Hazelnut butter cookies

Soft, slightly chewy, and sweet, we loved these cookies a lot. These hazelnut butter cookies are refined sugar-free and perfect little treats for lunchboxes. 

When my attempt at making homemade hazelnut chocolate butter, a.k.a healthy Nutella, failed, I had to think of some way to use up the lump of hazelnut mush. While preparing the butter, I got a little distracted and ended up heating the nuts. The oil got separated, and the nuts turned into a lump. The consistency was entirely off. There is no starting over with these, and the only option was to shove it into the dustbin or mix with other ingredients and prepare a baked treat. However, I did have my doubts. What if I end up wasting more ingredients? 

My doubts were put to rest when the gorgeous cookies came out of the oven. Here are a few tips for preparing nut butter.

1. Do not over blend the ingredients.
2. Add the wet ingredients at the end once the nut butter is ready.
3. The nuts will initially become a powder; when you scrape and continue the process, the texture changes. 
4. Keep an eye on the texture.

However, if you accidentally mess it up, you know what to do with the ingredients. So here is the recipe.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Makes: 10-12

Ingredients

• Hazelnut 150 gms
• Dark chocolate 60 gms + extra for garnish
• Cocoa powder 20 gms
• Honey 45 ml
• Cinnamon 1 tsp
• Salt 1 pinch
• Egg 1
• Baking powder 1 tsp
• Flour 100 gms
• Coconut oil 10 ml

Method

1. Place the toasted and shelled nuts in a food processor. Start to pulse, scrape from the sides a couple of times and continue.
2. Add the chocolate and continue to pulse till you get a butter-like consistency. Once the butter is ready, stop the processor and mix in the honey. Use it as such.
3. For the cookie, mix in the egg and coconut oil. Mix flour and baking powder and add it to the cookie mix.
4. Use your hand to mix if it is difficult in the processor. Scoop out small portions, roll, and place on a baking tray.
5. Use a muddler or your thumb to press down the top of the cookie ball. Bake them in a preheated oven (160 degrees) for 10 minutes in the middle rack.
6. Drizzle with some dark chocolate and sprinkle crushed hazelnuts.