Introduction
Chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies should have a tender, crumbly bite, plenty of nutty crunch and a generous hit of choc. This slice-and-bake recipe starts with a simple plant-based shortbread dough, folds in toasted hazelnuts and finishes with melted dark chocolate.
We’re keeping the chocolate on the outside, so you get that lovely contrast between a crisp biscuit and a smooth topping. For an extra hazelnut hit, add a little LoveRaw® Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love" once the cookies have cooled.
They’re brilliant with a cup of tea, stacked in a tin or shared as a homemade gift. Just make sure you save yourself a few before they disappear.
Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Recipe
These biscuits are made without dairy or eggs. The dough needs chilling before you slice it, so allow time for that as well as baking and cooling.
Serves: 15, with about 30 cookies
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus at least 1 hour chilling
Bake time: 12 to 16 minutes per tray
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
For the shortbread:
- 200 g firm plant-based baking block, softened
- 90 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 g plain flour
- A pinch of fine salt
- 60 g toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
To finish:
- 100 g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
- Extra toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped, optional
- Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love", optional
Method
- Beat the softened baking block and caster sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix until the dough starts to clump together, then fold in the chopped hazelnuts. Bring the dough together with your hands without kneading it.
- Divide the dough in two. Shape each piece into a log roughly 4 to 5 cm wide, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to slice.
- Heat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Slice the logs into rounds about 6 mm thick. Arrange them on the trays with a little space between each biscuit.
- Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. Leave on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Keep the base of the bowl above the water and stir until smooth.
- Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled biscuits or dip one edge of each one. Sprinkle with extra chopped hazelnuts, if using, and leave the chocolate to set.
For a spread-topped biscuit, add a small spoonful of Choco Love to a cooled cookie just before serving. You can also sandwich two biscuits together with a thin layer.
Getting The Shortbread Dough Right
Shortbread dough should feel soft and slightly crumbly, but it should hold together when pressed. If it looks like loose crumbs after mixing, squeeze a handful together before adding anything else. A little pressure may be all it needs.
If the dough feels very sticky, chill it before trying to shape it. Firm dough is easier to roll into logs and slice without squashing.
Choose A Firm Baking Block
A firm plant-based block is a better choice here than a soft spread from a tub. It gives the dough more structure when chilled and makes the rounds easier to handle.
Take the block out of the fridge long enough to soften before mixing. You want to be able to press it with a finger, but it shouldn’t be melted or oily.
Chop The Hazelnuts Finely
Small pieces distribute the hazelnut flavour through the dough and make the logs easier to slice. Large chunks can catch on the knife and cause the rounds to break.
Ready-toasted hazelnuts keep the prep simple. If yours have skins, you can leave some on for a deeper, slightly more robust flavour. Let the nuts cool before chopping and adding them to the dough.
Chill Before Slicing
Chilling firms the baking block and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven. An hour is a useful starting point, although a thicker log may need longer.
If the dough is too firm to slice without cracking, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes. Use a sharp knife and press any broken edges back together before baking.
Tip: Roll the wrapped logs gently on the worktop after chilling for a little while. This helps keep their sides round if they’ve flattened against the fridge shelf.
How To Tell When The Cookies Are Baked
Look for set edges and a light golden colour around the sides. The centres may still feel a little soft straight from the oven, but the biscuits will firm up as they cool.
Start checking at 12 minutes, especially if you’ve sliced the cookies thinly. A thicker round may need a little longer. If you bake in batches, let the tray cool before adding the next batch of dough.
Shortbread is delicate when warm, so give the biscuits their five minutes on the tray before moving them. Once they’re completely cool, they’re ready for their chocolate finish.
Chocolate And Hazelnut Finishing Ideas
Drizzle Or Dip
A drizzle gives you a little chocolate in every bite without covering the hazelnut shortbread. Use a spoon to flick thin lines over the cooled cookies, then scatter chopped nuts over the chocolate before it sets.
For a more generous choc hit, dip one edge of each biscuit. Let the excess drip back into the bowl before placing the cookie on baking paper. The amount of chocolate you use will depend on how much of each biscuit you cover.
Melt the chocolate gently and keep water out of the bowl. A little patience here gives you a smoother finish than rushing it over high heat.
Make Shortbread Sandwiches
Pair up cookies of a similar size and spread a thin layer of Choco Love over the flat side of one. Press the second biscuit on top gently, so the shortbread doesn’t crumble.
