Chocolate
Chocolate Hazelnut Crack Ups
Popular on Food52
60 Reviews
Ben E.
December 19, 2020
I was nervous about all the people who said they turned out like pancakes - but I tried these today and they worked.
Here are my notes:
The batter sounded like a meringue, so I beat the egg + 1 extra egg white until they were a bit frothy and then didn't refrigerate (you can't refrigerate meringue batter). I added 1/8 C. flour and reduced the sugar by 1/4 C.
I think you could get away without using the flour. My peanut butter was salted, so I shouldn't have added the salt. I wish I had had added one more T. of cocoa powder.
My first tray I took out at 8 min and those are pretty liquidy inside even after cooling. I think 10-12 min is a better amount of time to cook them. I also let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 min until I slid the parchment off and onto a rack to cool.
Here are my notes:
The batter sounded like a meringue, so I beat the egg + 1 extra egg white until they were a bit frothy and then didn't refrigerate (you can't refrigerate meringue batter). I added 1/8 C. flour and reduced the sugar by 1/4 C.
I think you could get away without using the flour. My peanut butter was salted, so I shouldn't have added the salt. I wish I had had added one more T. of cocoa powder.
My first tray I took out at 8 min and those are pretty liquidy inside even after cooling. I think 10-12 min is a better amount of time to cook them. I also let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 min until I slid the parchment off and onto a rack to cool.
Gwynnie
November 18, 2019
Made these tonight with the suggested roll in salty panko; they were so delicious just out of the oven! Definitely will make these again and try the panko trick with other cookie recipes :)
Liz
October 29, 2019
I had some homemade chocolate pecan butter, so I used that instead of nutella. Subbed cashew butter for peanut bc of an allergy. Added 1/4 cup oat flour for structure. Rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking bc the pecan butter had significantly less sugar than nutella. Baked about 11 minutes...perfectly cracked, chewy cookies reminiscent of peanut butter cookies but way more complex.
Erin
July 12, 2019
Followed recipe exactly. Turned out as shown. Nice chocolate peanut butter flavor but very sugary - gives them a wonderfully unusual sugar crunch-chewy melt away texture.
Jo
June 25, 2019
Shouldn't there be flour or nut flour in this recipe to give it body? This must be a printing error.
nadiam57
December 7, 2017
Wonder if it would be alright to use only Nutella and no peanutbutter...more hazelnut flavor...can you taste the peanutbutter? Plus I have a relative with a peanut allergy.
Kielty G.
June 27, 2017
Delicious and turned out great! I made this using Trader Joe's version of Nutella - Cocoa Almond Spread, and 1/4 gluten free flour. Will definitely make again. They also had that cracked look, similar to the photo.
ustabahippie
June 27, 2017
Where did you find Trader Joe's version of Nutella? I haven't seen that in any TJs in years!!
Christina
December 18, 2016
I followed the recipe to a T, but when I checked on them after the suggested 8 minutes in the oven they were completely flattened but completely liquid to the touch. I left them in nearly double the time and they never firmed up at all, just continued to flatten more and more. There were a few aspects of this recipe that seemed surprising to me, so I probably should have followed my gut and skipped this one. Very disappointing disaster.
Jo
June 25, 2019
I think they forgot to list the flour in this recipe. No way this current recipe could stay together in the oven.
Gabriela
October 30, 2016
Instead of Nutella, I used higher quality Nocciolata (healthier, sunflower oil instead of palm oil) - found at Whole Foods. The cookies came out with great flavor, but flat. I will try adding flour next time.
Gabriela
October 30, 2016
By the way, Alice y, you mention below that the photo is from Food52, do you mean that it is not from this recipe? That would be misleading. I'd appreciate clarification on this point. Thanks!
judy
July 30, 2016
These look wonderful. I am not a fan of the American version of Nutella. the recipe is so different from the original version that came across the pond, that i no longer use the product. VERy sad--because i used toe at it by the spoonful from the jar.
sticksnscones
June 16, 2016
I added about 1/3 cup ground almond meal to the batter & let it sit in the fridge overnight. They puffed up, then flattened out when removed from the oven. They are very sweet but very tasty!!!
Laura415
February 16, 2016
Not sure I will risk this unconventional cookie recipe based on the comments. I would consider using 1/4 cup of butter and 1/2 cup almond butter and then adding up to 1/2 cup of the combo of cocoa powder and almond flour to beef up the batter a bit. For the chocolate I would just chop dark chocolate and add to the batter(maybe melt it but really no need). All these variations would reduce the fat (therefore the spreading) and add more dry to make them spread a bit less but still have the basic nut/chocolate flavors. It just seems like a weird cookie recipe proportion and ingredient-wise to work well for everyone.
david E.
