Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
From the time I was 16 through college graduation, I worked at a fast food restaurant that was not too far from my home. This is actually where I met and fell for my husband, but aside from Zach, I found another great love in the greasy haze of the fast food air amidst the jalapeno poppers and apple turnovers. This affair was conducted clandestinely in the back of the walk-in freezer, ducked beneath the drive-through window, or concealed behind shelves of cup carriers and sauce packets. It was a love affair with chocolate chip cookies. Gooey and freshly baked, or 11 hours old and dried out from beneath the heat lamp where they sat on display, I didn’t discriminate. My favorite was when a coworker would snag a chunk of the frozen dough from the freezer and split it evenly, discretely, among the staff (E. coli be damned). In that moment, blissfully savoring each chocolate stuffed bite, I was sure that cookies didn’t get any better than this. But in retrospect, as with so many teenage romances (excluding my real one, which resulted in my marriage, of course) I don’t know what I ever even saw in those cookies, anyway. They were edible, sure, sugary and usually pretty soft too, but so…lackluster and basic. I simply didn’t realize that I could do so much better. And so I’ve created a cookie recipe that is truly deserving of the love of matured and refined taste-buds. Allow me to introduce you to my hazelnut cookies. Like any good cookie, my hazelnut cookies are lightly crisp on the outside with soft, chewy centers. Unlike most cookies though, these cookies are infused with rich with brown butter, which lends a deep, toasty flavor to the earthy roasted hazelnuts. Of course, I had to add chocolate for another layer of indulgence, which means we’ll need a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top to keeps things from being too sweet (and enhance all the flavors even more). They are a multilayered symphony of flavors, full of depth and complexity. These hazelnut cookies are not some cheap fling, and like all good adult relationships, they require some patience (browning butter, letting it cool, chilling the dough), attention (don’t you dare walk away from that butter as it browns!), and commitment (they are a bit of a project; not difficult, but they can take a bit of time). But it all pays off in spades. And they are SO much better than those fast food cookies. Sure, I’m grateful those first cookies taught me how delicious and satisfying cookies can be, but I’m even more grateful for my matured taste buds, because these cookies are incredible!
What You Need
Always ensure your ingredients are at room temperature, especially eggs and butter, as this helps them incorporate better. Here’s what you need:
Butter. Browning the butter deepens the flavor, creating a nutty, toasty undertone that pairs beautifully with the hazelnuts. I use unsalted butter and recommend you do the same, especially since we are sprinkling extra sea salt on top of the cookies. Eggs. Again, make sure your eggs are at room temperature for easy mixing. I have a trick for quickly bringing eggs to room temperature, in case you forget! Sugar. I use a blend of granulated and brown sugar for a chewy, flavorful bite. Hazelnuts. To bring out the full flavor of the hazelnuts, consider toasting them lightly before chopping and adding them to your dough. Chocolate. I like using a combination of semisweet and milk chocolate in these hazelnut cookies. You could even toss in some white chocolate too! I chop the pieces in varying sizes ranging from very fine bits to larger chunks to infuse chocolate in each bite.
SAM’S TIP: Do not skip the chilling step! Chilling prevents your hazelnut cookies from spreading too much in the oven and guarantees thick and chewy results. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Hazelnut Cookies
Brown the Butter
This recipe starts with carefully browned butter which gives the cookies a deep, buttery flavor, and helps make them so soft inside. Use a light-colored pan for browning butter; it makes it easier to monitor the color change and prevent the butter from burning.
Cookie Dough
SAM’S TIP: This baking time (and really, any recipe ever) is an estimate. Start checking your hazelnut cookies a minute or two before the stated time, as oven temperatures can vary. When the cookies are done, let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack. They will continue to cook and set up during this time. I hope you fall in love with these hazelnut cookies just like I did 💜 Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
Recipe originally published January 2016. I have improved upon the recipe and republished it July 2023. For the original recipe, please see pdf in the recipe card.
