*This post contains affiliate links and may earn commissions on recommended products. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Chocolate hazelnut cookies have a wonderfully fudgy texture. These big cookies are sprinkled with flaky salt before baking for an elevated taste.
Want to save this recipe for later?
We'll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, we'll send new recipes to your inbox weekly.
If you’re a Nutella fan these cookies might seem like a no-brainer to you. Hazelnuts? Check. Chocolate? Check. Top it off with flaky sea salt and you have a grown-up cookie ready for the cookie jar.
This is the same base I used for my chocolate raspberry cookies, and in fact, it just might be my new favorite chocolate cookie base!
The exterior of these cookies is lightly crisp, but it gives way to a fudgy interior, like the best cross between a cookie and a brownie.
Don’t love hazelnuts? Both chopped walnuts or chopped cashews are incredible in these!
key ingredients for chocolate hazelnut cookies
This is just an overview. For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card, or use the button on the side.
You’ll need chocolate three different ways for these: cocoa powder *, chocolate chips, and a chopped chocolate bar. The chocolate chips get melted as part of the cookie dough base, while the chopped chocolate bar is folded in with the nuts.
Why use a chocolate bar instead of more chips? The way the pieces melt into the cookies is slightly different: chocolate chips stay mostly intact, while the pieces of chocolate bar will melt into wonderful puddles. I use a bittersweet bar to balance with the sugars.
To boost the chocolate flavor even more, I add instant espresso powder. Don’t worry, your cookies won’t taste like coffee! You can use regular instant coffee in place of the espresso, but don’t use liquid coffee.
For the hazelnuts, look for chopped dry roasted hazelnuts that are unsalted. Even though we add salt to the cookie dough and flaky salt on top, using salted nuts will add too much to the cookies. If you can only find salted nuts, rub them gently in a towel to remove as much salt as possible, and consider reducing the added salt in the dough.
Speaking of salt, you’ll want flaky salt to sprinkle on top of the cookies before baking. I use flaky Maldon, which Costco sells in big 20-ounce tubs for less than $10! It’s a steal and will last you a long time.
How to make this recipe
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper *. I recommend baking the cookies one sheet at a time for the best results, but use two cookie sheets so you can swap them and prep one while the other is baking.
Put the butter and chocolate chips in a small saucepan * and set over medium-low heat. Let them melt, stirring occasionally to help smooth it out. Once completely melted, remove from heat to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
Pour the melted chocolate into a large bowl and mix in the sugars until blended. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Just before it is fully combined, fold in the chopped chocolate and hazelnuts until evenly dispersed.
Scoop out the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and arrange on a prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between for spreading. Sprinkle flaky salt onto each dough ball.
Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack * to cool completely.
Want perfectly round cookies? Immediately after taking the cookies from the oven, grab a round cookie cutter that is slightly larger than your cookies. Place it around the cookie and quickly but gently move the cutter and cookie in a circle so it bumps against the side of the cutter. Perfect round cookies every time!
Repeat until all of the cookies are baked. Let cool fully before transferring to a cookie jar or airtight container.
Storage and make-ahead tips
These chocolate hazelnut cookies keep well for about 5 days. If you find your cookies are drying out, you can place a slice of bread into the container with them, and they will soften again.
This recipe makes BIG cookies, so if you want to bake just part of the batch, you can freeze the dough! Scoop onto a lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag, remove excess air, and seal. Don’t forget to label it! The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When you want to bake the cookies, just remove as much as you like, place on a lined baking sheet, and bake at 325°F for about 15 minutes, adding any additional time as needed to bake through.
These chocolatey cookies are wonderful right from the cookie jar, or warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds for melty flavor!
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with Flaky Salt
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour *
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.75 ounces 72% dark chocolate bar, (½ bar), chopped into small pieces
- 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
- Flaky salt, for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Melt butter and semisweet chocolate together in a small saucepan, stirring until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pour melted chocolate into a large bowl and stir in sugars until mixed, then beat in eggs and vanilla until well-combined.
- Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients. Just before fully combined, stir in the chopped chocolate and hazelnuts.1.75 ounces 72% dark chocolate bar, 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
- Scoop cookies into 2-tablespoon balls and place onto the baking sheet, leaving space between to allow for spreading.
- Sprinkle flaky salt evenly on top of each ball of dough. (Adding before baking will allow the salt to stick better than adding after.)Flaky salt
- Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let cool on the pan 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Repeat until all of the dough is used.
Notes
- Makes 20 cookies using 2-tablespoon portions. If making smaller cookies, reduce baking time to 9-11 minutes. For larger cookies, increase to 15-17 minutes.
Want to save this recipe for later?
We’ll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, we’ll send new recipes to your inbox weekly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
Salt…any kind of seasoning is amazing! Flavored salt makes it even better!
Sea Salt is what I use most but this espresso salt looks divine !
Just discovering flavored salts now, and am always intrigued by the sweeter varieties – that espresso salt sounds fabulous!
Megan, I’m unclear how much to chop the chocolate bar. Should most bits be about the size of a chocolate chip? (I know they won’t be uniform.) Or keep chopping until they’re very small?
Yes, I would say to about chocolate chip size or maybe a little smaller. You’ll end up with some pieces that are more like shards, but add it all in!