Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies
These chewy Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies include both Nutella and chopped hazelnuts – they’re an easy and delicious sweet treat!
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Not only are these Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies packed with actual hazelnuts, but they also have Nutella mixed directly into the batter. There is so much hazelnutty goodness going on with these brownies!
Hazelnuts. I feel like they’re the nut that gets left out of the party. Pecans, peanuts, walnuts – they’re the cool kids on the playground. Hazelnuts? They’re the shy kid that gets picked last for kickball. Not in this recipe! Hazelnuts take center stage here, and the flavor of these brownies is absolutely fantastic!
Did you realize that Turkey produces the vast majority of the world’s hazelnuts? Italy comes in a very distant second with the United States further back in 3rd. Within the US, 99% of the hazelnuts come from Oregon. Who would’ve thought?
One more fun hazelnut fact – 25% of the world’s supply of hazelnuts is used by just one company. Which one? Take a guess. If you said Nutella, you are correct! (To be fair, the company is Ferrero SpA which makes both Nutella and Ferrero Rocher.)
Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies
For these brownies, I went with my go-to brownie recipe. I’ve been using this recipe for years, and it’s fantastic. The baked brownies are chewy with a strong chocolate flavor – just the way a good brownie should be!
Over the years, I’ve made lots of variations using that brownie recipe. Walnuts are a common addition. Pecans, too. This time, I decided to highlight the lonely hazelnut. The result was amazing! Dare I say…but I think I like the hazelnut version more than the pecan or walnut version. (Ssshhh…keep that as our secret!)
Where to Buy Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts aren’t the easiest nut to find in store. I found them in the bulk aisle at one of our larger grocery stores here in town. (Gourmet grocery stores often carry them in their bulk section, too.) The bulk option is easy as you can just grab a bag and scoop out however many you need – in this case 1¼ cups. Of course, Amazon is always an option for hazelnuts if you plan ahead a bit.
How to Roast Hazelnuts
To roast raw hazelnuts, just put them on a rimmed sheet pan in a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes. Hazelnuts have a brown papery skin on them. To remove this skin, just wrap the hot hazelnuts in a kitchen towel for about 5 minutes. That’ll steam them just a bit, and then you can rub them together vigorously in the towel. Most of the skins will come right off. (It’s ok if a few stubborn bits of the skin are left on the nuts.)
Once those hazelnuts are roasted and the skins are removed, then just coarsely chop ’em up and fold ’em into the brownie batter. Then off to the oven they go. Just try not to drool too much while your house fills with the smell of nutty chocolate brownies!
How to Store Leftover Brownies
There’s nothing worse than reaching for a leftover brownie only to find that it has dried out. The flavor is still good, but the texture? Not so much. To keep brownies from drying out, wrap each one in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight container. (I have a set of these containers, and they’re great!)
Leave the brownies at room temperature, and they should stay fresh for about 3-4 days. Brownies can also be refrigerated for up to 10 days or so. Just wrap each brownie in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Let the brownies come to room temperature before eating.
Can you freeze brownies? Absolutely! Just follow the same process as above with wrapping the brownies in plastic wrap. From there, place them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To eat them, let brownies thaw at room temperature or just zap ’em in the microwave for a few seconds.
One of these Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies zapped in the microwave and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Now that makes for one heck of a delicious dessert!
I hope you enjoy these brownies as much as we do here – they didn’t last very long! Happy baking!
Did you make a batch of these Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1¾ cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup chocolate hazelnut spread i.e. Nutella
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ cups coarsely chopped hazelnuts toasted, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Spray a 9” square baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Line bottom with oversized parchment paper so that the paper has at least a 2" overhang on all sides. (This will help you remove the brownies from the pan later.) Set pan aside.
- Using a medium saucepan, add the butter, chocolate and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Place over medium-low heat, stirring often, until butter and chocolate have fully melted; set pan aside to cool.
- Using a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, hazelnut spread, sugar and vanilla. Stir the egg mixture into the warm chocolate mixture.
- Using a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.
- Stir the remaining ¾ cup of chocolate chips into the batter.
