Heavenly Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate bake into buttery rounds, crisp on the edges, chewy in the center. They taste like Nutella, but better. Ground nuts replace flour for a substantial nubby texture that is melt-in-your-mouth light. Given the natural oils and sweetness, this dough needs less butter and sugar than most, so the taste of the chocolate shines.

TIPS:

•  It’s worth splurging on special chocolate here. Guittard makes delicious chips, which are a bit flatter and wider than the classic.

•  Baking small mounds ensures that the cookies come out perfectly. Don’t try to make them bigger—they won’t hold together.

makes about 4 dozen

gluten-free

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add both sugars, the baking powder, and salt and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until thoroughly incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until evenly distributed; it’s OK if a few get chopped in the process.

3. Using a 1½-teaspoon (1¼-inch) cookie scoop or a teaspoon measure, drop the dough by rounded teaspoons onto one of the prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.

4. Bake until the cookies are golden brown, 9 to 10 minutes. While the first batch bakes, drop the remaining dough on the second sheet, then bake after the first sheet comes out.

5. If the cookies don’t spread during baking, as soon as they come out of the oven, gently press the tops flat with the bottom of a glass. Cool completely on the sheet on a wire rack.

MAKE AHEAD

The cookies taste best the day they’re made but will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.