Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cookies
These Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cookies are crispy on the edges, soft and gooey in the center, and packed with roasted hazelnuts, melted chocolate, and crunchy bits like puffed rice or toffee. Perfect for holidays, cookie swaps, or any time you need an indulgent pick-me-up, they’re deeply flavorful, texturally exciting, and easy to customize.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Wire cooling rack
- (Optional) Offset spatula for drizzling
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder (or use ½ cup melted dark chocolate instead)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (90g) toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (90g) chocolate chips or chunks
- ½ cup (15g) puffed rice, crushed feuilletine, or toffee bits
- (Optional) Nutella, espresso powder, or flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
Toast the Hazelnuts:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8–10 minutes. Rub in a towel to remove skins once cool.
Cream Butter & Sugars:
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy (2–3 minutes).
Add Egg & Vanilla:
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine:
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Add Mix-Ins:
- Fold in chopped hazelnuts, chocolate chips/chunks, and puffed rice or other crunchy mix-ins.
Chill (Optional):
- Chill dough for 30 minutes for thicker cookies and better flavor.
Preheat & Scoop:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheet with parchment. Scoop dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each), spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake:
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft.
Cool:
- Let cookies cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt or drizzle with melted Nutella, if desired.
Notes
- Nutella Core Version: Freeze teaspoon-sized scoops of Nutella and stuff inside cookie dough balls before baking.
- Vegan Substitute: Use vegan butter and a flax egg (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water).
- Gluten-Free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix or almond flour/oat blend.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Dough can be chilled for 48 hours or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For Extra Crunch: Use hazelnut brittle chunks or double the puffed rice.