Description
Delight in these rich and crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cookies, packed with toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips, and a satisfying crisp from rice cereal. Perfectly balanced with cocoa powder and a hint of vanilla, these cookies offer a decadent treat with a delightful texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup rice cereal (like Rice Krispies, for crunch)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture until the batter is smooth and homogenous.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing. Then, fold in the unsweetened cocoa powder until fully integrated.
- Incorporate Add-ins: Gently fold in the chocolate chips, chopped toasted hazelnuts, and rice cereal. This will create the signature crunch and texture contrast in your cookies.
- Shape Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, positioning them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops show slight cracking. Avoid overbaking for a soft interior.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This step helps them firm up and retain their crunch.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened but not melted for best creaming results.
- To toast hazelnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and roast in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until fragrant.
- Rice cereal adds a delightful crunch; substitute with another crispy cereal if preferred.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For an extra chocolatey punch, you can add a few tablespoons of mini chocolate chips on top before baking.
