The heaven-made marriage of chocolate and orange has always caught Troxel's attention. "I have loved that combination ever since I was little," she said. "It started with orange sherbet and chocolate sauce."

That explains why, while thumbing through a magazine a few years ago, her eyes immediately landed on a butter cookie flavored with orange zest, decorated with orange marmalade and dipped in bittersweet chocolate. "It just sounded wonderful," Troxel said. "I made it, and it was wonderful."

And that is no exaggeration. The collaboration of the bright, slightly bitter flavor of the citrus, the rich chocolate and the cookie's buttery bite results in a sophisticated treat. Another admirable attribute: For all their complicated good looks, these beauties are disarmingly easy to make. No wonder the recipe quickly ascended to the top of Troxel's December baking routine, where it has remained. Troxel is a year-round baker, although cookies make a strictly seasonal appearance. "I leave cookies to Christmas," she said. "That makes them special."

Here's a tip: Bake these festive cookies until they just start to brown. " 'Golden' is how I describe them," Troxel said. "I'm a big fan of always just a bit too brown. Then you cover them in chocolate, and that really brings out their flavor."

This is Troxel's first foray into recipe contests, proof positive that you can't win unless you enter. "Last year, my neighbor knocked on my door with the Taste section cookie contest in her hand and said, 'Eileen, you should be winning this,'" Troxel recalled with a laugh. "So I did it for my neighbor."

Orange-chocolate cookies

Note: Troxel spotted this recipe in Traditional Home magazine and it quickly became the centerpiece of her December baking routine. "After many years of experimentation, I now limit my holiday baking to about six cookies that I consider to be the best," she wrote. "They are displayed and served on a vintage French tiered cooling rack that stands among German papier-mche Santas and is constantly replenished for my family and our friends all throughout the holiday season."

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for chocolate dipping sauce

• 1 c. sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

• 2 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough

• 1/4 c. orange marmalade, divided

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and orange zest. Reduce speed to low and add flour until just combined.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 11/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, re-rolling and re-cutting until all is used. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets.

Using your thumb, make a slight indentation in center of cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon orange marmalade. Bake approximately 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate, whisking in enough butter (1 tablespoon at a time, up to about 4 tablespoons) to make a good dipping consistency. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate and place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.