December 18, 2015
Though I love the flavor, I don't eat Nutella because of the artery clogging and dangerous Palm oil it contains. This is NOT an acceptable product.What is with all you bakers out there? Or is it me? I have ditched Lindor truffles for the same reason. Cheaper adulterated ingredients to extend shelf life and stability at room temperature. Sorry to be a downer but I am annoyed that I can't find a good hazlenut butter out there.
pmporter
February 12, 2016
Please don't disparage all bakers. I make my own, using pure hazelnut paste, semi-sweet chocolate, butter and heavy cream. The jarred stuff is just too sweet and wrong.
Kitchen F.
July 9, 2016
Palm oil is very safe to eat David e. samara. Pacific Islanders DO NOT suffer from any of the diseases we westerners do. Read the Coconut Oil Miracle book by Bruce Fife to learn the FACTS about saturated fats. Doctors are now beginning to realize that saturated fats are part of a good, healthy diet and do not cause heart disease. It was all a smear campaign by the soy bean oil industry to get their product used instead of butter and other saturated fats. Read the book and open your eyes.
judy
July 30, 2016
Palm oil per se is not a problem. It is the fractionated version that is used in American products that is the problem.
Sarah
December 12, 2015
Mine did not turn out like the picture. They were very flat and quite crisp.... and rather tasty. I think they would be great stuck in a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Shane B.
December 3, 2015
I substituted almond butter and added some flour to thicken the dough and let it sit in the fridge for bit before coming and baking the cookies. They turned out excellent, and were a huge hit at the holiday party.
Stephanie C.
November 29, 2015
I read the comments before baking and noticed how some people's cookies did not turn out. I made the batter then put it in the fridge to set up a bit. Unfortunately mine did not turn out either- just completely flattened. I wonder why it doesn't work sometimes. Maybe different fat content in nutella? Anyway, I salvaged the rest by working in some baking powder and flour. They now work and are delicious. I am still curious as to how some people had success with these while others did not.
allison969
December 17, 2016
Hi Stephanie, as previous commenter asked, can you say how much (approximately) flour and baking powder you added? My dough seemed too "loose" so I added 1 tablespoon extra cocoa powder, but my cookies still spread like crazy. (I also experimented with the size of the balls and chilled the dough.) They were still chewy and delicious, but I'd like to see them just slightly thicker. I've had amazing success with another very similar recipe (from ambitious kitchen blog), but they are really, really sweet and a tad "greasy" from the large proportion of Nutella in them. I was hoping the peanut butter (I used almond butter) would tone down "the sweet" a bit. I'm going to give these another try but would be grateful to benefit from your past experience.
Elizabeth A.
February 16, 2015
Oh these look stunning!, im very exited to try this out yet I wonder what to do with 2 lbs of hazelnuts instead of the hazelnut spread.
ustabahippie
February 19, 2015
I've been trying grain-free baking mix by using ground nuts, coconut flour, flaxseed meal. Might be good with hazelnuts.
Lorealle B.
January 15, 2015
Just made these this afternoon- so easy and so ridiculously good. Used a bit of brown instead of granulated sugar.
Laura
January 11, 2015
I baked these last night and my family loved them. They didn't flatten as shown in the picture, but kept a domed appearance. The texture was dry and very light, almost like a meringue cookie.
ustabahippie
January 10, 2015
After reading all the follow up comments, it just goes to show you, different cooks, different kitchens, elevations, ovens, etc. Can't guarantee identical results!!
Stephanie C.
November 29, 2015
yeah I am puzzled by how some people had great success while others did not. So strange
andre L.
January 9, 2015
Just an amalgamated mess. Nothing like cookies. Your best ever chocolate chip cookies too were a disaster. Will proceed with caution.
Meghan J.
January 5, 2015
What could you use instead of peanut butter? Is almond butter a good substitute?
Rose H.
January 4, 2015
I really wanted to like this but mine turned out like a mess. The first batch aesthetically was passable but the 2nd batch was icky. Mine did not look like the picture and it tasted like flat burnt brownies with a note of salted caramel. I did make a good attempt at the recipe but ce la vie .. it wasn't meant to be.
Brian
December 24, 2014
These are great! Followed the recipe exactly and added my own flourish: rolled the little balls in powdered sugar before baking. They're fantastic, gluten-free, and gonna be added to our regular cookie rotation.
Lynette
December 21, 2014
These cookies are amazing!!!! I didn't have ny cocoa powder so added a few chic chips - worked beautifully!!
