Hazelnut and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with the added textures of caramelized white chocolate and crunchy hazelnuts. White chocolate is Charlotte’s favourite for cookies and she adores hazelnuts – hence these babies!
I use no specific white chocolate in these cookies – whatever I have to hand – and I always stud the tops of these cookies with some hazelnuts and white chocolate. The white chocolate exposed to the heat caramelizes as it is being cooked adding further taste and texture dimensions to these classic cookies.
This recipe is adapted from my Chocolate Chip Cookies – Core Recipe. For other easy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe ideas or for more detailed instructions, please take a look.
One of the wonderful things about this recipe (and most cookies in general to be fair) is that you can make a big batch and freeze them uncooked but oven ready. They can be cooked directly from frozen in just 12 minutes. Freshly cooked warm cookies on demand – what is not to like?
I’ve mentioned before how I often send food in the post to my girls when away at university or indeed to my mum and my in-laws as little treats and pick me ups. These cookies are perfect for that! A special treat for anybody you want to spoil!
How to make Hazelnut and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Collect all your ingredients together:
- unsalted butter
- soft brown sugar
- caster sugar
- salt
- egg
- vanilla extract
- plain/all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- white chocolate chunks
- hazelnuts
- extra chocolate chunks and hazelnuts to use as a topping
Please remember that the cookie dough ideally needs to sit for a minimum of half an hour in the fridge, or 15 minutes in the freezer, before cooking. If you do not have time to do this, it is not a problem; your cookies will still be delicious but they may spread out a little bit more more when cooked.
The method is very simple. Collect all your ingredients together. Put the butter, salt and both of the sugars into a large bowl and using an electric whisk mix until fluffy. This should take 3-4 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat again with an electric whisk until thoroughly mixed.
Add the flour and baking powder to the butter mixture. Either beat with an electric whisk on the slowest speed (to avoid a cloud of flour covering your kitchen!) or mix in with a wooden spoon.
Finally fold through your hazelnuts and white chocolate chunks. N.B. Hold a few chunks and nuts back before mixing in. I often find the last cookie dough ball to be made has no or very few chocolate chunks or nuts in it. If you hold a few back you can simply mix into the final cookie.
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9
Next divide into 26 x 30g balls of cookie dough. I am quite specific how I do this. I line a baking tray with parchment, sit it on the top of the scales and zero the scales. I can then check that each cookie weighs 30g each. I use a heaped tablespoon measure or a small ice cream scoop. The more accurate you are, the more consistent your cookies will be when cooked. I don’t worry about 2g here or there but I am quite careful. However, I should point out that my girls eye ball it when making these cookies and just use an ice cream scoop. They cannot understand why I am so pernickety. I confess theirs always turn out really well, so your choice!
Once you have divided the dough into balls, roll gently into a neater shape (the dough will be very soft at this stage) and then stick on the additional chocolate chunks and hazelnuts. Cover with cling film and either:
- refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before you cook them. If you are really in a hurry you can cook them straight away but they will spread a little bit more, OR
- if you want to freeze any now is the time. Place in the freezer and as soon as the dough balls are solid, they can be transferred into labelled freezer bags or containers.
When you are ready to cook your cookies, place them spread out on a baking sheet – I get 4 – 5 per sheet depending on the size of the baking sheet. Cook in a preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until cooked to your liking. In my oven they take exactly 11 minutes. However if you are cooking 2 trays of cookies at the same time, I cook for 6 minutes and then swap the trays over and cook for a further 6 minutes. They are cooked when they have spread out, are starting to brown on the edges and look ever so slightly underdone. They should still be soft in the middle. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15
Can I bake these cookies directly from the fridge?
Unlike many recipes, these cookies do not have to be chilled prior to baking. They can be cooked as soon as they are made. However, if you want to prepare the dough ahead of time, simply store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and then bake them, directly from the fridge, when you are ready.
What is the best way to store these cookies?
When you store cookies, it is important to cover them and store in an airtight container. They keep well for 3 – 4 days at room temperature or 5 – 6 days in the fridge. However, if you are storing them in the fridge, remember to take them out to warm up to room temperature before you serve them.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes you can! You can freeze the cookies prior to cooking and after cooking.
Freeze prior to cooking:
One of the wonderful things about this recipe (and most cookies in general to be fair) is that you can make a big batch and freeze them uncooked, but oven ready. To freeze, place them on a baking parchment lined board or baking tray, cover with cling film and place in the freezer until solid. As soon as the dough balls are frozen, they can be transferred into labelled freezer bags or containers. They can be cooked directly from frozen. Freshly baked warm cookies on demand – what is not to like?
Cook directly from the freezer:
Bake directly from frozen, as described in the recipe. Simply allow 1 – 2 extra minutes bake time.
Freeze after cooking:
These cookies can also be frozen after you have cooked them. Freeze in labelled or sealed containers/bags for up to 3 months.
Made this recipe?
If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodilkitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.
Hazelnut and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with the added textures of caramelised white chocolate and crunchy hazelnuts. White chocolate is Charlotte's favourite for cookies and she adores hazelnuts – hence these babies!
Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature (NB if you would like to use brown butter, see Recipe Notes below)
- 100g soft brown sugar
- 75g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract/paste
- 200g plain/all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 100g white chocolate chunks
- 100g hazelnuts – either whole or chopped, your choice. I leave mine whole
Topping:
- 50g white chocolate chunks
- 50g hazelnuts – either whole or halved
Instructions
-
Start making your cookies around 45 minutes before you want to cook them. The mixture is very soft and you need time to chill the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge.
-
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
-
Put the butter, salt and both of the sugars into a large bowl and using an electric whisk mix until fluffy. This should take 3-4 minutes.
-
Add the egg and vanilla extract/paste and continue to whisk until thoroughly mixed.
-
Add the flour and baking powder to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Alternatively, fold in by hand.
-
Fold in the hazelnuts and white chocolate chunks until evenly mixed throughout. The dough will be quite soft and sticky at this stage. (NB hold a few nuts and chocolate chunks back, just 4-5, to add into the last cookie.)
-
Divide the dough into rough balls, (I use 30g/1 large tablespoon of dough per cookie) and place them, close together on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Roll gently into a neater shape and then stick on the toppings. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes (or the freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes) to harden a little.
-
Five minutes before you want to cook your cookies, preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line your baking trays with baking parchment if necessary.
-
Place the cookie dough balls spread out on baking trays. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, I cook between 4 – 6 at a time.
-
Baking one tray at a time: bake for 10 – 12 minutes. (I cook mine for 11 minutes.)
Baking two trays at a time: add one minute to the total time to cook. Bake for half this time and then quickly swap the trays over i.e. put the top tray on the lower shelf and the tray from the lower shelf and on the higher shelf and cook for the remaining time.
(So for one tray I cook for 11 minutes and 2 trays for 6 minutes, swap the trays and then another 6 minutes = 12 minutes on total.)
-
The cookies are cooked when: they have spread out, are starting to brown on the edges and look ever so slightly underdone. They should still be soft in the middle. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- Kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- Electric whisk and mixing bowl
- Chopping board and knife
- Baking sheets lined with baking parchment, if necessary
Brown Butter: if you would like to replace the unsalted butter with brown butter, you should use 105g brown butter and add 20ml milk. For more information on Brown Butter, please see my post.
Cooking from frozen: allow 1 – 2 minutes extra cooking time.
Weighing the ingredients:
You can either weigh your ingredients and then add them to the mixing bowl or you can weigh your ingredients directly into your mixing bowl. Simply put the bowl on the scales and zero the scales. Make sure you remember to zero them in between adding each new ingredient.
Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
