Wholemeal chocolate & hazelnut cookies with cocoa nibs and fleur de sel

First of all my apologies for not posting here in a while. Time passes so quickly (don’t you agree?) and work and family have kept me busy.

This past week it seems like the light is finally returning (happy spring dance here!) and that spring might be around the corner. We’ve actually already seen some proof of spring in the form of pretty little snowdrops and crocuses in the garden – and the birds’ song in the evening. I love that birds’ song.

Have you seen any signs of spring where you are?

The recipe that I’m sharing today is actually inspired by a favorite childhood recipe of mine. The original recipe uses more sugar (refined) and regular all-purpose flour, and the shape of the original cookies were squared (flattened out on a baking sheet) and with a very sweet butter cream chocolate frosting on top.

Delicious, but a little on the sweet side for me these days.

So, nothing really resembles the original here – except for the great flavor and the chewy yet crunchy texture. And that texture is what I wanted to achieve in this recipe, because that’s what make these cookies special really.

I used coconut sugar and a tiny bit of dark muscovado sugar instead of the refined counterpart, and I replaced the white flour with wholemeal spelt flour.

It’s still a sweet treat that you might want to reserve for those rare occasions. But with the rounded nuttiness of wholemeal spelt flour, the somewhat bitter crunch of the cacao nibs and the whole hazelnuts, it is so much more satisfying than the original.

Coming up soon is also an announcement for a new food styling and photography workshop – the only workshop I will be holding this spring – so keep an eye open!

Enjoy and happy Friday!

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Printable recipe
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Wholemeal chocolate & hazelnut cookies with cocoa nibs and fleur de sel

makes 12-14 cookies

100 g butter (one stick minus two teaspoons), melted
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1/3 cup (60 g) coconut sugar
1/4 cup (35 g) muscovado sugar (light or dark, see note below)
3/4 cup (90 g) regular rolled oats
1 cup (110 g) wholemeal spelt flour
1 tsp powdered vanilla
2 tbsp (raw) cacao
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp cacao nibs
1/3 cup raw hazelnuts (whole)
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2 tbsp date syrup or maple syrup
2 tbsp whipping cream or milk
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fleur de sel to sprinkle on top

1) Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat.
3) In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter, syrup and cream/milk and mix well with your hands or a spoon/fork until everything is well coated and the oats are blending well.
4) With your hands form cookies about the size of a golf ball and place them on the lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies lightly and sprinkle with a little fleur de sel before they go in the oven.
5) Bake for 10-12 minutes and let cool on a cooling rack. Keep in an airtight container for a couple of days or in the freezer for months.

TIP! I’ve made these with both light and dark muscovado sugar. Both works well – but if using dark sugar you get a cookie that’s a little richer and maltier.