Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies: An Easy, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Recipe
Indulge in the heavenly combination of rich dark chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, and perfectly buttery shortbread with these irresistible Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies. Their exquisite nutty flavor beautifully complements the intensity of dark chocolate, creating a treat that truly melts in your mouth. Whether you’re planning for the festive holiday season, looking for a thoughtful edible gift, participating in a cookie exchange, or simply craving a delightful everyday sweet treat, these cookies are guaranteed to impress. Prepare yourself for a baking journey that’s as rewarding as the cookies themselves!
Why You’ll Adore These Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Who can resist the classic, harmonious pairing of rich chocolate and fragrant hazelnuts? When you combine these two stars with a generous amount of butter, you unlock the secret to a truly unforgettable dessert. These Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies offer a symphony of flavors and textures, creating a treat that’s both comforting and exciting. Each bite delivers that perfect crunch followed by a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sensation – an ideal companion for your morning coffee or an afternoon tea break.
Beyond their incredible taste, these cookies are a dream to prepare. The recipe is incredibly quick and straightforward, requiring minimal effort thanks to the use of a food processor. This means less time scrubbing bowls and more time enjoying your delicious creations! They are also highly versatile: you can easily prepare the dough in advance, and even freeze them, making them perfect for busy schedules or spontaneous cravings. This make-ahead friendly aspect makes them an ideal choice for holiday baking, unexpected guests, or simply stocking your freezer with homemade goodness.
What truly sets these shortbread cookies apart is their exceptional texture. They possess the characteristic tender, crumbly nature of a traditional shortbread, but with an added depth. The finely ground hazelnuts and chopped dark chocolate create a delightful crunch and an intense flavor profile that elevates them beyond a simple cookie. Imagine a delicate, buttery crumb studded with bits of rich chocolate and aromatic hazelnut – pure bliss!
Just like our popular Almond Shortbread Cookies, these cut-out shortbreads are incredibly fun to customize. Unleash your creativity by decorating them with more melted chocolate, a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts, or even delicate edible flowers for an elegant touch. Experiment with different cookie cutter shapes – from classic rounds to festive stars – to make them truly your own. The possibilities are endless, and the process is just as enjoyable as the eating!
Looking for more delightful hazelnut recipes? Don’t miss our Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Cake for a show-stopping dessert or learn to make your own creamy Hazelnut Butter.
Essential Ingredients for Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread
Crafting these delectable hazelnut chocolate cookies requires just seven core ingredients, plus your chosen decorations. Quality ingredients are key to achieving that signature shortbread texture and rich flavor.
Scroll down to the recipe card below for all exact quantities and measurements!
- Flour: We use simple Plain or All-Purpose Flour. For the lightest, most tender shortbread, we highly recommend sifting it. This aerates the flour, prevents lumps, and contributes to that delicate crumb.
- Hazelnut Meal: Also known as hazelnut flour, this provides the wonderful nutty flavor and a tender texture. You can easily find store-bought hazelnut meal, or if you prefer a fresher, more intense flavor, grind your own raw hazelnuts into a fine powder. For an even nuttier taste, lightly toast the hazelnuts before grinding them – a small step that makes a big difference!
- Icing Sugar: Also referred to as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar. Icing sugar dissolves easily, contributing to the smooth, tender texture characteristic of shortbread. Always sift it first, as it tends to clump in storage.
- Cacao Powder: Opt for unsweetened natural cacao powder. Sifting it is crucial to avoid any pockets of dry powder in your dough and to ensure an even chocolate distribution throughout the cookies.
- Butter: Unsalted butter, and it must be very cold! The temperature of the butter is perhaps the most critical factor in achieving the distinct, crumbly shortbread texture. Cold butter creates pockets of steam during baking, resulting in a tender, flaky cookie. Use it straight from the fridge and cut it into small cubes.
- Egg Yolk: We use only the egg yolk in this recipe. The yolk acts as a binder, adds richness, and contributes to the golden color of the cookies without adding excess moisture that would make the shortbread tough. Save the egg white for another recipe!
