These gooey brownies with hazelnuts have a deeply nutty chocolate flavor. They're easy to make and incredibly rich, one of the best brownies I've ever made. And they happen to be gluten-free. They keep well and can be frozen. I hope you make them soon because they are fabulous!
Worth making
I strongly believe there's no such thing as too many brownie recipes. So, I keep adding new ones I deem worthy of my amazing readers. That's you btw.
These fudgy nut brownies are my way of not feeling guilty for throwing away a very large amount of vodka-infused hazelnuts from this homemade hazelnut liqueur. It's a very old recipe I still have to update.
It calls for straining the final liquid and discarding the nuts. Yeah, like that was going to happen. The hazelnuts tasted amazing after months of infusing, and I didn't want to waste them.
Making a boozy version of this hazelnut loaf cake or the chocolate hazelnut bundt came to mind.
But I concocted a new brownie recipe with ground hazelnuts, dark chocolate, and some rice flour. Lucky you. Really. It's wonderful.
They are some of the best brownies I have ever made, a thought later reinforced by dozens of guests at a party and my family for whom I made these two nights ago.
Ingredient list
- Raw hazelnuts.
- Unsalted butter.
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- White granulated sugar.
- Rice flour:
- Salt.
- Baking powder: make sure it isn't expired.
- Vanilla extract.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Steps to make hazelnut brownies
No need for fancy equipment, like with most brownie recipes. Just a large mixing bowl and a whisk.
Sugar is added before the eggs: this helps reduce the temperature and avoid the risk of curdling them.
- The eggs are added all at once and mixed thoroughly. Make sure they are very well integrated, but there's no need to beat them.
- The rest of the dry ingredients are added together. The ground hazelnuts add texture. The ingredients are stirred until no dry spots remain.
Baking
Preparing the pan
It should be buttered or sprayed with baking spray (containing flour).
I also line it with a strip of parchment paper as wide as the pan, covering the bottom and two sides. The other two will remain greased but not lined. This will help remove the block of brownies from the pan.
- Pour the brownie batter into the greased and lined pan and even out the surface. It's a rather thick mixture.
- Don't overbake them! It's key for a fudgy texture. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
Top Tip
Don't overbake them, so you have fudgy brownies instead of dry, cakey ones. Take them out while they still jiggle in the center. The residual heat will keep firming them up as they cool.
Variations
The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is unparalleled, but you can vary this hazelnut brownie recipe and get fantastic results.
- Spiced: add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or a large pinch of nutmeg or mace. All pair well.
- Other nuts: use ground almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans. They all bring a unique flavor to these chocolate bars.
- Kid-friendly: omit the liqueur and increase the vanilla extract, or use hazelnut extract for an extra punch.
- Chocolate chips: milk or white chocolate chips (about ⅓ cup) can be added to the batter for sweeter brownies.
Storage
- Room temperature: even if you keep them on the counter, chill them first so they firm up. They keep for 3 days well covered.
- Refrigerator: keep them for a week, always well covered (plastic wrap or airtight container) to avoid dryness.
- Freezer: they keep for a month. I wrap them in plastic and then foil and label it. It's a great brownie to have frozen for last-minute desserts or cravings.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chilling: I like to refrigerate them for a few hours before eating at room temperature, as I find the flavor is better. And if they're very fudgy, I put them in the freezer and eat them directly.
- Flour: I tried it with other types, from all-purpose to buckwheat flour. I still prefer rice flour for the consistency it brings. I still use it, even if I'm not looking to specifically make gluten-free brownies with hazelnuts.
- Chocolate dessert: serve warm brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We microwave them for about 15 seconds. Drizzle a little chocolate hazelnut spread for an unforgettable experience.
- Hazelnuts: you can also sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts on top before baking. I find that the amount in the batter is more than enough, but hey, it's you eating them.
Related recipes you might like:
One last thing
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Hazelnut Brownies (fudgy and easy)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 8 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup rice flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup hazelnuts, ground
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter or spray an 8-inch square baking pan. Line it with parchment paper for easier removal. See Notes below.
