Hello, Friends! I’m back with a new Hazelnut Truffle Cookie recipe and some exciting news to share. Starting in September, I’ll be writing and photographing a new food column for Feast Magazine called Sugar Rush. It’s Feast’s monthly print column featuring approachable home cook-friendly desserts. As a chocolate lover, and self-proclaimed cookie monster, it only seemed fitting that my first recipe for this new monthly column would showcase both.

For those not local to Kansas City, Feast Magazine is a large-format print magazine that covers the entire state of Missouri; with a focus on St. Louis and Kansas City. Feast’s digital content is also available online, so you can check out Sugar Rush and all the other interesting local culinary scene news. It’s an excellent magazine to find the area’s best food and drink, plus copies of the magazine are free to pick-up at many different locations around the city. When first moving to Kansas City, years ago, I remember thumbing through the pages of Feast and referencing it to try out restaurants in my new city. Shortly after, I began freelancing as a photographer for them and now I’m honored to be developing recipes for this award-winning magazine.

As for these Hazelnut Truffle Cookies, they are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Their crinkled exterior comes from beating the eggs for a longer than usual mixing period; aerating them to create a nice rise in the oven. They’re generously topped with roasted hazelnuts and a good sprinkle of fine sea salt. There are copious amounts of chocolate used in this recipe, making them rich with an intense chocolate flavor.

Helpful Tips for This Recipe

*Since this recipe uses a large quantity of chocolate be sure to use good quality chocolate and cocoa powder, such as Valrhona. This will ensure a great tasting cookie with a rich and intense chocolate flavor.

*Gently fold in the flour at the end, to keep the air in the mixture, and you’ll have a beautifully crackled crust with a fudgy on the inside cookie.

*Special Note: Since posting this recipe, I’ve received a couple of comments regarding the cookie dough being too soft to scoop. This cookie dough is soft, but should not be runny. If the melted chocolate is still too warm when it’s added to the dough, this will soften the dough considerably. If this happens, simply chill your dough in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes (not too much longer as the chocolate will stiffen making the dough difficult to scoop). Adjust the baking time by 1-2 minutes, or as needed, and you’ll end up with thick and chewy cookies! This recipe has now been updated to include these troubleshooting notes.

Hazelnut Truffle Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

1 cup hazelnuts
8 ounces (227g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup (66g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons (9g) dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8  teaspoon  kosher salt
4 tablespoons (58g) unsalted butter, soft
¾ cup, plus 2 tablespoons (184g) granulated sugar
3 (135g) large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Fine sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350F (177C).

Place hazelnuts on baking pan in a single layer and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until hazelnuts are fragrant and skins begin to flake. Remove from oven and set on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle. Wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub nuts together to remove the skins (not all the skins will come off). Once cool, roughly chop and set aside.

Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool until no longer warm to the touch, but still smooth. Tip: It’s important that the melted chocolate not be too warm, or too cold, when added later in the process. If it’s too warm it will considerably soften the dough.

In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed, then cream together for 4 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Increase speed to high and beat for 4 minutes until eggs are pale and light. On low, add in the vanilla and cooled melted chocolate, then mix until mostly combined. Remove bowl from mixer and finish folding in the chocolate. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined (careful not to over mix or cookies will be tough). Tip: If you find your batter has become too soft, then place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 10-20 minutes (not too much longer as the chocolate will stiffen making the dough difficult to scoop).

Using a 1 1/2-ounce cookie scoop, or about 3 tablespoons, portion out dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Generously sprinkle the tops with chopped hazelnuts and lightly sprinkle with fine sea salt. Bake cookies for 14 – 16 minutes, or until edges are set and centers are puffed. Remove from oven and set on cooling rack. Cookies will be very soft, let cool completely before removing from rack. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to five days.

*Check out the latest September issue of Feast Magazine, in print or online, to find out more about these cookies in Sugar Rush. Each monthly column will feature a new recipe, so if you enjoy baking follow along and let me know what you create. I love hearing from you!*