- Fold 1 cup of chopped hazelnuts into the batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining hazelnuts on top of batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Tent top of pan with aluminum foil and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out mostly clean. (Tip: The toothpick won’t be entirely clean due to the fudgy chocolate. You’re just looking to make sure that the inside of the batter is fully baked.)
- Let brownies cool completely before slicing into squares.
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Cant wait to make this soon for me i love chocolate and brownies sooooooooo much i never had chocolate hazelnut brownies before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Hazelnuts are great additions to brownies…and the Nutella is, too! I hope you enjoy these, Ramya!
I love hazelnuts, especially paired with chocolate! These brownies look so chocolatey, fudgy and just delicious. Gonna have to make a batch for Christmas! I usually gift some brownies during the holidays, and these look perfect. Of course, I’m gonna have to make a batch for myself too. 😉
There’s a reason Nutella is so darn popular! Hazelnuts + chocolate is pretty darned fantastic. 🙂 These brownies would make great gifts – but definitely make an extra batch or two!
I had no idea Turkey was #1 in hazelnut output, I knew Italy was up there as someone mentioned that during an Italian wine and dinner pairing event here in GA when the dessert course with a gianduja chocolate torte came out. Speaking of hazelnuts tho – wow, love these brownies with hazelnuts AND Nutella! We are heading up to NYC for Lil S’s bday and am thinking a batch of these would travel well up there – tho, how do I keep from eating them mid travel?!?!? 🙂
They do love their hazelnuts and Nutella in Italy, but Turkey is actually by far the #1 hazelnut producer in the world. Crazy, huh? Fun facts to know and share! 🙂 Also fun things to share? These brownies!! Have fun in NYC, Shashi!! (And happy birthday to Lil S, too!)
Chocolate-hazelnut is my favorite flavor combo. I’ve printed this recipe!
Oh I do hope you love this recipe as much as we do, Mimi! Happy baking!
You made a good point David. I’ve made many dessert recipes with various nuts. But hazelnuts? Just a little bunch (even through they are one of our favourite nuts). These brownies are an incredible solution – quick, easy, and delicious. And the texture of your brownies is spot on; so fudgy and rich.
Hazelnuts need more love, Ben! Let’s start with another batch (or three) of these brownies. They’re absolutely fantastic, and the flavor is amazing. Happy baking!
Love how these hazelnut brownies are packed full with hazelnuts! I’ve got a container of them in the fridge.. I should definitely make these!
Oh, you should definitely make a batch of these brownies, Michelle! Hazelnuts need more love! And of course the Nutella helps, too. Haha!
Oh yum David. Nutella is my fave spread tho I rarely eat it. These look scrumptious. I think hazelnuts are easy to get here in the shops. I can’t remember ever having any trouble getting them. I have to laugh when I watch American YouTubers talk about nootella. So funny 😆.
We have to be careful around the Nutella, too, Sherry – that stuff is dangerously addicting! 🙂 But it’s the holiday season. It’s ok to treat ourselves a bit…starting with a batch of these brownies!
Wow David. These Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies are delightful! That combination of rich Nutella and crunchy hazelnuts are impossible to resist. My mouth is watering!
Thanks, Neil! I have to say that these brownies turned out REALLY well. Give hazelnuts some love and make a batch! 🙂
This is a welcome post for so many reasons. First, I don’t have a go-to brownie recipe, and I really should. Second, I love hazelnuts. Third, fourth, and fifth: Nutella! These brownies sound dreamy. I have a brownie edge pan that I almost never use; I hear it calling to me now.
Oh this brownie recipe is my all-time favorite, Jeff! I added Nutella and chopped hazelnuts to this version, but other than those additions this is my base recipe. Also, hazelnuts and Nutella are good. 🙂 Get out that brownie pan!!
David, it is so true what you said about hazelnuts, they are probably one of the least used nuts in our country. However, after seeing your photos of the brownies I think that will change. Delicious!
Haha – one little step at a time, Karen! We’ll get hazelnuts back up to where they belong. 🙂