Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe packs rich cocoa, toasted nutty flavor, and soft chewy centers that make your kitchen smell like a fancy bakery. This batch works perfectly for busy home bakers who want a crowd-pleasing cookie in about 35 minutes from start to finish. I tested this version on my own neighbors, and they now “just happen” to walk their dog past my house every time I turn on the oven.

Why Choose This Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

This Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe gives you thick, chewy cookies with crisp edges, melty chocolate pockets, and crunchy hazelnut bits in every bite. The dough comes together in one bowl, uses simple pantry ingredients, and chills quickly so you can bake on a weeknight without stress.

You can use chocolate hazelnut spread plus cocoa powder, so the flavor hits that nostalgic chocolate spread vibe while still tasting like a bakery cookie. The recipe scales easily, freezes well, and works with both hand mixers and stand mixers, so any home kitchen can handle it.

“These Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies taste like a mashup of a brownie, a chocolate truffle, and a crunchy hazelnut candy. My family argued over the last cookie, and my teenager tried to hide it behind the cereal boxes. 10/10, will bake again.”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry ingredients

1 ¾ cups (220 g) all purpose flour
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Use natural cocoa for classic flavor or Dutch process for deeper chocolate notes.
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Wet ingredients

½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- Use plant based butter sticks for a dairy free version.
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (140 g) chocolate hazelnut spread
- Nutella works great, but store brands usually taste just as good in cookies.
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Mix ins

¾ cup (110 g) toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- Buy pre roasted hazelnuts to save time or toast raw ones in a dry skillet until fragrant.
¾ cup (130 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Use dark chocolate chips if you like a less sweet cookie.

Optional toppings

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Extra chopped hazelnuts or chocolate chips for pressing on top before baking

Pantry shortcuts and substitutions

Swap half the butter with more chocolate hazelnut spread for extra nutty flavor and a slightly softer cookie.
Use gluten free all purpose baking blend in a 1:1 swap if you bake gluten free, and chill the dough a bit longer so the cookies hold shape.
Replace hazelnuts with toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts if you need a nut you already keep in the pantry.
Use mini chocolate chips if you want more even chocolate distribution in smaller bites.

Equipment list

Large mixing bowl
Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
Medium bowl for dry ingredients
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
Baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
Cookie scoop or tablespoon
Wire cooling rack

Tips & Tricks

Toast hazelnuts first so they taste deeper and crunchier in the finished cookies.
Bring butter and eggs to room temperature so the dough mixes smoothly and bakes evenly.
Spoon and level the flour or weigh it so you avoid dense, dry cookies.
Chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies stay thick and chewy instead of spreading too much.
Use a cookie scoop for even sizes so every cookie bakes at the same rate.
Press a few chocolate chips and hazelnut bits on top of each dough ball before baking for that bakery style look.
Pull cookies when the edges set and the centers still look slightly soft, since they keep cooking on the hot pan.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt right after baking so it sticks and balances the sweetness.

How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until the cocoa breaks up and everything looks evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.

Step 2: Cream butter, sugars, and chocolate hazelnut spread

Place softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and mix again until the mixture looks smooth and uniform.

Step 3: Add egg, yolk, and vanilla

Crack in the egg and the extra yolk, then pour in the vanilla. Beat on low to medium speed until the mixture looks silky and no streaks of egg remain. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula so everything mixes evenly.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions. Mix on low speed just until the flour and cocoa disappear, and stop as soon as the dough comes together. Scrape the bowl and fold a few times with a spatula so no dry pockets hide at the bottom.

Step 5: Fold in hazelnuts and chocolate

Add chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips to the bowl. Fold them into the dough with a spatula until they spread evenly throughout. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes while you heat the oven.

Step 6: Preheat and portion the dough

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into balls about 1 ½ tablespoons each, and place them a couple of inches apart on the sheets. Press a few extra chocolate chips and hazelnut pieces on top of each ball if you want a bakery style finish.

Step 7: Bake the cookies

Place one sheet in the center of the oven and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft and puffy. Rotate the pan halfway through baking so the cookies brown evenly. Pull the sheet from the oven and sprinkle the hot cookies with flaky sea salt if you use it.

Step 8: Cool and serve

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, or eat them while still warm and gooey if you feel impatient. Serve the Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe with cold milk, hot coffee, or hot chocolate for peak cozy vibes.

What to Serve with Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Serve these Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with a cold glass of milk, almond milk, or oat milk for a classic combo. Pair them with hot coffee, hot chocolate, or a simple latte for a cozy afternoon treat. You can also crumble a couple of cookies over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for a quick dessert that tastes like a fancy sundae. Pack them into lunchboxes, picnic baskets, or movie night snack trays and watch them disappear.

Storage Options

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
Keep the container away from direct sunlight or heat so the chocolate does not melt and smear.
Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to 2 months.
Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them and keep up to 3 months, and bake from frozen with 1 to 2 extra minutes.
Reheat baked cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 4 to 5 minutes or in the microwave for about 10 seconds so they taste freshly baked again.