Take your chocolate chip cookie game to the next level with sweet and toasty Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies! Raw hazelnuts are lightly roasted then blended up into a grainy flour and mixed into a simple gluten free cookie dough.

If you’re looking for an excuse to bake some cookies (as if you need an excuse) then I’ve got you covered.

Sure, you’ve probably made chocolate chip cookies before but have you ever made hazelnut chocolate chip cookies? If the answer to that question is yes then you already know why you should make these cookies. If you haven’t then I think now would be a good time to find out!

Roast the Hazelnuts

While hazelnuts are a perfectly fine nut to eat raw, there’s something extra special and indulgent about roasted hazelnuts. Roasted hazelnuts (also known as filberts) are sweet, nutty and mellow in flavour making them an excellent addition to sweets, baked goods and, of course, chocolate chip cookies.

To roast: Simply spread the raw nuts across a baking sheet and pop in a preheated oven (350°F/180°C) for about 10 minutes until they’re fragrant, golden and toasty.

If you’re using skin-on or un-blanched hazelnuts: After roasting the nuts you should notice that the skin starts to easily flake and fall off. Gently rub the nuts with a paper towel or kitchen towel and the skin should easily fall off. A few bits of skin left on the nuts here and there is absolutely fine so don’t worry if they’re being stubborn.

After you’ve roasted and left the nuts to cool slightly, transfer them to a blender and blend or pulse until you get a soft, sandy-looking flour. A few large chunks of hazelnuts left intact is fine.

The Dough

Once your nut meal is ready to use these hazelnut cookies are super easy to make and just like any other standard cookie recipe.

This particular recipe is based off of my regular gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe and the method of mixing the dough is just the same:

• beat together the butter & sugars
• add the vanilla & egg
• mix in the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips)
• stir in chocolate chips
• bake & enjoy

WHAT’S THE BEST FLOUR FOR GLUTEN FREE BAKING?

• Any basic all purpose gluten free flour blend will work. I often like using my own homemade gluten free flour blend when I have it ready to go but I will often use whatever generic brand is available (like this one) at my local grocery store. Just make sure you’re using something that is a blend of flours.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF NUT?

• I haven’t yet tested this recipe using other types of nut flours but I do think almond flour will work well in place of hazelnuts. If almond flour cookies sound good to you then you might prefer to use this almond flour chocolate chip cookies recipe instead.

HOW DO I FREEZE THE COOKIES AND THE DOUGH?

• To freeze the dough: roll cookie dough into balls and place in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Once the balls have chilled and hardened, place in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for cookies simply bake from frozen – just add an extra 2-3 minutes to the overall bake time. You may also want to write down the date they were frozen as well as the bake temperature and time.
• To freeze baked cookies: Once fully cooled place the cookies on a baking sheet you can fit in the freezer. Place in the freezer until solid and then transfer the cookies to a bag or Tupperware container – place a small sheet of baking parchment in between each cookie to prevent cookies from freezing together. Cookies will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.  You can enjoy frozen cookies straight out of the freezer (though they’ll be a little hard) or allow them to thaw for an hour or so before enjoying.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!

Recipe

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

Yield: 15 cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes

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Take your chocolate chip cookie game to the next level with sweet and toasty Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies! Raw hazelnuts are lightly roasted then blended up into a grainy flour and mixed into a simple gluten free cookie dough. 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (65 g) whole, blanched hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup | 113 grams butter, softened
• 3/4 cup | 165 grams light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup | 50 grams granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup | 140 grams gluten free all purpose flour blend
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup | 85 grams chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks (dairy free if needed)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spread the hazelnuts across a large cookie sheet. Place in the preheated oven roast for 10-12 minutes until the nuts turn a light brown.
2. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and leave them to cool for a few minutes then add them to a blender. Pulse the nuts until they turn into a sandy flour. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and sugars together until combined. Add the vanilla and egg and combine.
   
4. Stir in the all purpose flour, ground hazelnuts, gum, baking soda and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and thick cookie dough forms.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
   
6. Scoop out balls of dough, about 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons worth and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave at least 3 inches in between the dough to leave room for spreading.
   
7. Place in the oven and bake for 9 minutes for chewier cookies and 10-11 minutes for crispier cookies. Let the cookies cool on the tray for at least 5 minutes before removing to cool and enjoy!
   Optional Tip: Just after baking I like to press a few additional chips in the dough balls as seen in the bottom picture just below. This is completely optional but it does give your finished cookies a little more of a bakehouse kind of look to them.
   
8. Keep these store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Notes

• These cookies spread in the oven so make sure to leave room for spreading. If you prefer cookies with less spread, add an additional 2-3 tablespoons of gluten free all purpose flour before baking. Just keep in mind that adding more flour will change the crinkle-top look on top.
  

Make it dairy free

• Use coconut oil or dairy free butter.
• Coconut oil cookies will spread less and have a more distinct coconut taste.
• Chill the dough about 15 minutes before baking with coconut oil.

FREEZE FOR LATER

• To freeze the dough: roll cookie dough into balls and place in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Once the balls have chilled and hardened place in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for cookies simply bake from frozen – just add an extra 2-3 minutes to the overall bake time. You may also want to write down the date frozen as well as the bake temperature and time.
• To freeze baked cookies: Once fully cooled place the cookies on a baking sheet you can fit in the freezer. Place in the freezer until solid and then transfer the cookies to a bag or Tupperware container – place a small sheet of baking parchment in between each cookie to prevent cookies from freezing together. Cookies will keep up to 3 months in the freezer. You can enjoy frozen cookies straight out of the freezer (though they'll be a little hard) or allow them to thaw for an hour or so before enjoying.

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Desserts Cuisine: American