These Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies are light, chocolatey and naturally gluten-free thanks to their delicate meringue-style base (don't freak out it's not hard to make). With a crisp exterior and soft, slightly chewy centre, they have a beautiful balance of chocolate and roasted hazelnut without feeling heavy. Simple to make and lovely for gifting, entertaining, or enjoying with a coffee, they’re a delicious cookie that everyone will love are perfect for Christmas.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies – Light, Chocolatey & Naturally Gluten-Free
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
German
Author:
Ashley’s Place
Servings
24
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20-25 minutes
Light, chocolatey hazelnut cookies made with a meringue-style base. Naturally gluten-free, Dairy Free and perfectly balanced, easy to bake and lovely for gifting this holiday season and these taste absolutely delicious. If you are a Ferrero Rocher or Baci Fan you should definitely make these.
Ingredients
-
220g Hazelnut Meal (See note 1*)
-
30g of Cocoa Powder
- 3 Egg Whites
- 150g Icing Sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1/8 Tsp of Salt (Half of a ¼ tsp)
- 1 Tsp of Vanilla Essence
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) and line your baking tray with baking paper or your silicone baking liner. You may need 2 trays depending how big your tray is
- Measure out your Icing Sugar so it is ready to go in a separate bowl
- Separate your eggs and pop the whites into your mixing bowl, I use my Kitchenaid but you can also use a handheld mixer. Start to mix on a lower-medium speed until you start to see it foam up. Once it is nice and foamy about 1-2 minutes you can start to add in your icing sugar spoon by spoon. You want to turn the mixer on low for this so it doesn’t go everywhere. And continue until it isa all combined. If using a handheld just pop some in and then mix it if you can’t add it while your mixing
- Once you have added all the icing in scape down the bowl to mix any icing in and in turn your machine up to a higher setting to continue to whisk for about 8-10 minutes until you get firm peaks. When you get to about 5 minutes in add in the vanilla essence (See note 2*)
While that is mixing you want to mix your remaining dry ingredients, the hazelnut meal, salt and cocoa
- Once the egg mixture forms firm peaks take it off the machine and you then want to add in your hazelnut meal mixture to the egg mixture and fold it through using a spatula or spoon. Do this by hand by folding from the bottom up and over. We want to fold here not mix roughly otherwise we will loose all that beautiful air we got with our eggs.
- Once that is all mixed nicely we are going to use 2 tsps to dollop a heaped tsp of the mixture onto our lined baking tray. Leave a few cm’s in-between each cookie on the sheet, they won’t spread too much but we do need a little bit of space. Don’t stress about them being perfect they can look at a little rustic and that is fine, if you want them more round you can shape them with the spoon or use a piping bag to pipe them on, but honestly I just like rustic version. We use the 2 spoons as it can be a bit sticky if you’re trying to roll by hand.
- You can pop a hazelnut on top but I didn’t have any, if you do just pop one in the middle
- Bake in the oven for about 22-25mins or until baked they will be a little golden on the outside but not too much it’s very slight. 25 mins will be a bit crunchier on the edges with a softer center. If you love crunchy cookies you could bake them longer. Leave them on the tray for about 5-10 mins and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. They should no longer be sticky and come of the baking paper easily (see note 3*)
- Store in an airtight container for about a week or in the freezer for about 3 months
Recipe Video
@_ashleysplace_ Day 20 of our 24 Day Advent Calendar Recipe Countdown Chocolate hazelnut cookies for Christmas If you love hazelnut & chocolate maybe a Ferrero Rocher or Baci fan you should definitely make these they are so simple yet delicious and something a little different for a cookie Don’t let the meringue part freak you out I promise it is simple with just egg whites and icing sugar Ingredients: 🤎 230g Hazelnut Meal 🤎 20g Cocoa 🤎 3 Egg Whites 🤎 150g Icing Sugar 🤎 1/8 Tsp of Salt (Half of a ¼ tsp) 🤎 1 Tsp of Vanilla Essence How to: 🤎 Preheat your oven to 150°C line your tray with baking paper 🤎 Separate your eggs and pop the whites into your mixing bowl, I use my Kitchenaid but you can also use a handheld mixer. Mix on a lower-medium speed until you start to see it foam up 1-2 mins. Then turn the mixer on low & add in your icing sugar spoon by spoon. Continue until its all added 🤎 Scrape down the bowl to mix any icing in and in turn your machine up to a higher setting to continue to whisk for about 8-10 minutes until you get firm peaks. When you get to about 5 minutes in add in the vanilla essence 🤎 In a separate bowl mix the hazelnut meal, salt and cocoa together and once the eggs are at firm peaks add in your hazelnut meal mixture to the egg mixture and fold it through using a spatula or spoon. Do this by hand by folding from the bottom up and over. We fold not mix hard to keep the air in egg whites 🤎 Once mixed take 2 tsps and add a heaped tsp of the mixture onto our lined baking tray. Leave a few cm’s in-between each cookie on the sheet. Don’t stress about them being perfect they can look at a little rustic and that is fine. You can pop a hazelnut on top if you want 🤎 Bake in the oven for about 22-25mins or until baked they will be a little golden on the outside. Leave them on the tray for about 5-10 mins and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. They should no longer be sticky and come of the baking paper easily 🤎 Store in an airtight container for about a week or the freezer for 3 months #ashleysplace #christmascookie #christmas #baci #homecooking #homebaked #cookies #macaroons #hazlenut #gfcookie #meringue #foodblog #dessert #bakingtiktokfoodtiktok #christmastiktok #bakingtiktok ♬ original sound - Ashleys Place
Recipe Note
FAQ's and Notes:
- Hazelnut meal is just ground hazelnuts so if you can't find the meal just grind your own up in a food processer until fine. Just don't over blitz it as it can turn into a paste. Make sure they are shelled though first.
- We are making a meringue here so it should be firm peaks which literally means the peaks hold their shape and stay up. It should be nice and thick as well. If you need help with this please reach out.
- The Macaroons are a sticker cookie when uncooked so use your spoon to handle them you won't be able to roll these like a normal cookie
- You could also add some melted chocolate to these as well over the top
Q. Can I whisk it without a machine?
A: You can do but honestly it will take a while and your arm might get a bit sore whisking that long. You can use a handheld mixer if you don't have a kitchenaid as well.
Q. Can I freeze the cookie dough?
A: You could do but it is quite sticky so I wouldn't recommend it, I would recommend freezing the baked cookies instead as I think this will give a different result