- Chocolate (for the dough and dipping): For the cookie dough, use a good quality dark cooking chocolate bar, finely chopped. Avoid chocolate chips as they often contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting smoothly. For dipping, the same high-quality cooking chocolate is essential to ensure it melts properly and creates a beautiful, glossy coating without becoming grainy. While dark chocolate offers a lovely intensity, you can experiment with milk or even white chocolate for a different flavor profile.
These cookies are also incredibly adaptable! Consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a hint of coffee extract to enhance the chocolate flavor. A touch of orange zest can also introduce a bright, complementary note. Feel free to experiment and make these your own!
For the decoration, I’ve used a delightful mix of chopped raw hazelnuts, fine hazelnut meal, and delicate dried edible flowers, offering a beautiful contrast in texture and color. You can choose to use just one topping or create your own artistic blend – this is where your imagination can truly shine!
How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies (Step-by-Step Guide)
Making this hazelnut and chocolate cookie dough is incredibly simple, especially with the help of a food processor! Its speed and efficiency make the process almost effortless. However, if you don’t have a food processor, you can certainly prepare them by hand – check out the FAQs section below for detailed instructions on the manual method.
- Preparation is Key: Before you even start, ensure all your ingredients are prepped. Cut your very cold butter into small, even cubes. Separate your egg, reserving only the yolk. Finally, finely chop your dark cooking chocolate – smaller pieces integrate better and make for easier cutting later.
- Photo 1 (Dry Ingredients): Begin by combining all your dry ingredients. Place the sifted Plain/All-Purpose Flour, Hazelnut Meal, Icing Sugar, and Cacao Powder into the bowl of your food processor. Sifting beforehand is highly recommended to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth dough.
- Photo 2 (Pulse to Combine): Secure the lid and pulse the food processor for a few seconds on medium speed. This step thoroughly mixes the dry ingredients, ensuring even distribution of flavors and colors.
- Photo 3 (Add Cold Butter): Now, add the very cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture in the food processor. Keeping the butter cold is crucial for achieving the perfect shortbread texture, preventing it from melting too quickly and making the cookies spread.
- Photo 4 (Process to Crumbs): Pulse the mixture until the butter is fully incorporated into the dry ingredients, resembling fine breadcrumbs or small, even crumbs. The size of these crumbs impacts the final texture: smaller crumbs result in a more uniform cookie, while larger crumbs can lead to a slightly flakier texture, though we aim for minimal spread here.
- Photo 5 (Introduce Egg Yolk): Add the single egg yolk to the mixture. The yolk provides richness and helps to bind the dough without introducing too much moisture.
- Photo 6 (Form the Dough): Continue blending until the dough just comes together into a cohesive mass. This might take a little patience, but avoid over-mixing, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in a tougher cookie. Stop as soon as the dough forms a ball or clump around the blade. To test if it’s ready, press some of the crumbs between your fingers – if they stick together, it’s perfect.
- Photo 7 (Fold in Chocolate): Add the very finely chopped dark chocolate to the dough. Mix briefly in the food processor, or for better control, gently fold it in by hand until evenly distributed. This ensures the chocolate pieces are integrated without overworking the dough.
- Important Tip for Chopping Chocolate: Make sure the chocolate is chopped very, very finely. Larger chunks will make the dough much harder to roll out evenly and cut into clean shapes with a cookie cutter.
- Photo 8 (Shape and Flatten Dough): Transfer the chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookie dough from the food processor onto a lightly floured surface. Gently bring the dough together into a ball, then flatten it into a thick disc. You might need to lightly knead it a few times to ensure it’s smooth and uniform.
- Photo 9 (Roll and Chill): Place the flattened dough between two sheets of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough evenly to a thickness of approximately 6mm (about 1/4 inch). This consistent thickness ensures uniform baking.
