Holiday Hazelnut Chewy Delights

The Little Jar of Magic

Hello, my dear. Come sit. The kettle is on. Today we are making my Holiday Hazelnut Chewy Delights. They start with a whole jar of Nutella. I know. It feels like a little magic.

My grandson calls it “chocolate mud.” I still laugh at that. Mixing it with butter and sugar makes a cloud. A sweet, chocolatey cloud. Doesn’t that smell amazing? This matters because joy starts in the mixing bowl. Your hands make the love.

A Coffee Secret

See this little spoon of espresso powder? It is our secret. It does not make the cookies taste like coffee. Oh no. It makes the chocolate taste more like itself. Deeper and richer.

Fun fact: many bakers use a pinch of coffee in chocolate cakes. It is a tiny trick with a big effect. Now, what is your favorite baking secret? A pinch of cinnamon? A dash of orange zest? I would love to know.

Patience is a Warm Cookie

The dough must rest in the cold for an hour. This is the hard part. I use this time to wash up and toast the hazelnuts. The kitchen fills with a warm, nutty smell.

I learned this lesson long ago. Rushing the chill makes flat cookies. Waiting makes them chewy and just right. Good things need a little patience. This is true for cookies and for life.

The Double Roll

Now for the fun. We roll each ball twice. First in the chopped nuts. Then in the snowy sugar. Your hands will get wonderfully messy.

This double coat is important. The nuts give a crunch. The sugar gives a sweet, crackly shell. It is a perfect mix of textures. Do you prefer your cookies crunchy, chewy, or cakey? These are chewy with a happy crunch.

Sharing the Warmth

They bake fast. Only eight minutes. Watch them carefully. They will look soft in the middle. That is good. They firm up as they cool on the rack.

I once left a batch for the mail carrier. He left a thank-you note that made my whole week. Sharing food is sharing a piece of your heart. Who will you share your first batch with? Tell me about them.

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
All-purpose flour	3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams)
Baking powder	2 teaspoons
Salt	½ teaspoon
Nutella spread	1 ¼ cups
Unsalted butter	4 tablespoons	softened
Granulated sugar	1 ⅓ cups (9⅓ ounces/265 grams)
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Instant espresso powder	1 teaspoon
Eggs	2 large
Milk	⅓ cup
Hazelnuts	1 ½ cups	toasted and chopped fine
Confectioners’ sugar	1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams)	for rolling

Instructions

Step 1: First, get your oven ready. Move the racks to the middle spots. Heat it to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix your flour, baking powder, and salt. This is your dry team. (A good mix here means a tender cookie!)

Step 2: Now, let’s make the dough. Beat the Nutella, soft butter, and sugar together. Use a mixer until it’s fluffy. Add the vanilla, espresso powder, and eggs. Mix them in well. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? It reminds me of a cozy cafe.

Step 3: Time to bring it all together. Turn your mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and the milk. Mix just until you see no dry spots. Then, gently fold in half of your chopped hazelnuts. Pop the bowl in the fridge for an hour. This chills the dough so it’s easier to roll. Why do we chill cookie dough? Share below!

Step 4: Let’s shape our delights. Put the rest of the hazelnuts in one bowl. Put the powdered sugar in another. Roll dough into little one-inch balls. Roll each first in nuts, then in sugar. Place them on your sheets, giving them space to grow. I still laugh at how my grandson calls them “snowy hedgehogs.”

Step 5: Finally, bake them. Put both sheets in the oven. Halfway through, switch their spots top to bottom. Bake until they are just set, about 8 minutes. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet. (This keeps them from breaking!) Then move them to a rack to cool completely.

Creative Twists

You can make these little delights your own. Try a different nut inside, like toasted pecans. For a festive look, use colored sanding sugar instead of powdered sugar. Or, press a chocolate kiss into the center right when they come out of the oven. Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving & Pairing Ideas

These cookies are wonderful on a pretty plate. I like to stack them high on a cake stand. For a special touch, drizzle them with melted white chocolate. They pair perfectly with a glass of cold milk or a cup of mint tea. For the grown-ups, a small glass of amaretto is a lovely match. The nutty flavors dance together. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Delights Delightful

Let’s talk about keeping these cookies happy. They stay fresh in a tin for four days. For longer joy, freeze the dough balls before baking. Roll them in nuts and sugar first. Then pop them on a tray to freeze solid. Bag them up for a sweet future.

You can bake from frozen, just add two minutes. I once forgot a batch in the freezer. Finding them months later felt like a treasure. Batch cooking like this saves time during busy holidays. It means more moments for stories by the fire.

Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Perfect Cookies

Is your dough too sticky? Chilling it is the magic fix. A firm dough is easier to roll. It also helps your cookies keep their shape. I remember when my first batch spread into one big cookie. Chilling would have saved them!

Are the nuts not sticking to the dough? Roll the ball in your hands first. The warmth helps the nuts cling. This matters for that wonderful crunch in every bite. Are your cookies too cakey? You might have over-mixed the flour.

Mix just until you see no more white. This keeps them chewy, not tough. Handling dough gently builds your cooking confidence. It shows you understand how ingredients work together. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Quick Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make these gluten-free?

A: Yes! Use a good gluten-free flour blend. Make sure it has xanthan gum in it.

Q: How far ahead can I make the dough?

A: You can refrigerate it for two days. Or freeze it for up to three months.

Q: I don’t have espresso powder. What can I use?

A: You can just leave it out. The cookies will still be wonderfully chocolatey.

Q: Can I double the recipe?

A: Absolutely. Just mix in a very large bowl. You might need to chill it a bit longer.

Q: Any optional tips?

A: Add a pinch of cinnamon to the sugar for rolling. *Fun fact: Hazelnuts are also called filberts!* Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope these treats bring warmth to your home. Baking is about sharing love with every bite. I would love to hear about your baking adventures. Tell me about the smiles these cookies created at your table.

Have you tried this recipe? Please share your story in the comments below. Your notes make my day brighter. Happy cooking!

—Elowen Thorn.