Serve the sandwiches soon after filling for the best contrast between the crisp biscuit and velvety spread. You can add a chocolate drizzle as well, although we reckon the filling is more than enough for a generous bite.
Add A Wafer Crunch
Want even more crunch? Finely chop a M:lk® Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar and scatter a little over the melted chocolate before it sets. The wafer pieces add another texture without changing the shortbread dough.
Keep the pieces small so they stay put when you pick up a cookie. This version is best decorated close to serving, when the wafer has plenty of crunch.
Easy Variations
Once you’ve made the basic dough, you can change the finish to suit the occasion. Keep the dough quantities the same and play with the topping.
- Extra hazelnut: Sprinkle finely chopped toasted hazelnuts over the chocolate drizzle.
- A little salt: Add a few flakes of salt to the wet chocolate for a salty-sweet finish.
- White choc contrast: Chop a White Choc Cre&m Wafer Bar and add a few pieces over the chocolate topping.
- Shortbread sandwich: Use a thin layer of hazelnut cacao spread between two cooled biscuits.
- Simple and nutty: Skip the chocolate coating and serve the hazelnut shortbread alongside a small bowl of spread for dipping.
You can also cut the dough into shapes instead of making logs. Shape it into a disc before chilling, then roll it to roughly 6 mm thick and cut out your biscuits. If the dough softens while you work, chill the cut shapes until firm before baking.
Troubleshooting
The Dough Won’t Hold Together
Shortbread dough can look dry before it comes together. Press it with your hands first, taking care not to work it for longer than needed.
Weigh the flour rather than estimating it, as too much can make the dough harder to bring together. If you’ve just taken the baking block from the fridge, it may also be too firm to mix smoothly.
The Cookies Spread Too Much
Soft dough can lose its shape in the oven. Chill the logs until firm, and use a cool baking tray for each batch.
Check that you’ve used a firm baking block rather than a soft spread. If your kitchen is warm and the sliced rounds have softened, put the tray in the fridge briefly before baking.
The Slices Crumble Or Crack
The hazelnut pieces might be too large, or the dough may be very cold. Let the log sit for a few minutes, then slice with a sharp knife.
A small crack isn’t a disaster. Press the dough back together on the tray and carry on.
The Chocolate Looks Soft
Make sure the biscuits are completely cool before decorating them. If the room is warm, the chocolate may take longer to set, so give the tray a short spell in the fridge if needed.
Melted chocolate can look less glossy after setting. It’ll still make a delicious coating for a batch you’re planning to enjoy at home.
Storing And Gifting Your Cookies
Let the cookies cool fully and allow any chocolate to set before packing them. Store the plain or chocolate-topped shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, with baking paper between layers.
For the crispest sandwiches, store the unfilled biscuits separately and add the spread close to serving. Check the spread packaging for its storage instructions.
You can also freeze the unbaked dough. Wrap each log well, put it in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge until you can slice it, then bake as directed.
For a homemade gift, stack the chocolate-topped biscuits in a lined tin once the coating has set. Add a note listing the ingredients, including hazelnuts and wheat, so the recipient knows what’s inside.
Conclusion
A good batch of chocolate hazelnut shortbread is all about that crumbly bite, toasted nut crunch and chocolate finish. Keep the dough cool and give the biscuits time to firm up before decorating.
- Chill the logs until they’re easy to slice.
- Look for lightly golden edges rather than a deeply browned biscuit.
- Add spread just before serving if you want a soft, velvety topping.
Tip: For a little extra chocolate hazelnut flavour, serve your cookies with LoveRaw Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love".
FAQ
Can I make chocolate hazelnut shortbread cookies ahead?
Yes. You can make and chill the dough before baking, or freeze the wrapped logs for up to three months. Defrost frozen dough in the fridge until it’s firm but sliceable.
Can I use hazelnut spread in the dough?
The spread works best as a topping or sandwich filling in this recipe. It has a different texture from the baking block, so replacing the block with spread would change how the dough handles and bakes.
Why are my shortbread cookies crumbly?
Shortbread should be tender and crumbly, but it should still hold together. If the unbaked dough falls apart, press it together by hand and check that you’ve weighed the flour accurately. Let very cold dough soften slightly before slicing.
Can I make these cookies without a round cutter?
Yes. The recipe uses logs that you slice with a knife, so there’s no cutter needed. The rounds don’t have to be perfectly uniform to taste ridiculously good.
