wobble in the middle (the skewer test does not work because of the chocolate content) and then let it cool fully. Set in the fridge for firmness.
Yes, you definitely can! They freeze very well, in an airtight container, for 3+ months.
Generally I wouldn’t recommend using all milk chocolate as the cocoa content is too low. This can sometimes cause texture and bake problems.
Definitely! The brownies have a wonderful base if you don’t want to have any chunks of chocolate throughout – the texture is lovely, smooth and fudgy.
Chocolate Orange Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa content or higher)
- 150 g Terry's chocolate orange (or other brand)
- 200 g unsalted butter (or baking spread)
- 4 medium eggs (or 3 large)
- 275 g sugar (light brown or caster)
- 100 g plain flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- Zest of 1-2 oranges (or 1-2tsp orange extract)
- 300 g chopped chocolate orange (I used Terry's)
Instructions
- Preheat the your oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan and line a 9″ square baking tray with parchment paper.
- Melt together the butter, dark chocolate and chocolate orange in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water, on the microwave for 1-2 minutes until melted.
- Leave to the side to cool to room temperature
- Whisk together the eggs and sugar for a few minutes until the colour has turned pale, is very mousse like, and is double the original volume
- When whisked, pour the cooled chocolate mix over eggs and fold together carefully, making sure to not knock out the air
- Once completely combined, add the cocoa powder and plain flour on top of the chocolate mix (sift if lumpy), add the orange zest, and then fold together again
- Once combined well, fold through the chocolate orange chunks and pour into the prepared tin
- Bake in the oven for 25-30+ minutes, until there is a small wobble in the middle of the tin and the edges of the brownie have set
- Once baked, leave to cool in the tin completely. Set the brownies in the fridge for a couple of hours for best results.
Notes
- These brownies last for 4-7 days, at room temperature, or in the fridge.
- You can freeze these brownies for 3+ months
- I use this 9″ square tin in my traybake recipes
Storage and freezing
These brownies last for 4-7 days, at room temperature, or in the fridge. If you like them cold and fudgy like me, I keep them in the fridge. They also freeze very well for 3+ months
Related recipes
It’s not secret that I adore chocolate orange – I already have oodles of other chocolate orange recipes on my blog, so I think that says it all really… One of my first recipes to get seriously popular was my chocolate orange cookies, which are amazing by the way, like I have no joke made them over 50 times.
Also love this flavour combination?! I have other delicious recipes such as my no-bake chocolate orange cheesecake, my chocolate orange drip cake and even my six-ingredient no-bake chocolate orange tart.
Holy *** these taste so good – they turned out perfectly; the best brownies I’ve ever (successfully) made! thank you for the recipe! x
So many compliments on this recipe! Fantastic and straight forward to follow for a novice baker like myself, thank you!
Aww thank you so much!xx
Hi Jane, I absolutely love this recipe, I’ve made it about 3 times! I’m just about to invest in a 9″ square tin (have been using about an 8″ square tin previously). Is there a particular depth it has to be? The one I’m looking at is 4.5cm deep?
Hii, yes that sounds good!x
Hi Jane,
I have made loads of your brownie recipes and they always taste delicious. However, the edge always seems to catch and look burnt. Is there anything I can do to stop this. Thanks
This sounds like your oven – lower the temp and bake for longer to try and avoid hot spots! x
Hi,
Instead of using 300 g Terry’s Chocolate Orange (chopped) could I do 150g of Terrys Chocolate Orange and 150g of Terrys Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs?
Really want to make these this weekend!
Yes you can!
Am I able to use the same ingredients as your triple choc brownies and just replace the triple choc with 300g of Terry’s instead? So melt butter and just dark choc?
Also thinking of decorating with melted Terry’s and Terry’s pieces, would this be ok? Im not against using the orange zest or extract but just trying to see if there’s another way around it?
Any thoughts?
No – you need the base to be like this as the cocoa content isn’t correct in terry’s on its own which is why this uses a combination! But decor wise yes thats fine x
Sorry Jane, I meant rather than using 150 dark and 150 Terry’s would it still be Terry’s enough if I used 200g dark with the butter and just put extra Terry’s chunks in? Also going to do your cookies as Terry’s was on offer 😂
Ohhhhh right yes that would be totally delicious still!!
These are amazing – the family love them as does everyone I’ve given them to. I buy up chocolate oranges whenever I see them to make sure I have them in!
Hi!
Absolutely love this recipe.
I was wondering if this could be adapted to make a blondie recipe? Would it just be a matter of substituting the cocoa for more plain flour?
Thanks
Daniella
Hiya – no this base can’t be made into a blondie as it relies on the dark chocolate in the base. It’s worth looking at my blondie recipes and flavouring them instead!
Perfect thank you!!
Truly delicious!! First time I’ve made brownies!!! All the chocolate makes them taste amazing!! Happily shared these with our lockdown neighbours who both have 2 week old babies!! They loved them too – thanks x
Absolutely amazing recipe! Brownies tasted delicious!!!!
Hiya, I was wondering if when freezing these if I am better doing after they have been baked or should I freeze the batter? And is there anything I should do differently if freezing ? X
Freeze after baking! x
Absolutely love these! If I was to try make it in to a brownie cake…what size circle tin would you suggest?
Typically a square tin is equal to a round tin one inch bigger… so a 9″ square is a 10″ round (if you don’t want to mess with baking times). Anything smaller you’d have to change the baking times x
Can u leave it in cups please
Why? It’s fine in grams.(if that’s what you’re referring to) I think there is an conversion chart on google somewhere x
I’ve made these a few times for people now and they are a big hit – lots of complements 🙂 They’re so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe – i’m going to use on Christmas Day.
They are amazing! Thank you! Using this for my dad’s 50th bday, he loves these brownies!
What temperature would I use for a gas oven?
Amazing!!
2nd time of making it, first time I made two mistakes and it went horribly wrong..
So I thought I would try again as your recipes always turn out right, so glad I did.
Thank you again for an amazing brownie.