Susan
December 13, 2014
These are amazingly yummy and super easy but seemed extremely sugary the first time I made them (although hubby and kids didn't seem to mind or even notice as they devoured them). Second time, I left out the sugar (I noticed Nutella itself has something like 22 grams/sugar in a couple tablespoons) and they were very good but much flatter. I don't know if added sugar makes them puffier or if it was just that the dough was warmer at that point or what. Anyone know if I put the dough in fridge will it cook up puffier? Or maybe sugar makes dough puffier? Maybe I'll try next batch w/half the sugar. Thanks for the GREAT recipe. These are in my Christmas cookie rotation for sure!
Loretta M.
December 8, 2014
I followed the recipe exactly but I used freshly ground peanuts. You can grind your own at many grocery stores, I use "The Fresh Market". Also, I baked them for 10 minutes. They were perfect and so light and tasty.
Fawn
December 8, 2014
This recipe is now vegan, I wonder why it showed up when I checked "vegan" on the filter list? Categorized incorrectly.
yasemin
December 8, 2014
All the biscuits united and got runny while baking. I had a whole tray of a thin layer cookie which i had to cut by knife :(
babytiger
December 7, 2014
Thanks for the recipe. Just made a batch and they are great. 8 minutes worked for me in a convection oven.
alice Y.
December 4, 2014
Hi everyone! This is my recipe and I am so excited it worked for folks! If you Google "Food and Wine Magazine, December 2003, recipe by Elizabeth Woodson" you will get to the original recipe which is flour-less (not sure if linking is allowed). I included the peanut butter because it amps the nutty-ness and helps with texture. The photo above is from FOOD52 which is why they are bigger. Including espresso powder or using hazelnut butter sounds awesome! Happy baking!
Corj
December 4, 2014
Made these last night. They really do work without flour but mine needed 10 minutes to hold together. I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa and added a teaspoon or so of instant espresso powder. Delicious. I split my batch in half adding peppermint oil to 2nd one, also delicious. Cookie also tastes great once cooled and could really not be a simpler recipe.
Dina M.
December 4, 2014
mine also took 10 minutes in a viking oven(on regular, not convection)--but nevertheless they are DELICIOUS! might try again without the PB, adding the equivalent amount of additional Nutella, since I found the peanut butter flavor overpowering--but I am nit-picking. These were not only tasty, but super easy and a great last minute cookie to have in your toolbox.
Margaret R.
December 3, 2014
Tested it out, delicious. I would cut to half the salt and yes indeed it turns out deliciously without flour!
mhall
December 3, 2014
Let me just add that if you use the Biscoff spread, it will no longer be gluten-free because the cookie spread is made with wheat flour which contain gluten.
mhall
December 3, 2014
The description says gluten-free which means no flour. As far a substitute for peanut butter, you can use Biscoff Creamy Spread. It's a vegan spread from a Biscoff cookie. It's a European alternative to peanut butter and can be found in your local grocery store.
Lisa
December 3, 2014
Did anyone make these without flour? I may just experiment with a PB cookie recipe with flour, but adjust the PB to the Nutella:PB ratio in the recipe. I'd love to know if anyone tried this before I spend the time and money on a flop.
ustabahippie
December 3, 2014
I too want to make these without peanut butter. What about all hazelnut spread? Safeway (I know, I know) has a good one with sugar, not HFcorn syrup as in Nutella, and it's cheaper.
cmbomberg
December 3, 2014
This makes 1-inch sized cookies? Either this is a misprint or the photo is very misleading.
Artemis V.
December 3, 2014
I agree, flourless peanut butter cookies work because peanuts have quite a bit of fiber on their own. It does seem weird.
Selena, I think almond or hazelnut butter could work; they're generally a little runnier, though.
Selena, I think almond or hazelnut butter could work; they're generally a little runnier, though.
lisa C.
December 3, 2014
I had the question about the flour.
strozyk
December 21, 2014
It's a spin on a classic gluten free cookie. Didja know you can make a fab PB cookie with PB, an egg, and sugar? Some add vanilla, etc, but that's the entire cookie, they hold together really well, and require no flour, gluten free or not.
I'm GF and love a baked good that just entirely circumvents the flour issue. If you want more examples, you could check out paleo, SCD, GF and passover recipes/blogs.
I'm GF and love a baked good that just entirely circumvents the flour issue. If you want more examples, you could check out paleo, SCD, GF and passover recipes/blogs.
Romney L.
December 3, 2014
I was wondering the same thing Karen, it just does not seem right without flour.
See what other Food52ers are saying.