Cinnamon Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond Preparation

Add the almonds to a food processor and process for a good couple of minutes, until a flour forms. Scrape the sides a couple of times and stop once it is a fine flour. Don’t process too long or it will turn into a paste. There will be very tiny pieces of almond that give such moisture and chewiness to the cookies. Make sure to measure out 1 1/2 cups of almond flour.

Directions for Hazelnut Butter

Preheat an oven to 300 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a parchment lined sheet pan, spread out. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Let them cool about 10 minutes. Place them inside a dish towel and rub the skins off with the help of the towel. Please do not stress about removing them perfectly. Honestly, mine only looked about 50% clean. It won’t matter because you will be processing it in the food processor. Add them to a food processor and pulse for a couple of minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Pulse until it becomes silky smooth and creamy. It will be smoother than almond butter.

Directions for the Cookies

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the prepared almond flour and the next 3 dry ingredients and whisk well. Add the chocolate chips and stir.
3. In a separate small bowl, add the hazelnut butter, syrup and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Now pour the wet into the dry and stir for a couple of minutes until well incorporated and the almond flour really absorbs the liquid well.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. (parchment paper works better than a Silpat for this) Using a tablespoon will yield 22-24 cookies. Do not spread out the batter. Drop extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie….about 6 or 7. Bake for 9-10 minutes. If you go longer, they will be crispier and chewier. I liked mine soft at just under 10 minutes. If you are baking on parchment paper, let them cool 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

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