This post is brought to you by SaltWorks®. Read on for a chance to win a set of gourmet salts, perfect for your holiday cooking!
The holidays are steeped in tradition, from whether we put tiny villages on our fireplace mantles to the recipes we serve at family gatherings. I always look forward to the buckeye candies my friend makes, and my family has taken to driving around to look at the city holiday lights just like I did growing up.
Because we live so far away from the rest of our family, I keep an eye open for new traditions we can incorporate into our holiday. For me, that includes baking a new cookie each year.
While I love the standard spritz cookies and cheerful gingerbread men, I’m always looking out for something that will make a cookie “my” cookie, the cookie that will stay with me for the rest of my baking days.
I might have found it with this year’s cookie, y’all.
If you’re a Nutella fan these cookies might seem like a no-brainer to you. Hazelnuts? Check. Chocolate? Check. But is that enough to elevate a cookie and make it a mainstay of the season?
Enter the salt.
Not just any salt – these cookies are sprinkled with Fusion® Espresso Brava Sea Salt, giving you just the tiniest hit of coffee flavor that rounds out these cookies in a way you didn’t know was needed.
I have to admit, I didn’t know much about all the different varieties of salt. Sure, I’ve used Himalayan pink salt, chunky salt harvested from Galveston Bay, and the mainstay kosher salt. But I didn’t really realize how much of a difference salts can make, especially flavored ones.
SaltWorks sent me a box of their high-quality salts to try, and I couldn’t believe how just a small amount of the salt made every recipe I tried it in better. I’m hooked on their salts now, and I keep trying to plan my meals with the flavors in mind.
Because the products from SaltWorks are unprocessed and all-natural, you only need a little bit to make a big difference in your recipes. I love that the flavored salts are naturally infused, making for a pure product that is full of flavor, not additives.
The Espresso Brava salt on top of these cookies gives a salty-sweet hit of satisfaction. If you’re powering through the holidays like I am, you’ll need something special to get you through each day. Why not have it be these cookies?
Do you want to add a unique flavor boost to your holiday recipes? Saltworks is giving away 3 of their Limited Edition Fusion® Salt Samplers!
Each set includes 3 bowls, 3 spoons, and 5 of their Fusion® salts: Wild Porcini, Black Truffle, Spanish Rosemary, Vintage Merlot, and of course the Espresso Brava salt I used in my cookies.
To enter, follow the instructions on the entry form below. Sorry international friends, this giveaway is for US residents only.
Now that you’ve entered, why not make some cookies? Reminiscent of pecan sandies, these hazelnut-studded cookies are topped with chocolate ganache before being finished with espresso salt. If you can’t get your hands on espresso salt, try it with large-flake sea salt.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with Espresso Salt
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole hazelnuts
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces chopped chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Espresso Brava Sea Salt
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F.
-
If your hazelnuts have skins, toast them in a skillet over medium heat, shaking gently. The skins will slip off. Let cool before processing.
-
Pulse nuts in a food processor until nuts are about pea-sized.
-
Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, then mix in vanilla and egg. Stir in flour and hazelnuts.
-
Scoop dough out by the tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press down slightly on each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
-
Melt chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan or in a microwave, whisking to thoroughly combine.
-
Top each cookie with a spoonful of chocolate. Sprinkle with a pinch of Espresso Brava Sea Salt.
-
Let cookies cool, and if desired, put in the refrigerator to firm up chocolate. Store in a covered container.
More cookie recipes you might like:
Blueberry White Chocolate Cookies – Stetted
Coconut Sugar Cookies – Dessert for Two
Lemon Crinkle Cookies – Bluebonnet Baker
Mango Madeleines – Stetted
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies – My Baking Addiction
Disclaimer: I received a sample of products from SaltWorks for the purpose of review, and was compensated for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
For more sweet inspiration, check out my Chocolate Desserts board on Pinterest!
Follow Megan Myers | Stetted’s board Chocolate Desserts on Pinterest.
Hector says
Mesquite salt has a very special place in my heart. Thank you for the giveaway!
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
Cannot wait to try these, Megan. I’m totally pumped for holiday baking!
Sarah says
Artisan Fleur de Sel
Andrea says
I think if I were to try the espresso salt, it would be my favorite!
Reagan Foy says
These look amazing…can’t wait to give them a try.
Linda says
Gorgeous cookies! I love savory with my sweet.
Kristina says
My favorite salt is the pink hawaiian ash or truffle salt hmmm it’s a toss up. I have never heard of those salts and I bet they would be super fun to work with. (Love the recipe you made) I will share this.
Jennifer says
Spanish Rosemary!!!
Reagan Foy says
I love Hawaiian Sea Salt!
Amber | Bluebonnets & Brownies says
I’m boring, but I love Maldon as an everyday salt. That vintage merlot salt has me intrigued though!
Kimberly Ann says
Vintage Merlot sounds incredible.
Allison says
I don’t use many specialty salts but would love to try them! I do have and enjoy the lovely Murray River Flake Salt.
Morgan says
The Sea Salt would be a staple in my house but I’d love to try the Black Truffle and Vintage Merlot flavors too!
shelby says
sea salt I guess. I’ve never really tried any specialty salts before…would love to win these!
Kay says
What type of chocolate do you use? I know a rich, dark chocolate would be awesome with these cookies, but my kiddo favors milk chocolate. Or maybe I just use what I want, and if he converts to being a dark chocolate lover, all the better! 🙂
Kay says
I’m already thinking about sprinkling scrambled eggs with truffle salt, and wondering how brie with a dash of Merlot salt would taste.
Megan says
@Kay, I used 60% dark chocolate chips because that’s what I had on hand, but I think milk chocolate would be great!
Heather says
Love the idea of espresso salt… could be used for sweet, like your cookies above, or as a rub for steak, pork, etc!
kelly rae says
himalyan sea salt
Kat says
I’d like to use celery salt on scrambled eggs.
Mad Betty says
I love fancy salt. We regularly use Pink Himalayan Salt, but when I want something really special I’ll use Smoked Black Sea Salt.
Virginia says
Salt…any kind of seasoning is amazing! Flavored salt makes it even better!
angel says
Sea Salt is what I use most but this espresso salt looks divine !
Sarah says
Just discovering flavored salts now, and am always intrigued by the sweeter varieties – that espresso salt sounds fabulous!