A little nourishment, a lot of deliciousness.
Some food speaks to your body, some speaks to your soul. These cookies do a little bit of both.
Made with wholemeal flour, rolled oats, roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and good old-fashioned butter, they're wonderfully nutty, a little chewy and just the right amount of sweet and salty.
Originally made to celebrate Senior’s Day with the Clever Cookie Academy HSC students, these were such a hit that I had to share the recipe.
Because good food doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be delicious.
SERVES: 20-25 cookies PREP TIME: 20 minutes, plus chilling COOK TIME: 12–15 minutes - start this recipe a day ahead if you can!
INGREDIENTS
225g unsalted butter, softened
165g brown sugar
2 eggs
1½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
300g wholemeal flour
150g rolled oats
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine salt
150g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao is ideal), roughly chopped
90g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1–2 tbsp milk, only if needed
Flaky sea salt, to finish
METHOD
Cream the butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until pale, creamy and well combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wholemeal flour, rolled oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Bring the dough together. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing. The dough should be thick and hold together when pressed. If it feels too dry or crumbly, add a little milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.
Add the good bits. Fold through the chopped dark chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
Shape into logs. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each into a firm, even log, roughly the length and thickness of a standard soft drink can. Wrap tightly in baking paper, twisting the ends to maintain the shape. Wrap in cling film also to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
Chill. Refrigerate the shaped cookies for at least one hour, or overnight if preparing ahead. This helps the cookies hold their shape and develop a lovely texture.
Slice and bake. Once chilled, unwrap the logs and use a sharp knife to slice into discs approximately 1cm thick. Roll the discs into balls with your hands and then arrange on lined baking trays, leaving a little room for spreading. Press the balls with your fingers to flatten them slightly.
Spinkles. Scatter over extra dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts and a small pinch of sea salt for each cookie.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Bake the chilled cookies for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centres are just set. They should still feel a little soft when removed from the oven.
Cool and enjoy. Leave the cookies on their trays for approximately 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They'll continue to firm up as they cool.
Good Tips
A little less sugar - if you prefer a less sweet cookie, try reducing the brown sugar to 130g. The cookies may spread a little less and have a slightly different texture, but they'll still be delicious.
Brown sugar alternatives - I’ve done this recipe with coconut sugar and they’re delicious. Just remember that coconut sugar is still added sugar, despite its reputation as a healthier alternative.
Honey is another option, although replacing granulated sugar with a liquid sweetener will change the moisture content, spread and texture of the cookies. It isn't a direct one-for-one swap and may require some experimentation.
Choose good chocolate - I love using a good-quality dark chocolate, around 70% cocoa. Its richness and slight bitterness balance beautifully with the sweetness of the dough and the roasted hazelnuts.
Go nuts - swap the hazelnuts for walnuts, pecans or almonds, or try a combination. Toasting the nuts beforehand really brings out their natural oils and flavour. If you're using pre-roasted hazelnuts, there's no need to toast them again.
Or don’t - I am lucky that my kids school is ok with nuts in their lunchbox - but if thats not you, or you have a nut allergy in your household - probably don't add them in at all.
Experiment with your flour - wholemeal flour adds a lovely nutty flavour, along with more fibre and naturally occurring nutrients than refined white flour. You could also substitute some of the wholemeal flour with plain flour for a slightly lighter texture, or experiment with wholemeal spelt flour, adjusting the moisture as needed.
Don't overbake - the secret to a good cookie is removing it from the oven while the centre is still a little soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, giving you those lovely chewy centres and slightly crisp edges.
Make ahead - the dough can be prepared and refrigerated overnight, making it easy to bake fresh cookies the following day. You can also freeze the shaped dough logs for another day. Thaw in the fridge until firm but sliceable before baking.
A Little Good Plate Reminder
Not everything we eat needs to be optimised for nutritional and health benefits. Sometimes a homemade cookie, made with quality ingredients and shared with good company, is exactly what our body and soul needs.
Delicious first, always.