- Rolling Thickness Tip: You can roll the dough slightly thicker if you prefer a chunkier cookie, but you’ll need to increase the baking time. Avoid rolling it thinner than 6mm, as this can cause the cookies to bake too quickly, dry out, or even burn, losing that desirable melt-in-your-mouth quality.
- Once rolled, place the dough, still between the baking paper, flat into the fridge. Let it chill for at least 1 hour, or until the butter has completely re-hardened. This chilling step is non-negotiable for perfectly shaped shortbread that doesn’t spread excessively during baking. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this stage.
- Preheat your oven to 160°C/325°F. Prepare a large baking tray by lining it with a baking mat (like a Silpat) or parchment paper.
- Photo 10 (Cut Out Cookies): Take the chilled, rolled dough out of the fridge and carefully remove the top sheet of baking paper. Using your chosen cookie cutter, cut out the shortbread cookie shapes.
- Cookie Cutter Choices: I used a fluted cookie cutter, about 5 or 6 cm (around 2 inches) wide, similar to those used for these delightful Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies. Feel free to use any shape you like, as these cookies hold their shape well in the oven.
- Re-rolling Scraps: Gather any leftover dough scraps, gently press them back together, re-roll between baking paper, chill until firm, and cut out more cookies. You should be able to get a full second batch!
- Photo 11 (Bake Cookies): Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to your prepared baking sheets. Work quickly to ensure the dough remains as cold as possible. If the dough starts to warm up (you’ll notice it becomes soft and harder to handle), simply place it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up again.
- Bake for approximately 12 minutes. The cookies should be firm around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Remove them from the oven, let them cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes to set, then gently transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Photo 12 (Decorate with Chocolate): Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time to decorate! Melt your dark cooking chocolate either in a microwave (using 30-second increments, stirring between each) or over a double boiler. You want the chocolate to be perfectly fluid for the best dipping results.
- Dip half of each cooled chocolate hazelnut cookie into the melted chocolate. Gently shake the cookie over the bowl to remove any excess chocolate, then lightly scrape the bottom edge of the cookie against the rim of the bowl for a clean finish.
- Chocolate Consistency Tip: If the melted chocolate starts to thicken or set, gently re-heat it for a few seconds until it’s fluid again. A smooth, flowing chocolate ensures an even and attractive coating.
- Place the dipped cookies on a fresh sheet of baking paper. While the chocolate is still wet, immediately sprinkle your chosen decorations on top. This is your chance to get creative! Allow the cookies to cool completely and the chocolate to set before handling or storing.
To decorate, consider using a simple sprinkle of chopped whole hazelnuts for extra crunch, fine hazelnut meal for a subtle finish, or beautiful dried edible flowers for an elegant touch, as I’ve done. Other delicious options include delicate candied orange peels, a pinch of flaky sea salt to cut through the sweetness, a drizzle of contrasting milk or white chocolate, or even finely chopped dried fruits for a burst of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Absolutely! Making your own hazelnut flour (or meal) is a fantastic way to ensure freshness and can even enhance the flavor. Simply take raw, skin-on hazelnuts and blend them in a food processor or a spice grinder until they form a fine powder. Be careful not to over-process, as hazelnuts release their oils quickly and can turn into a paste (like hazelnut butter) if blended for too long. For an even more intense, nutty flavor, we highly recommend toasting the hazelnuts in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for about 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant, before grinding them. This step deepens their aroma and taste profile significantly.
For both the chocolate mixed into the dough and for dipping, it’s crucial to use proper cooking chocolate (also known as baking chocolate or couverture chocolate) rather than eating chocolate bars or standard chocolate chips. Eating chocolate often contains less cocoa butter and more sugar, which can cause it to seize or become grainy when melted. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape during baking, meaning they won’t melt smoothly in the dough or for dipping. I typically use good quality dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa solids) for a rich, intense flavor, but you can certainly experiment with milk chocolate for a sweeter profile or even white chocolate for a creamy contrast. If you have access to it, couverture chocolate is ideal for dipping as it has a higher percentage of cocoa butter, resulting in a superior shine and snap when set, but a regular cooking chocolate bar will yield excellent results too.
