Crispy Hazelnut Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

It’s Cookie Baking Season!

When the weather’s cold outside, nothing beats baking a fresh batch of cookies, pulling them out of the still-warm oven, and then biting into a mouthful of bliss.

Snowing out? Wind blowing non-stop? Not a problem. It’s the perfect time to switch on the oven!

Stay home, turn on those Christmas songs, whip up a batch of cookie dough and bake. Let the oven warm up your kitchen and fill your house with the glorious smell of freshly baked cookies.

Our Favorite Gluten-Free Cookies:

• Easy Gingerbread Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Snickerdoodles (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Crunchy Almond Biscotti (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Chewy Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Amazing Hazelnut Cookies

Today, the highlight is this batch of gluten-free hazelnut cookies, a result of my latest egg-free and dairy-free kitchen experiments.

They’re so easy to make, and are ready in less than 45 minutes from start to finish. I love the crunchy hazelnut bits in these cookies; they’re just the perfect amount of hazelnut flavor and makes the cookies feel so incredibly luxurious.

And if you need anything else to convince you of how good they are, this delicious cookie recipe passed Juan’s taste test with flying colors (he can be pretty picky sometimes, but shhh, let’s just keep it between you and me alright?).

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients needed for this gluten-free hazelnut cookie recipe are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required)!
• Easy to Make: Preparing the cookie dough is just a matter of mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, and then shaping the dough into balls that we flatten before baking. It really doesn’t get any easier than this!
• Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The good news is that these hazelnut cookies are 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, which means that even those with Celiac disease, or gluten or lactose intolerances, or those simply on a vegan or gluten-free diet can enjoy them without issues!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this gluten-free hazelnut cookies recipe.

(For exact measurement and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

• Flax Egg: I used a flax egg to keep this recipe egg-free and vegan. I used brown flaxseed meal, but you can use golden flaxseed meal too. However, if you are not allergic to eggs nor on a vegan diet, feel free to replace the flax egg with a chicken egg instead.
• Corn Flour: Corn flour is not the same as corn starch. If if you don’t have corn flour, you may use white rice flour as a replacement.
• Tapioca Starch: If you don’t have tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) on hand, you may substitute it with equal amounts of arrowroot starch (also known as arrowroot starch).
• Coconut Oil: For baking, I prefer using refined coconut oil (which has a more neutral flavor) as opposed to extra virgin coconut oil (which has a more pronounced coconut taste and smell). You may also use vegan butter instead. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant or vegan, feel free to use normal unsalted butter instead.
• Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you may also use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero-glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
• Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you may also use another unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as cashew milk, tigernut milk, rice milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use normal milk instead.
• Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, feel free to leave it out if you prefer not to use it (or simply don’t have it on hand).
• Hazelnuts: Since this is a hazelnut cookie recipe, the chopped raw shelled hazelnuts are the star here. Alternatively, you may also use other chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios or macadamia nuts).

How to Make Hazelnut Cookies (Step by Step):

1. Prepare Flax Egg

Prepare the flax egg by combining flaxseed meal with water in a small bowl. Mix well and set in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

2. Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, place the corn flour, tapioca starch and salt and mix well to combine.

3. Beat Coconut Oil and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened coconut oil with sugar until fluffy.

4. Add Flax Egg, Milk and Vanilla

Add in the flax egg, almond milk and vanilla extract to the large bowl and whisk until combined.

5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients to Form Dough

Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well until you a homogeneous dough forms.

6. Fold in Hazelnuts

Chop the whole hazelnuts and then gently fold in the chopped hazelnuts.

7. Chill Dough Until Firm

Wrap the hazelnut cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until firm.

8. Preheat and Line

While the hazelnut cookie dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350F (180C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

9. Roll Dough into Balls

Once dough is firm, use a cookie scoop to scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll dough between your palms to form balls (you should be able to get 12 balls of dough from the recipe).

10. Place Dough Balls on Cookie Sheet and Flatten Slightly

Place balls of dough 2 inches apart in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, then use your fingers to flatten the balls slightly.

11. Bake Until Set

Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes until set, then let the cookies cool on a cooling rack at room temperature completely before enjoying these crispy cookies.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Not Vegan or Allergic to Eggs? I used a flax egg to keep this recipe egg-free and vegan. I used brown flaxseed meal, but you can use golden flaxseed meal too. However, if you are not allergic to eggs nor on a vegan diet, feel free to replace the flax egg with a chicken egg instead.
• Swap Out Hazelnuts for Other Nuts: Since this is a hazelnut cookie recipe, the chopped raw shelled hazelnuts are the star here. Alternatively, you may also use other chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios or macadamia nuts).
• Add Chocolate: If you’re a chocolate lover and want to make chocolate hazelnut cookies, feel free to mix dark chocolate chunks in the dough before baking.

Recipe FAQs:

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