This Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread cookie recipe is a decadent and buttery treat set off by the bittersweet chocolate and sea salt. It is the perfect cookie to include in a gift basket along with some Hazelnut flavored coffee and mug.
If you are looking for a cookie that can easily be shipped, or a new and different flavor to add to your cookie tray this year, then this Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread cookie is the answer. It is not only delicious, but sturdy making it perfect for sending off to family and friends afar.
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What you need to make Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread cookies
Other than the basic butter, sugar, flour there are a few ingredients and tools you must have to make this Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread
Hazelnuts: Be sure to buy hazelnuts that have already had the skin removed. You can also buy them already chopped if you wish, but I buy them whole and chop them myself. Did you know hazelnuts are also known as filberts? 🙂
Fleur de Sel: This grey sea salt is one of my very favorite things to sprinkle on Chocolate-dipped Shortbread Stars. I also love to sprinkle it on my Chocolate Coated Caramel Apples!
Pizza Cutter: Believe it or not, this is my FAVORITE tool when scoring this hazelnut browned butter shortbread as you do in this recipe.
Other holiday-themed cookies that are perfect for shipping
Besides these Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread cookies, I have a few others I make every single year.
I am a huge cookie fan. So, for me to pick just a few great Christmas Cookies is a difficult task. My first pick of cookies to pack up and ship off are these Chewy Mocha Toffee Chip Cookies.
This big batch recipe for Italian Christmas Cookies is my big go-to. It makes a lot of cookies so I can divide them up on my trays with just one bake. They also freeze well!
Be sure to check out this list of the 25 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes on Grumpy's Honeybunch for more ideas!
*If you made this recipe, please give it a star rating*
📖 Recipe
Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread
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Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-½ cups flour
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- ½ teaspoon shortening
- 1 teaspoon fleur de sel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup of the butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, without stirring, about 5 minutes or until butter becomes brown and fragrant. Remove from heat, cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat remaining butter with electric mixer on med speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugars and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.
- Beat in browned butter and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and the hazelnuts. Divide dough in half. (I ended up using only 2-¼ cups of flour)
- On a prepared cookie sheet, pat each half of dough into an 8-inch circle. Using fingers, crimp edges of each dough circle. Prick every inch or so with the tines of a fork. Cut each circle into eight wedges (do not separate wedges). (I used my pizza cutter for this – worked like a charm!)
- Bake for 15 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Recut circle into wedges while warm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer wedges to a wire rack; cool. (I ended up baking these 10 minutes longer than the recipe stated. Don’t know why it was so off, but it was.)
- In glass 4-cup measuring cup, place chopped bittersweet chocolate and ½ teaspoon shortening and microwave at 30-second intervals until melted. Dip the scalloped edge of each wedge into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return to wire rack. Lightly sprinkle the chocolate with fleur de sel. Allow to stand until chocolate is set.
Ronda Eagle
This looks wonderful. I had to stop in and let you know how scrumptious this looks. I'm putting it on my to do list.
Sandra Shaffer
Browned butter anything and everything is one of my favorite ways to add flavor in recipes! Your shortbread recipe sounds so good! I'll be trying this for sure!!
honeyb
Thanks Sandra, I hope you will enjoy it!
Katie Rose
These were so exquisitely done! They look gorgeous and delicious!
Trisha
Your cookies look amazing. Sounds like a winning combination to me. Can't wait to try it.
Sue
I know these must taste delicious! They sure are beautiful! I love the chocolate as the "crust".
Jasnas' kitchen creations
I love shortbread and I love hazelnuts...Thanks for sharing!
honeyb
Wow, those photos are magazine worthy! And I, too, love everything about them. AND also have hazelnuts waiting.
Maria
Adding this recipe to my holiday must make list!
moderncomfortfood
Shortbread is one of the greatest cookies ever invented, but with bittersweet chocolate and hazelnuts added in? Oh, yes. Most definitely. Perfect!
Sam Sotiropoulos
Can I just say, this looks AMAZING! I have bookmarked this one, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Dina
those look delicious. love the way you wrapped them for gifts!
Jamie
Wow, these cookies look amazing too. Too many cookies to bake, not enough time. I'm planning on baking this weekend. May have to make these soon.