Yes, absolutely! While a food processor simplifies the process, these chocolate hazelnut cookies can certainly be made by hand in a large mixing bowl. The key is to keep the butter very cold. To incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients, you have a couple of options: you can use your fingertips to rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small crumbs. Alternatively, a pastry blender (also known as a pastry cutter) works wonderfully for cutting the butter into the dry ingredients quickly and efficiently, minimizing the heat transfer from your hands. Once the butter is incorporated, add the egg yolk and continue to mix with a sturdy spoon or your hands until a cohesive dough forms.
Of course! The beauty of shortbread is its versatility in shaping. You can use any cookie cutter shape you desire – stars, hearts, squares, or festive designs for the holidays. If you prefer not to use cutters, you can also roll the dough into a log, chill it, and then slice it into uniform rounds before baking. Alternatively, use a large sharp knife to cut the rolled dough into elegant squares, triangles, or rectangles. For an extra special treat, consider using these shortbreads to create delightful sandwich cookies. Fill them with a luxurious chocolate ganache, a dollop of store-bought or homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, or even a creamy hazelnut buttercream for an indulgent twist!
Expert Tips for Perfect Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
- Embrace the Chill: This is arguably the most critical step for perfect shortbread. Do not skip or shorten the chilling process! The dough must be thoroughly cold and firm for two main reasons: firstly, it makes the dough much easier to roll and cut clean shapes with your cookie cutters. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, cold butter prevents the cookies from spreading excessively in the oven, ensuring they maintain their shape and that desirable tender, crumbly texture. Warm butter melts too quickly, leading to flat, greasy cookies.
- Keep the Dough Cold During Cutting: Even after chilling, your hands and ambient kitchen temperature can warm the dough. If you notice the dough becoming soft or difficult to handle while cutting out shapes, immediately place it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up again. A very cold dough going into a preheated oven is key to preventing spread. If your oven isn’t fully preheated when you’re done cutting, place the entire baking tray of cut-out cookies into the fridge until the oven is ready.
- Alternative Chocolate Topping (Pre-Bake): If you prefer not to dip your baked cookies in melted chocolate, here’s a great alternative: before baking, press slightly larger chunks of cooking chocolate directly onto the surface of the unbaked cookies. As they bake, the chocolate chunks will melt beautifully, creating a similar visual and flavor effect without the dipping step.
- Unleash Your Creativity with Decorations: The decoration stage is your playground for personalization! While dipped chocolate and hazelnuts are classic, consider these ideas: sprinkle with extra hazelnut meal or finely chopped roasted hazelnuts for added texture. Drizzle with contrasting white chocolate or milk chocolate. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt can wonderfully balance the sweetness of the chocolate. For a zesty twist, add candied orange peels or a touch of orange zest. Or, for an elegant touch, edible dried flowers offer a delicate and beautiful finish, just like in our photos!
Storing & Freezing Your Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
These delicious chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies will maintain their freshness and best texture for about 3 to 4 days when stored properly. If your kitchen is cool, they can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container. However, if your kitchen is warm, or you want to be extra cautious about the chocolate melting, it’s best to store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
For longer storage, these shortbread cookies are excellent for freezing. For the best fresh-baked texture, we highly recommend freezing the unbaked dough. You can freeze the dough as a flattened disc, rolled between two sheets of baking paper, or even after you’ve cut out individual cookie shapes. Store the unbaked dough (or cut-out cookies) in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen cookies directly on a baking sheet and add an extra minute or two to the baking time to account for thawing.
If you prefer to freeze them once they are already baked, ensure they are completely cooled before freezing. It’s best to freeze them *before* dipping them in melted chocolate. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. To enjoy, allow the baked cookies to defrost at room temperature, and then proceed with dipping them in melted chocolate and decorating as desired. This method ensures the chocolate coating remains smooth and beautiful without any freezer-related texture issues.