- Melt ½ cup unsalted butter and 8 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate in a large bowl. I use the microwave, 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring well in between.
- Add ¾ cup sugar and 3 eggs, integrating very well but not beating.
- Add 1 cup hazelnuts, ground, ¼ cup rice flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon baking powder to the chocolate mixture and mix well.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur and mix just until blended.
- Spread the brownie mixture on the prepared pan and even out the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until it is slightly puffed and the center still jiggles a little. Don't overbake for the best results. A cake tester or toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- For easier cutting, put 30 minutes in the fridge. Make sure the unlined sides of the pan are not stuck, and lift the whole block with the help of the paper.
- Cut into squares.
- You can keep them at room temperature for a few days, in the fridge for a week, or freeze them for a month.
Eliz says
Hi Vintage kitchen
Just wondering would
1/2 chocolate and 1/2 cocoa powder equivalent to total of 8 ozs work for this recipe
thank you
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Elizabeth! I never tried them with cocoa powder and it might be a good idea to increase the butter a few tablespoons. And probably a few more tablespoons of sugar also, 2 tablespoons of each or so. Cocoa is very astringent and these brownies are already not too sweet.
Carol g. says
What kind of rice flour should be used? I’m so looking forward to making these, thanks for sharing!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Carol, I made them with white and brown rice flour and both work well.
David Scott Allen says
The brownies sound wonderful — chocolate and hazelnut is a wonderful combination.l also checked out the hazelnut liqueur recipe — I have to make that this winter for sure!
Billa Schleicher says
Hi! My hazelnut liquor is currently brewing and I am going to make the brownies next weekend. Just looked to make a shopping list and the instructions talk about "melting the butter and the chocolate" - but those two ingredients are not on the ingredients list!!! So, how much butter and how much chocolate, please?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Billa! I updated the recipe. Thanks for letting me know!
Billa Schleicher says
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Paula Montenegro says
Happy holidays Billa!
plasterer bristol says
mm these sound so good, thanks for posting up this recipe. Will give these a try.
Simon
Anonymous says
Hi,
You can call me Liz,
I'm a newbie,
I don't understand this "Add sugar and eggs, one at a time, mixing very well but not beating." What do you mean with "...but not beating"?
Thank's in advance!
wp_vknotes_admin says
Hi Liz! It means you don't want to incorporate air into them or as little as possible. So you need to mix it very well, no streaks of whites showing, but don't beat it because the batter will rise while cooking, and that will take a lot of the fudge-like consistency of the brownies. Hope it helps!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, these brownies look like a wonderful "adult" kind of treat, you already know that I love to bake with hazelnuts and I would certainly love to have a good big taste of these brownies, the recipe sounds fabulous!
Laura Dembowski says
I love hazelnuts and don't blame you for not wanting to waste them, especially when they turned into such a decadent dessert! Unfortunately I find myself wasting food sometimes but I try so hard not to. Things just get away from me on ocassion.
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
Oh hazelnut fudgy boozy deliciousness! Yummy!
Carla says
I spent a ridiculous amount of time (and money) to hunt down hazelnuts, so I totally hear you on not throwing them away. I probably won't infuse them in vodka BUT that won't stop me from making these brownies!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Ahhhh, Paula, you had me at boozy. And at fudgy. And at dark chocolate. In other words, I love everything about these brownies! And girl, I spend way more time thinking critically about my blog and celebrity gossip than my job, hands down. I can tell you what the hottest thing in food blogging is and what Angelina Jolie had for breakfast, but I don't give the greatest legal advice. Oh well!
Cocoa and Lavender says
Hah! I was wondering if there was any use for the macerated hazelnuts! This is brilliant, Paula... and I do love a fudgy brownie... Again, so sad I need to wait 4 weeks to make these! ~ David
LV says
you had me at fudgy. You really did. And then you said chocolate in the same sentence. You are a girl after my own heart. These look absolutely delicious. I can only imagine the depth of flavor the liquor gives these. I am so intrigued and would love to try to make these.
Jennie Phaneuf says
I'm in love with these brownies! All of those delicious nuts folded into dark, fudgy chocolate--yum!