These hazelnut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies use brown butter in the dough and are chunky, chewy and are reminscent of Nutella spread!
“I think these may be my favorite cookie you’ve ever made.” said my husband AJ, as he eyed another one of my hazelnut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This is saying a lot since I bake a lot of chocolate chip cookies. Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies, sourdough oatmeal chocolate chips cookies, classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, even crispy chocolate chip cookies. But there you have it. A new favorite cookie!
How do you make these cookies?
These cookies start out with crushing some of the hazelnuts and oats into a powder with a food processor
Then you make some brown butter, which is just cooking the butter until the milk solids start to brown. Mix the brown butter with brown sugar, until it has cooled a bit. Add in vanilla and almond extract.
Then a couple of eggs, baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour and then the powdered hazelnuts and oats.
Stir in the remaining whole rolled oats, chopped hazelnuts and chopped chocolate. Form balls, sprinkle with salt, and bake!
Can I skip the brown butter step?
Yes! Just melt the butter in the microwave (or on the stove) and use that instead.
What type of oats should I use?
Use any type of rolled oats, though I prefer old fashioned rolled oats or thick cut rolled oats. But you can use quick cook, instant or extra thick cut if you want! Keep in mind the thicker the rolled oats, the more texture and chewiness the cookie will be.
Don’t use those packets of instant flavored oatmeal, as those already have sugar and flavoring which won’t work in this cookie. And don’t use pinhead or steel cut oats. Those oats are too thick and will stay raw when you bake these cookies. It will result in a gritty and hard to eat cookie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Yes! Just place these cookies on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours. Once the cookies are frozen solid, move them to an airtight container or freezer Ziploc bag.
Frozen cookies will last up to 2 months. Just thaw them on the countertop about 2 hours before serving.
Yes. Make the cookie dough ahead of time and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
Keep in mind the cookie dough will be more crumbly after it has chilled, but just work the dough with your hands to warm it up. Balls will form. Bake as directed.
If you like these cookies, check out some of these other cookies recipes:
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Butterscotch Cookies with Triple Chocolate
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Streusel Topping
- Monster Cookies
- Cookie and Cream Cookies
- Nutella Chocolate Cookie (gluten free)
(This post has been updated on November 12, 2020 from the original post published in December 17, 2013. The headnotes above were added for additional information about the recipe but the recipe is the same, with some of the instructions rewritten for clarification.)
Hazelnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats, divided 140 g
- 2 cups hazelnuts, divided 240 g
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature 285 g or 2 1/2 sticks
- 2 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar 495 g
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract optional but recommended
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 210 g
- 1 cup 150 g white whole wheat flour (just substitute all-purpose if you don’t have any on hand)
- 10 oz dark chocolate chopped into 1/4 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon flaky finishing salt like Maldon, Sel de Gris or Diamond Crystal Kosher
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F and place a silpat or piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Place 2/3 cup (about 75 g) of the rolled oats and 2/3 cup (about 90 g) of the hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until a rough powder forms. Try to get the hazelnuts as fine as possible but don’t worry if there are still some small chunks.
- Place the butter in a medium skillet and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly while cooking, until the butterfat starts to brown and smell nutty. Once you notice some of the butterfat start to brown, turn the heat off and continue to stir, letting the residual heat of the pan brown the butter further. Once it’s golden brown and nutty pour it into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Make sure to scrape all the brown bits into the bowl as well.
- Add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 1 minutes, cooling the butter down. Once the butter has cooled a bit and the side of the bowl is warm but not hot, add the vanilla and almond (if using) extracts to the bowl. Beat for 15 seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions to make sure the egg is incorporated before adding the second one. Add the baking soda, baking powder and salt to the bowl and beat to incorporate. Add the flours and beat to incorporate. Add the hazelnut and oatmeal powder and beat to incorporate. Add the remaining rolled oats and beat to incorporate.
- Chop the remaining hazelnuts into small bits (or use your food processor and pulse a few times to get hazelnut chunks). Add the hazelnuts and the chocolate and mix until evenly incorporated in the dough.
- Pinch off some dough and roll a ball about the size of a golf ball (about an 1 1/2 inch wide). Sprinkle a touch of flaky sea salt over the dough ball and repeat with the remaining dough, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake 16-18 minute or until the cookies brown around the edges and look set. Remove and let cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Katrina @ WVS says
Mmm these look positively lovely!
janelle says
these look so good and beautifully shot. can’t wait to have some downtime to make them!
Belinda @zomppa says
Santa will leave you a HUGE presents with this!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
I am liking these-perhaps a tad too much! Consider them baked!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Irvin, these look fa-bu-lous! I love, love, love hazelnuts! They’re much too under-utilized in the world of baking. At least over here. They’re regularly used in baking in Germany where I’m originally from. That’s probably one of the reasons I love them so much – not only do they taste wonderful, they hold sentimental value.
Thank you so much for including my Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Bread in your round-up! Best, Kimberly
Liz says
I made these as described, apart from subbing walnuts for
hazelnuts, because that was what I had in the house. They were delicious, and a total hit with the family! The browned butter adds an amazing flavor component, and also smells ridiculously while baking. Eight thumbs up!
Irvin says
Oh I’m so glad! Walnuts would make for a great substitute! Thanks for stopping by and telling me!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Craving these like crazy rn!
Lata says
Amazing! Probably the best cookie I have ever had!
michaelarrington says
The use of both chopped and powdered hazelnuts, along PolyTrack with thick-cut oats, gives the cookies a chunky texture and rich nutty flavor.
RowanButler says
I’ll try to make today and see what they miside taste like.
SamuelOdell says
I love these miside
Eddie says
I dont like oatmeal coockies miside