Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Recipe | Butter Cookies for the Holiday
Who can resist the sublime union of chocolate and hazelnuts in a cookie that melts in your mouth? Dive into this mouthwatering guide and let’s create a batch of cookies that would make even Nutella envious.
Equipment
- stand mixer (optional)—ideal for making these cookies
- food processor if blending the toasted hazelnuts; Alternatively, purchase hazelnut butter.
- homemade double broiler a small pot and a bowl to fit inside it; for melting the chocolate glaze
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 10 tbsp butter unsalted; softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 ½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp espresso powder (optional) or instant coffee
- 5 oz hazelnuts toasted and blended to a paste
- 1 whole egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract pure
- 2 cups white flour all-purpose
- 3 oz dark or semisweet chocolate chips, shaved or coarsely chopped
- ¼ tsp fine salt
Chocolate Glaze
- 16 oz chocolate dark or semisweet chocolate or white; chips, shaved or coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- hazelnuts or decorative sprinkles (optional) Use chopped hazelnuts or decorative sprinkles to add an extra pop of color to the cookies
Instructions
Make the Hazelnut Paste
- Toast Your Hazelnuts: Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in a preheated oven at 350℉ (175℃) for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. While still warm, wrap them in a tea towel and rub vigorously to remove any skins.5 oz hazelnuts
- Blend to Perfection: Transfer the cooled hazelnuts to a food processor and blend until they form a smooth paste.
Melt the Chocolate
- Melt your choice of chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth. Let it cool slightly.3 oz dark or semisweet chocolate
Make the Cooke Dough
- Whip It Good: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together: the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and hazelnut butter at medium speed until it’s airy and well-blended—about 2 minutes.10 tbsp butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 3 ½ tbsp cocoa powder, 1 ½ tsp espresso powder
- Spice It Up: Add in the egg, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix until the mixture is uniform and smooth.1 whole egg, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp fine salt
- Half the Flour + Chocolate: Incorporate half of the flour to the mixture, and then pour in the melted chocolate.2 cups white flour
- Rest of the Flour: Add the remaining flour. If the mixer struggles, switch to hand-mixing until all ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Time to Chill: Let the dough rest in a cool environment—like your fridge—for at least 10 minutes.
Divide and Roll the Dough
- Divide: Divide the dough into 3 parts for easy handling.
- Roll: Roll each piece of dough between sandwiched between a large, folded piece of parchment paper. The final dough should be about ⅛-inch thick.
- Freeze or Fridge: Store the rolled dough (still sandwiched between parchment paper) in the fridge for an hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm it up.
Shape and Bake
- Cookie Cutter Fun: Cut out cookies using your desired shape and place them on a cookie sheet. Re-roll any leftover dough and repeat the chilling process before cutting out cookies from that dough.
- Oven Time: Bake the cookies (while still cold) in a preheated oven at 350℉ (175℃) for 8-10 minutes. They should appear dry and almost firm.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet to firm up slightly before transferring them. Transfer the cookies to baking racks to cool thoroughly.
Glaze the Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
- Melt & Mix: Make a double broiler with a metal or glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. In the bowl, combine the chocolate and oil. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.16 oz chocolate, 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Dip & Drip: Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate pool. Lift it out, shake off the excess, and scrape the bottom against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Set the glazed cookies on parchment paper or aluminum foil until the glaze is set.hazelnuts or decorative sprinkles
- If you like, add some finely chopped hazelnuts or other decorative sprinkles to the newly glazed cookies while the chocolate is still warm.
Notes
Bake Cookies Cold
It's important to put the cookies while they are still cold into the oven to bake.
Alternative? Hazelnut or Peanut Butter
In a pinch, you can use a natural hazelnut butter or even peanut butter for this recipe. The cookies will still be delicious, but will likely not be as crispy.