Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you love the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts?  I think most people do, with the Nutella (and dairy-free versions of Nutella) craze going on.  I love the combination.  I was trying to think of how to have that combination yesterday while I was at work, and realized all to often the chocolate is the main flavor with the hazelnut as the accent and it really should be the other way around.  Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate with hazelnut...but hazelnuts have such a rich, aromatic flavor, chocolate should enhance that, not cover it up.

So, I decided instead of a chocolate cookie, or even a chocolate-hazelnut butter (i.e. Nutella, or dairy-free Nutella) cookie, this needed to be simply a hazelnut cookie, and what better way to bring out the hazel nut flavor than with roasted hazelnut butter, and extra hazelnuts to boot.

This cookie has that rich hazelnut flavor that is enhanced with the chunks of chocolate...really this is the right combination of hazelnuts and chocolate, at least in my book. The extra hazelnuts are totally optional, but I love the texture that it brings to the cookie.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Food Fridays, Allergy Friendly Fridays, and Allergy Friendly Lunchbox.

Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup roasted hazelnut butter (recipe below)
1 cup coconut sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup GF flour blend
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Life mini chips and mega chunks)
1/2 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts, optional

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, hazelnut butter, and coconut sugar.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and hazelnuts.  Roll into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges and just set in middle.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing and placing on wire rack.

Hazelnut Butter
6 oz raw hazelnuts
salt, to taste

Directions
Heat oven to 350F. Place hazelnuts on cookie sheet and roast for ~15 minutes.  Remove from oven and wrap in a clean towel and allow to 'steam' for 5 minutes, then rub off skins.  Place hazelnuts in a food processor or blender and blend until hazelnuts turn into a butter. With my blendtec, it only took a minute, but with a food processor, plan on at least a few minutes, if not longer.  You can leave it plain or add a little salt.