Red Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite in our house, its almost something that should be considered a sin to even think about changing up! But for this Valentines Day, I dared to do so. I turned chocolate chip cookies red and added hazelnuts. They turned out delicious!
One of my wife’s favorite candies are those little hazelnut chocolate candies that everyone buys during Christmas time. So I thought it would be cool to combine that with her favorite chocolate cookies! Although she’ll usually tell me “Why do you always have to change up a good thing?!” And to that I say “Variety is the spice of life”
Seriously, this literally comes out of my mouth when she says that. Because I’m 89 years old.
Every now and then, when I do decide to change up a good thing, I’ll get lucky enough that there will be other people in the house that enjoy the change as much as I do.
That’s not to say what I made wasn’t good, but my wife (and its coming apparent that my 3 year old as well) are creatures of habit. Don’t change things on them, especially when you’ve teased that you’re going to make a dish, but then change a few ingredients to experiment. It’s taken me 100 times, but I’ve slowly learned my lesson. That’s my family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
So I now make minor tweaks, like, you know change the entire color and add some nuts – Totally minor! But it’s valentines day you you have to be a little festive and snazz up your chocolate chip cookies, right?!
My son was SUPER excited to see red chocolate chip cookies. But this kid, is SO PICKY, and cannot stand textures – he cracks me up. After trying one he was like “Daddy I don’t like these. I want them without the chocolate and nuts”. Only a toddler would be picky about their cookies. Only a toddler..
So its going to be back to kitchen making chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips or nuts, just for Brayden. But my wife and I will be enjoying the first batch. Soft chewy chocolate chip cookies with hazelnuts sounds like the perfect dinner!
Red Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vanilla extract
- 15 drops red food coloring
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix your softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Blend until evenly incorporated. You can do this by fork, or stand mixer.
- Add the egg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract; mix until the egg is evenly incorporated. Add about 15 drops of red food dye.
- Begin stirring in your flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. If it looks too "sticky" add flour at a table spoon at a time until your dough holds it's shape when you take a spoonful.
- Add in the chocolate chips, and hazelnuts. Blend to help chop the hazelnuts, or chop before. Or leave them whole - It's up to you!
- Place about 6 - rounded tablespoon sized cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet about 1-2 inches apart. Feel free to add more chocolate chips on top!
- Cook each batch for about 8-11 minutes. 8 works for my oven, you want them barely cooked in the center and a little golden on the edges.
- Let them rest for about 15-20 minutes, so that the center can set. You'll have a deliciously soft and chewy cookie that you'll have to fight the crowd to get one for yourself. Enjoy!
