Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
These crisp and buttery chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies are packed with deliciousness, and so easy to make!
When it comes to desserts, chocolate and hazelnut is one of my favorite flavor combinations! The flavors play off each other so well, and I love how sophisticated they taste together. This fall I bought a giant bag of hazelnuts at a local farm, and I've had fun experimenting with some new dessert recipes featuring my favorite little nut. I'm hoping to make some homemade nutella soon, and possibly even a chocolate hazelnut torte (yum!). These chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies are a great way to showcase those flavors, and I love that they're so simple and easy to make!
I used my favorite shortbread base (from my honey lavender shortbread cookies) but tweaked it a little to bring out more of the chocolate and hazelnut flavor. The result was these delicious buttery cookies with the perfect crisp texture! They get a nice little crunch from the chopped hazelnuts, and the combination with the creamy milk chocolate is completely delicious. I just chopped up part of a Trader Joe's milk chocolate bar to use for my chocolate, but feel free to use whatever chocolate is your favorite!
These cookies actually keep really well, so they're perfect for mailing to family or friends who are far away. They also look great on a cookie tray, or packaged up in a cellophane bag as a neighbor gift. They're completely delicious!
Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
pinch of salt
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped fine
In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Mix in the milk and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour and salt, and mix until blended. Stir in the milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts until well blended. Place two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment on the counter and divide the dough in half between the sheets. Using the wrap, shape the dough into 2 round logs that are approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Freeze thirty minutes or refrigerate 2+ hours, or until firm.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325. Remove the dough from the fridge or freezer and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Place 1-2 inches apart on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.
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