Cake, Batter, and Bowl

Orange Cardamom Chocolate Bars

Desserts

Orange Cardamom Chocolate Bars

Orange Cardamom Chocolate Bars

I fell in love with cardamom a few years ago when I started drinking chai and have found it’s also lovely in baked goods. While perusing the fridge this weekend for something to satisfy my sweet tooth, I noticed the low-sugar orange marmalade my hubby enjoys and was inspired to make cookies flavored with orange and cardamom!

I’m a huge fan of bar cookies since they come together so quickly and decided to spice a simple sugar cookie dough with orange zest and cardamom. The bars made our place smell so good as they were baking. After they cooled I spread melted orange marmalade on top and then topped that layer with a chocolate ganache. They’re quite tasty and the cardamom really comes through. It you haven’t baked with cardamom before, I’d suggest starting with 1/2 teaspoon for the batch and then adding more if you end up liking it as much as I do! I’m desperately trying to distract myself right now, so I won’t end up eating another one!

Orange Cardamom Chocolate Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup orange marmalade, melted
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. Grease an 8×8-inch square pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg and vanilla; stir in flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom, and orange zest until soft dough forms. Spread dough in bottom of a greased pan. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spread melted marmalade evenly over cooled bars. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until marmalade is set.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream uncovered on high 1 minute, stirring once after 30 seconds, until melted. Spread evenly over marmalade layer. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate ganache is set. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Makes 16 bars.

Nutrition: 214 calories, 10.1g fat, 0.9g fiber, 2.1g protein per serving
Cost: $3.75 total

Pretzel and Graham Cracker Chocolate Bars

I went to a super fun blogger event on Saturday - Shannon’s annual cookie swap! Last year I made cookies inspired by my very favorite ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby, and this year I wanted to incorporate Nestle’s Flipz White Fudge Coated Pretzels aka crack...

Lemon Birthday Bars

What makes these birthday bars? The sprinkles! I just can't resist desserts covered in sprinkles, and sugar cookies with a nice thick layer of frosting are one of my favorite treats.  I recently decided to bake up some fun sprinkle covered sugar cookies with my...

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

It’s been a couple months since we’ve had a lab birthday to celebrate, but I finally got the chance to whip up some cupcakes for our lab manager’s big day this week! I’m usually up pretty late when I undertake a baking project in the middle of the week, but this time...

Berry Tart

My favorite part of the 4th of July growing up was always trying to spell out my name with a sparkler before it burnt out. I've always loved a good challenge, so it never got old! Now it’s all about the food, and this year I dreamed up a festive berry tart that would...

My First Video: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Tart

I have a special post today – my very first video! I’ve been thinking about making recipe videos for some time now, so when Pixability, the company Apolinaras works for, offered to make a wrapper that would open and close the videos for my blog (How cool is that?...

Banana Mascarpone Mousse Trifles

I’ve been on quite the popsicle kick lately. This unbearable heat wave means our oven hasn’t been turned on in weeks, so I haven't baked any desserts. My sweet tooth still needs to be satisfied though, and popsicles are just the perfect low calorie refreshing treat! I...

Pomegranate Blueberry Crumble

My favorite part of Trader Joe’s is the cereal aisle. They have so many unique choices! I normally have one of the high fiber/protein super nutritious ones for breakfast, but always enjoy a cup of the less healthy ones for dessert after dinner. They have one with...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Bars with Mini Marshmallows and Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Do you have any habits that ever make you feel like less of a “foodie”? I have a couple – I enjoy milk chocolate more than dark, and I prefer creamy Skippy peanut butter over the versions that just contain organic roasted peanuts and salt. I’ve tried – I really have,...