This hazelnut cookie recipe is so luxurious it's on a whole different level from other cookies. Although brown butter peanut butter chocolate chip cookies might not roll right off the tongue, I guarantee they will win you over with just one bite. The brown butter adds notes of toffee and pairing it with dark chocolate and hazelnut makes these cookies absolutely irresistible.
This recipe uses Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate Hazelnut chocolate bars. Ritter Sport is a premium and high-quality chocolate, made with 100% sustainably sourced
cocoa. It can be found locally at most grocery retailers, including The Fresh Market, Target, Costco, CVS, Harris Teeter, Giant Stop & Shop, Publix, and Walmart (just to name a few!). Find your closest Ritter Sport bars by using their product locator!
If you are a cookie fan, check out these ganache filled cookies or chocolate caramel cookies.
Ingredients
The Ritter Sport dark chocolate hazelnut bar is a must for this recipe - you don't want to substitute anything else.
- browned butter: You can make these cookies with just regular butter, but why not take it up a notch by starting with brown butter instead. It takes an extra 10 minutes or so of cooking the butter until it caramelizes and nutty, your effort will be rewarded.
- peanut butter
- brown sugar: This sweetens the cookie dough, adds body, adds color, and deepens the flavor.
- Salt: Salt balances out the sweetness and improve the overall flavor by deepening the flavors brought out by caramelization and butter.
- baking soda: a leavening agent that helps the cookies rise.
- baking powder: a leavening agent that helps the cookies rise.
- vanilla: Did you know that vanilla actually enhances the chocolate flavor? It also provides a well rounded, timeless, cookie flavor.
- all purpose flour
- Hazelnuts
- eggs:Eggs add structure, leavening, color, and flavor.
- Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate Hazelnut bars
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
High level overview, see video below and recipe card for more details.
- Start by beating together brown butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until combined and fluffy. This takes around 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Beat again until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients.
- Beat until soft dough forms.
- Stir in chopped Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate Hazelnut bars
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough. Level the scoop with a spatula.
- Place dough balls on a baking sheet. I like to pre-portion the dough before refrigerating because it is easier to scoop.
- Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking.
- Bake in 350F oven for 16 minutes, until cookies are browned around the edges.
Equipment
It is important to use the right equipment for this recipe.
- 5 quart planetary mixer: You'll be creaming some of these ingredients for 8 minutes - a hand mixer will not incorporate enough air into the cookie dough.
- kitchen scale: This one is on sale for $9.98 on Amazon! If you don't have one you'll find yourself using it all the time after purchasing.
- large cookie scoop
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper
- knife for chopping chocolate and hazelnuts
Storage
The portioned cookie dough can be kept wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to one week. They can also be frozen after wrapping tightly in plastic wrap for up to six months, but must be brought to refrigeration temperature before baking.
Store cookie leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you like warm cookies, briefly rewarming the chocolate filled cookies in the microwave for 10 seconds before eating.
Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Hazelnut cookies
Equipment
- sauce pan
- stand mixer
- baking sheet
- cutting board
- large cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, browned and cooled
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1.5 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 bars Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
Brown your butter
- To brown butter, heat unsalted butter in a light color saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking once butter has melted, the butter will become foamy, you don’t have to whisk yet. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles, start whisking at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter starts to brown, watch the color carefully, when the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty, turn off the heat.
- Remove from heat and allow butter to cool to room temperature (you can also put it in the fridge for 30 minutes) It’s okay if the butter resolidified, but is still soft.
Make Cookies
- Chop your Ritter Sport and hazelnuts into course pieces, set aside.
- To make the cookie dough, combine cooled butter with creamy peanut butter and brown sugar in the stand mixer bowl, beat with the paddle attachment for 1 - 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg, and vanilla extract, beat for another minute or two until combined and fluffy.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sifted flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until incorporated. Add the chocolate chip and stir until evenly distributed.
- Divide the dough using a large cookie scoop and refrigerate while the oven is preheating.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place pre-portioned cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, 2" apart. Bake for 14 - 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!