Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies are the next level recipe to chocolate chip cookies. These cookies combine luscious levels of chocolate in each bite, with the crunch of hazelnuts to add that extra texture and nuttiness. Perfect for holiday baking, weekend treats or mid-week cravings, this recipe will satisfy you to the max.

These cookies are one of a number of delicious recipes I created for my Small-Batch Baking Series. Other small-batch recipes you may like are my Earl Grey Lemon Cupcakes, Salted Caramel Brownies, and Gluten-Free Orange Almond Cake.

I’ve loved the challenge of creating sweet treat recipes for small in number households. All my recipes can be doubled to make a standard size serving which is a huge bonus. I don’t want ANYONE to feel left out! And a little reminder that I have Small Batch Desserts E-book with 15 extra recipes, available to download immediately when subscribing to my newsletter.

Back to these incredible Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies. They are the perfect balance of rich, chocolatey and nutty! If you love Nutella or Fererro Rocher chocolates, you'll be sure to love these. The cookie itself is crunchy on the outside but chewy in the mild, the milk chocolate melts into oozing puddles and the hazelnuts provide the perfect nutty texture.

Ingredients needed

• Unsalted butter - Stick to unsalted here so that you can control the level of salt within the cookie- and remember- there's flaked sea salt on top too. Of yes- and make sure it's room temperature too.
• Sugar - Light brown sugar and granulated sugar - two types of sugar used in this recipe to provide structure and sweetness. The light brown sugar though has molasses in it which makes the cookie moist and chewy.
• Egg - One large one will do to bind the ingredients together.
• Vanilla extract - If you don't have any then vanilla bean paste or the seeds of a vanilla pod will do- the vanilla definitely helps layer the flavour.
• Plain flour - (All-purpose) flour at just the right quantity helps to provide structure to the cookie without turning it cakey!
• Cocoa powder - In the UK, cocoa powders are normally Dutch processed, such as Green and Blacks and Dr Oetkers, which are the two main brands I use. I know in the US you can buy both. (Read about the difference between the two from David Lebowitz) The dutch processed cocoa powder adds that rich chocolatey flavour to the cookie and also the dark chocolate colour.
• Baking powder and baking soda - just the right amount to help the rise and chewiness of the cookie.
• Salt - Imperative in sweet baked goods as it balances the sweetness but also brings out the flavour of the chocolate.
• Milk chocolate chunks - I prefer to use a bar of chocolate rather than chocolate chipcs in my baking, the larger chocolate chunks melt into delicious milk chocolate puddles whereas the chocolate chips maintain their shape.
• Blanched hazelnuts - Give these a light toast in the frypan on your stove top to bring out the nut oils and enhance the flavour. Then chop them up. I leave my nuts quite large so for that textural value gained when biting down.
• Flaked sea salt - Imperative to finish off your cookies. The salt compliments the chocolate perfectly!

Step-by-step instructions

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

These Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies really are simple to make. In a few easy steps, you'll be halfway to enjoying a bite of deliciousness.

1. Cream butter and sugar. We want to whip lots of air into the butter and break down the sugar crystals at the same time - we do this by creaming the room temperature butter and two types of sugar with a stand mixer, or hand-held electric beaters for around 3-5 minutes. You'll see the butter get visibly paler. (Image 1)

NOTE: the butter should be room temperature, not soft. If it is too soft then the cookie dough itself will be very soft. If you find this is the case once the dough is made, and it's hard to scoop into balls, then refrigerate the dough for a little while until it firms up a little.

2. Add egg and vanilla extract. Next up is to add the wet ingredients which is the egg and vanilla and mix together. (Image 2)

3. Dry ingredients go in. Sift into the bowl your flour, cocoa powder baking powder and soda, and salt and give it a mix together...this cookie dough is nearly done! (Image 3)

4. Add flavourings. Our chief flavourings are milk chocolate chunks and chopped hazelnuts, add ¾ of these in now and give it a mix together. Set aside the remaining ¼. (Image 4)

5. Roll cookie dough balls and refrigerate. Use an ice cream scoop or teaspoon to create balls roughly 2-cm (1-inch) wide and place them on a lined baking tray. Divide remaining hazelnuts and chocolate to the top of the balls, pressing them in gently. (Image 5 & 6)

NOTE: In image 5 you can see the cookie dough shaped into balls with no visual cues os to the addins. This is because the chocolate and hazelnut are all mixed into the dough. If you were to bake directly like this, then they would resemble a plain chocolate cookie. We eat with our eyes and it's important to see what's in the cookie. That's why I recommend adding some of the nuts and chocolate to the top of the balls so that when they bake, you'll see them!

Loosley cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 1 hour. Alternatively, freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes.

6. Bake and cool. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. Everyone's oven runs at a different temperature, so keep an eye on the cookies. You want them set all around the edge but with a little give in the centre. They'll continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. These are thin chewy cookies- if you want a sturdier, crispier cookie then bake for a couple of minutes more. Remove from the oven, give the pan a couple of hard bangs as this knocks out some of the air and crinkles them a bit, and then hula hoop (see Tip below to know what on either I am talking about!! Image 7) Sprinkle flaked salt onto the top. (Image 8)

Variations

• Chocolate: I’ve used milk chocolate (kids favourite) as the dark chocolate felt like it would be just too rich inside these cookies. But hey if dark, or even white chocolate is your thing...go for it! Or try a combination of both or all three. Also I prefer using a high quality chocolate bar for this rather that chocolate chips. Chocolate chips aren’t designed to melt whereas i want to see those chocolate pools.
• Nuts: If you don’t have hazelnuts on hand...then sub in almonds, pecans or walnuts. They’ll be delicious regardless!! (But you may not be able to call them Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies!!)

Frequently asked questions

How to store and freeze

To store: Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to

To freeze: For cookies that are already baked, cool the cookies completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

To freeze cookie dough, scoop into cookie dough balls and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze on the tray until they are hard. Then pop them into an airtight container or ziplock bag

Tools you’ll need

• Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment: Makes creaming that butter and sugar an easy process- you can use electric hand-held beaters too.
• Icecream scoop / Cookie Scoop: The quickest and less free process to scoop the cookie dough.
• Baking tray: You can use one baking sheet and bake two trays worth one after another, or use two baking sheets and bake the cookies in one go.

More cookie recipes that you may like.

• Traditional Almond Biscotti (How To Guide)
• Pecan Maple Shortbread Cookies
• Chocolate Gingerbread Stamp Cookies

This post was originally published in May 2020 but has been updated with new content.