Chocolate Honey Hazelnut Cookies

Honey Hazelnut Cookies on a cookie sheet, Oregon Orchard hazelnuts in the background

Yield: Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups roasted or natural hazelnuts
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder or cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon room temperature coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts on the high setting into the texture of coarse sand. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, and smoked salt and pulse to combine. Add the honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and pulse, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary, until the dough sticks together when you form it into a ball with your hands. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips.

Using your fingers, place rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. It helps to get your fingers and the spoon a bit wet so the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers or the spoon.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are no longer sticky on top and are just barely firm around the edges. Sprinkle the remaining smoked salt on top then carefully transfer to a wire rack. They will become more firm as they cool.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.