Brown Butter Hazelnut Cookies with Chocolate Chunks

Looking for a cookie recipe that combines the nutty richness of hazelnuts with loads of chocolate chunks? This brown butter hazelnut cookie recipe with chocolate chunks is exactly that and perfectly chewy, plus simple enough to make!

Why You’ll Love These Hazelnut Cookies

Hazelnut cookies are basically the chocolate lover’s version of the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. By incorporating brown butter, this recipe elevates my favourite chocolate chunk cookies into something extra special. To avoid an overly sweet cookie, we steer clear of hazelnut butter and stick to freshly toasted nuts, plus two sugars.

What Makes This Hazelnut Cookie Recipe Unique

• Brown Butter: It’s true what they say about brown butter – it really is liquid gold. It adds extra depth and nuttiness to the cookie dough, plus the addition of the milk powder really accentuates the nuttiness.
• Freshly Toasted Hazelnuts: I’ve tried different hazelnut recipes that either calls for hazelnut butter or ground hazelnuts but I find halved toasted hazelnuts to work best!
• Chocolate Chunks or Freshly Chopped Chocolate: Trust me this is way way better than using any sort of chocolate chips.

Preparing the Hazelnuts

Spending some time prepping your hazelnuts by toasting them is key to achieving the perfect hazelnut flavor:

• If you’re using whole hazelnuts, toast them and make sure to remove the skin to avoid bitterness. 

How This Recipe Channels Nutella

This recipe brings the chocolate hazelnut combination to life with hazelnuts and chocolate chunks. Think of it as a Nutella-inspired cookie, with richer textures and flavors.

Choosing the Right Chocolate

While milk chocolate is the classic choice, you can try white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or even darker chocolate for variety. I always use a chopped up bar of chocolate or chocolate chunks.

Baking the Cookies

1. Preheat to 375°F: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the Dough: Cream the brown butter, egg, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy, then incorporate the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch and baking powder.
3. Shape the Dough: Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. Pop it in the freezer for a few minutes prior to baking,
4. Bake the Cookies: Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes.

Serving and Storing Hazelnut Cookies

• Serve these cookies warm with a glass of milk for a truly indulgent treat.
• Store them in an airtight container; the cookies will keep for up to a week.

Variations on This Hazelnut Cookie Recipe

• Swap the hazelnuts for walnuts, pecans or your favourite nuts.
• Experiment with bittersweet chocolate or try white chocolate for a new flavor twist.
• Shape the cookies into smaller portions and flatten the out for thin and crispy cookie.

FAQs About Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Do I need to chill the dough?

You don’t absolutely need to but chilling ensures the cookies don’t spread too much during baking. I like to use pop it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Do I need Hazelnut Butter for this?

Nope! We’re making these cookies without Nutella or Hazelnut butter. All you need is a bag of chopped hazelnuts. 

More Holiday Recipes

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Brown Butter Hazelnut Cookies with Chocolate Chunks

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minuts
• Yield: 12–15 Cookis 1x

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Description

Looking for a cookie recipe that combines the nutty richness of hazelnuts with loads of chocolate chunks? This brown butter hazelnut cookie recipe with chocolate chunks is exactly that and perfectly chewy, plus simple enough to make!

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Ingredients

Scale

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• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp milk powder
• 1 tbsp water
• 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chunks, chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• Sea salt, for topping

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Instructions

1. Toast the Hazelnuts
   Heat up a saucepan on medium flame and add the hazelnuts. Toast for about 10 minutes, moving them around with a spatula. If your hazelnuts have a brown skin, remove the skin by rubbing them between paper towels. Let the hazelnuts cool completely and chop them into halves.
2. Brown the Butter
   In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly until it turns a dark yellow color and begins to bubble. Add the milk powder and continue stirring until the butter browns. Watch it over carefully, as this process happens quickly. (Tip: Search YouTube for videos if it’s your first time browning butter.)
3. Prepare the Wet Ingredients
   Combine the browned butter, water, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until smooth and creamy.
4. Combine the Dry Ingredients
   In a separate bowl, add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to mix well and sift it together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
5. Mix in the Chocolate and Hazelnuts
   Add in the toasted hazelnuts and chocolate chunks. Fold them into the dough. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes.
6. Shape and Bake
   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12-15 balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced apart.
7. Bake the Cookies
   Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. Sprinkle with sea salt right after removing from the oven.
8. Cool and Serve
   Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your chewy, chocolate hazelnut cookies fresh or store them in an airtight container for up to a week.

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This brown butter hazelnut cookie recipe is the perfect addition to your collection of cookie recipes. Whether you’re a fan of peanut butter cookies or Italian hazelnut cookies, you’ll love these chewy, chocolate hazelnut cookies. If you’ve tried the recipe, let us know how it turned out in the comments or save this recipe card for later!