More Irresistible Cookie Recipes to Try
If you’ve enjoyed these delightful chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies, we have a whole collection of other fantastic cookie recipes waiting for you. From fruity and zesty to rich and chocolatey, there’s a cookie for every craving!
- Bright & Zesty Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies
- Classic French Sablé Breton Cookies
- Wholesome Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Addictive Biscoff Butter Cookies
- Sweet & Tangy Lemon Curd Cookies
- Fresh & Fruity Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- Crunchy Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies
- Elegant Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
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Recipe Card: Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 180 gr Plain / AP Flour
- 125 gr Hazelnut Meal, or finely ground hazelnuts
- 100 gr Icing Sugar
- 20 gr Unsweetened Cacao Powder
- 180 gr Unsalted Butter, very cold, cubed
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 50 gr Dark Cooking Chocolate, finely chopped
To decorate
- 150 gr Dark Cooking Chocolate, melted
- Hazelnut Meal, Chopped Hazelnut and/or Dried Edible Flowers – to taste
Instructions
Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
- Place the sifted Plain/AP Flour, Hazelnut Meal, Icing Sugar and Cacao Powder in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to mix.
- Add the very cold butter cut into small cubes and blend until the butter turns into small crumbs that are evenly distributed around the dry ingredients (See note 1).
- Add the Egg Yolk and blend until a dough comes together (see note 2). Add the very finely chopped chocolate and mix until just combined.
- Transfer the cookie dough over a lightly floured surface and lightly knead it to bring it together into a flattened ball. Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll it with a rolling pin to be about 6mm (1/4 inch) thick (see note 3).
- Place the flat rolled dough in the fridge and let it chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours), or until the butter has hardened again.
- Preheat your oven on 160’C/325’F and prepare a large baking tray with a baking mat or baking paper.
- Take the rolled dough out of the fridge and remove the top sheet of baking paper. With a Cookie Cutter the shape of your choosing (I used a 5 – 6 cm / 2 inch fluted cookie cutter), cut out the dough to make the shortbread cookies.
- Re-roll any leftover dough between the two sheets of baking paper, chill it again until hard then cut out more cookies for a second batch.
- Place the cookies over the baking tray (see note 4) and bake for 12 minutes. Take out of the oven, leave to cool down for 5 minutes on the tray then transfer over a cooling rack until completely cool.
To decorate
- Melt the chocolate (either in the microwave in 30 seconds increments or over a double boiler) then dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Gently shake each cookie over the bowl then scrape its bottom over the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate (see note 5).
- Place over a sheet of clean baking paper and optionally, directly top with your choice of decoration while the chocolate is still melted. Let them cool down and set completely.
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Notes
- The larger the butter crumbs, the flakier the cookies will be. For this shortbread, we aim for smaller crumbs to achieve a more uniform, tender texture and to prevent the cookies from rising too much and losing their classic flat shape.
- The dough might take a moment to come together, so be patient. Stop processing as soon as a cohesive dough forms around the blade to avoid over-mixing. To check if it’s ready, gently press some of the crumbs in your hand; if they stick, the dough is perfectly combined.
- You can roll the dough slightly thicker if you prefer a more substantial cookie, but be prepared to increase the baking time accordingly. However, we advise against rolling them thinner than 6mm (1/4 inch) as they might bake too quickly, become overly dry, or even burn easily, compromising that delightful melt-in-your-mouth quality.
- Work quickly when transferring cookies to the baking tray to ensure the dough remains very cold. If the dough starts to warm up (you’ll notice the cookies becoming very soft and harder to move), return it to the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.
- If your melted chocolate begins to thicken or set before you’re done dipping, gently re-heat it for a short time until it becomes fluid and smooth again. A very fluid chocolate ensures a beautiful, even, and thin coating on your cookies.
Nutrition (per serving)