• Cut the softened butter into tablespoons and add to the bowl of a mixer. You can also mix these by hand if you don't have a mixer.
• Add the powdered sugar to the butter and mix until thoroughly combined. Always be sure to scrape down the sides.
• Add the vanilla and mix until just incorporated.
• Add the orange zest and orange juice and mix until combined. This has a light orange taste. You can always add zest from an additional orange if you want a stronger flavor.
• Add the flour and mix until completely combined.
• Lightly flour a work surface.
• Place the dough on the floured surface and pat it into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This will keep the dough from spreading too much when it bakes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees as you approach the end of the chilling time.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make shaped cookies

• Lightly flour the work surface.
• Turn out the dough disk onto the surface.
• Lightly flour a rolling pin.
• Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
• Use a cookie cutter to make your shapes.
  
• Gather up the scraps and re-roll them. Cut again, repeating until you have used as much of the dough as you can.
• Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for about 7 minutes, then rotate the pans (the one on the higher rack goes to the lower and vice-versa).
• Bake an additional 8 minutes until the bottom of the cookies are just golden.
• Let the cookies cool for a minute or so, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For unshaped cookies

• Use a small scoop or a tablespoon to form a ball of dough.
• Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet.
• Lightly press down on each ball, flattening them out. Be sure that you do not make them too thin; about 1/4 inch is best.
• Bake as instructed above.

Decorating

• Prepare a cool baking tray, lining each one with parchment paper. I just used the trays and paper I baked on.
• Remember that the cookies should be cool before you start dipping them in chocolate.
• Chop up about 12 oz. of semisweet chocolate. You can use a bar or chocolate chips.
• Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between heating.
• Hold a cookie by one edge and dip it into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip into the bowl.
  
• Place the cookie on the prepared tray. If you are using sprinkles, drop them on.
  
• Repeat until all cookies are done, then put the tray into the fridge until the chocolate is set. That took me about 30 minutes.