We’re huge fans of cookies. We like just about any kind of cookie you can bake, but we’re especially fond of the larger, typically American cookies. These delicious Hazelnut Espresso Chocolate Cookies definitely fall into that category. If you like your cookies a bit bigger than well, you’ll love these too. They taste outstanding and are easy to make. What more could you want from a cookie?
Chocolate chip cookies are among our absolute favorites when it comes to typical American cookies. That doesn’t mean they’re the be-all and end-all, though. There’s always room for improvement. For example, adding some chopped nuts to the dough makes cookies like that even better. And it’s so easy. If you lightly toast the nuts beforehand and then add some espresso powder to the dough, you’ll get cookies like these here that are simply better than anything else.
Toasting nuts brings out their maximum flavor. If you incorporate unroasted nuts into a dough, they will absorb some heat, which will give you a few roasting flavors, but it’s nowhere near as much as you can achieve by roasting them beforehand. So, if you like using nuts in your recipes, this simple pre-roasting step can often elevate the result to a whole new level. Or, to put it simply – it just tastes better and you will thank the person who did it first… centuries ago, I guess.
The second important, and perhaps somewhat unusual, ingredient for chocolate chip cookies is the espresso powder in the dough. It certainly adds a light coffee flavor to the cookies, but that’s not its primary purpose. Whenever you use espresso or coffee powder in a chocolate-based pastry, it’s primarily to enhance the chocolate’s flavors. I have no idea how it works chemically, but the coffee flavors support the chocolate flavors and make them a little more intense.
Auntie »AI« says that […] Both foods (coffee and chocolate) share similar roasted flavors that complement and enhance each other. Coffee contains compounds like pyrazines, which are also found in cocoa. Furthermore, coffee’s bitter notes balance the sweetness of the chocolate, while darker coffee roasts accentuate natural chocolate notes through caramelization (Maillard reaction). […] Okay, so now we know why that is. ;P
If you’re wondering why the cookie dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for so long – it’s primarily for the texture of the cookies… and also to subtly influence their flavor.
Many will know that baking powder starts reacting in dough very quickly. When baking powder or baking soda comes into contact with moisture, it releases CO₂ and loosens the dough through gas formation. However, this isn’t necessary or even desirable for these cookies. The cookies should be compact and chewy after baking. So, if you leave the dough in the fridge overnight, most of the gases will escape, but (and this is a big BUTT) this process also affects the flavors of the cookies. The longer resting time simply makes them taste more intense and better in the end. Small cause, big effect, you could say…
Anyway. If you, like us, are into these large cookies, you’ll find plenty more recipes for those here on the blog. We really have published a lot over the last few years. Our Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are definitely worth a try! They’re made with browned butter – another little hack to get more flavor into baked goods. You should certainly give them a go!
If you’re active on social media, you might have already noticed the hype surrounding Crumbl Cookies. These cookies have been taken from America by storm. Of course, we got something similar here on the blog as well – our Crumbl Style Tiramisu Cookies. Those Crumbl cookies are typically simple and large cookies, but they often get a generous topping and decorations. In the case of the Tiramisu Cookies, it’s a delicious mascarpone cream, of course.
INGREDIENTS / INGREDIENTS
(12-13 cookies)
3.5 oz. (100g) hazelnuts (skin on), toasted
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) water
2 1/2 tbsp. rapeseed oil*
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. instant espresso powder*
4.2 oz. (120g) semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
some flaky sea salt* (optional)
(12-13 cookies)
100g hazelnuts (with skin), roasted
100g sugar
100g brown sugar
80ml water
2 1/2 tbsp rapeseed oil*
1 tsp vanilla extract*
300g flour (Type 405)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp instant espresso powder*
120g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
some sea salt flakes* (optional)
DIRECTIONS / PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Add the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet and Toast them for about 10-12 minutesor until golden brown and fragrant. Take the nuts out of the oven and let them cool down. Rub them with a kitchen towel to remove most of the skins, then chop half of them roughly and mix the other half in a mixer to get ground hazelnuts.
2. Add both sugars, water, oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix until well combined. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and the ground hazelnuts. Add these dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add most of the roughly chopped hazelnuts and chocolate (keep some for the decoration) and fold in. Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Divide the dough into 12-13 portions and shape each one roughly into a ball. Place them with enough space in between on the baking sheet (keep the rest in the fridge) and decorate with the chopped nuts and chocolate you kept on the side. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt (optional) and bake for about 12 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down on the baking sheet for some time, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) top/bottom heat. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and Roast in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutesuntil golden brown and fragrant. Remove the nuts from the oven and let them cool. Rub with a kitchen towel to remove most of the shells, then roughly chop about half and process the other half into ground hazelnuts in a blender.
2. Put both types of sugar, water, oil and vanilla extract in a large bowl and mix well. In a second bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and the ground hazelnuts. Then add these dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix everything well. Add most of the coarsely chopped hazelnuts and chocolate (reserve a little for decoration) and fold in. Cover the bowl and Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight)..
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) top/bottom heat. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Divide the dough into 12-13 portions and roughly shape each portion into a ball. Place on the baking tray with enough space between them (put the rest back in the fridge) and decorate with the remaining nuts and chocolate. Sprinkle everything with a little coarse sea salt (optional) and then the cookies Bake for about 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking tray, then place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely. Repeat the whole process with the remaining dough.
Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Description
Crispy, chocolatey, and infused with a hint of espresso – these Hazelnut Espresso Chocolate Cookies are the perfect treat for coffee and chocolate lovers. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious!
3.5 oz. (100g) hazelnuts (skin on), toasted
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) water
2 1/2 tbsp. rapeseed oil*
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. instant espresso powder*
4.2 oz. (120g) semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
some flaky sea salt* (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Add the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet and Toast them for about 10-12 minutesor until golden brown and fragrant. Take the nuts out of the oven and let them cool down. Rub them with a kitchen towel to remove most of the skins, then chop half of them roughly and mix the other half in a mixer to get ground hazelnuts.
2. Add both sugars, water, oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix until well combined. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and the ground hazelnuts. Add these dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add most of the roughly chopped hazelnuts and chocolate (keep some for the decoration) and fold in. Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Divide the dough into 12-13 portions and shape each one roughly into a ball. Place them with enough space in between on the baking sheet (keep the rest in the fridge) and decorate with the chopped nuts and chocolate you kept on the side. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt (optional) and bake for about 12 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down on the baking sheet for some time, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Links marked with an asterisk
