(Nutella!) Gluten Free & Keto Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 96 ghazelnut meal (or almond flour for a non-Nutella version)
• 16 gcoconut flour
• 50 gcocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoonkosher salt
• ½ teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoonxanthan gum
• 140 gunsalted butter, at room temperature
• 110–144 gxylitol (or allulose or erythritol; the original recipe uses 9 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoonblack treacle, optional
• 1egg
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• 85 gdark chocolate, broken into pieces or chips
• 70 ghazelnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped, optional but recommended
• to garnishflaky sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Watch the video

   The original recipe suggests watching its recipe video for guidance.

2. 2

   Toast the hazelnut

   Toast the hazelnut meal in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 4 minutes, until golden and fragrant. This step builds the hazelnut flavour, so don’t skip it. Set aside to cool completely.

3. 3

   Mix the dry ingredients

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the toasted hazelnut meal, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum. Set aside.

4. 4

   Cream the butter

   Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the sweetener and optional black treacle, then beat for 7–10 minutes, until the mixture is light, fluffy and well combined. The sweetener may not dissolve completely.

5. 5

   Add egg and vanilla

   Mix in the vanilla extract and egg just until incorporated. The mixture may look slightly split rather than completely smooth.

6. 6

   Finish the dough

   With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture and mix just to combine, then repeat with the rest. Fold in the chocolate and hazelnuts now, or add them to the cookies just before baking. Cover with cling film and chill for 1 hour.

7. 7

   Heat the oven

   Heat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.

8. 8

   Shape the cookies

   Scoop 14 portions onto the prepared trays and flatten them slightly. They will spread as they bake, but need some shaping beforehand. Cookies made with xylitol or allulose spread more than those made with erythritol.

9. 9

   Bake until set

   Bake for 8–10 minutes, until just set but still soft to the touch. Turn the tray around halfway through baking and sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt.

10. 10

    Cool the cookies

    Leave the cookies to cool completely on the trays. Those made with xylitol or allulose will be fragile while cooling, but become chewy as they set. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

11. 11

    Set for chewiness

    For an extra-chewy texture, let the cookies cool completely, then place them in the freezer for 15 minutes to help the texture set.

What are Nutella-inspired chocolate cookies?

These are American-style drop cookies flavoured with cocoa, hazelnut and dark chocolate, rather than with Nutella itself. The recipe gives them a gluten-free, keto-style spin by using nut and coconut flours with a sugar-free sweetener.

Toasted hazelnut meal is the key to the familiar chocolate-and-hazelnut flavour. Chilling the dough before baking helps make it easier to portion and gives the cookies time to firm up.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 166 calories, 3g protein, 5g carbs, 16g fat.

The hazelnut meal, coconut flour and sweetener contribute most of the carbohydrates, while butter supplies most of the fat. The egg, hazelnuts and chocolate contribute some protein, though the recipe remains relatively low in protein per cookie. For a more balanced plate, serve one cookie alongside plain yoghurt or another protein-rich snack.

Why toast the hazelnut meal?

Toast the meal in a dry pan until it is golden and fragrant, then cool it completely before mixing it into the dough. The recipe relies on this step to bring out the hazelnut character.

Keep the meal moving and watch it closely: it can go from toasted to scorched quickly. A hot or warm meal can also soften the butter in the dough.

Getting the dough texture right

Butter: Start with butter at room temperature so it creams evenly with the sweetener. Beat for the stated 7–10 minutes to make the mixture light and fluffy.

Egg: Add the egg and vanilla only until combined. A slightly split-looking mixture is expected, so don’t keep beating in an attempt to make it perfectly smooth.

Flours: Mix the dry ingredients together first, then add them in two batches on a low speed. Stop as soon as they are incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.

Chilling and shaping

Chill the covered dough for 1 hour before baking. This makes it easier to portion and helps the cookies hold their shape as they begin to bake.

Shape 14 portions and flatten them slightly before they go on the trays. The recipe notes that xylitol and allulose make the cookies spread more than erythritol, so leave room around each one.

How to tell when they’re done

Take the cookies out after 8–10 minutes, when they look just set but still feel soft to the touch. They continue to firm as they cool, so baking until they feel firm in the oven can leave them less chewy.

Leave them on the trays until completely cool, especially if you used xylitol or allulose. They are particularly delicate while warm.

Serving and finishing

A pinch of flaky sea salt on each cookie balances the dark chocolate flavour. Add it halfway through baking, as directed, so it sits on the surface.

Serve the cookies once fully cool, or use the optional 15-minute freezer step for a firmer, extra-chewy texture. They pair well with a hot drink or a glass of milk.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cool the toasted hazelnut meal completely before adding it to the butter.
• Use a timer for the creaming stage and beat the butter and sweetener for the full 7–10 minutes.
• Chill the covered dough for the full hour before portioning.
• Flatten the dough portions slightly so they bake evenly.
• Turn the tray and add the flaky salt halfway through the baking time.
• Let the cookies cool fully on the trays before moving them.

Variations

• Use almond flour: Swap it for the hazelnut meal for a less hazelnut-forward version.
• Choose your sweetener: Use xylitol, allulose or erythritol, bearing in mind that they affect how much the cookies spread.
• Add the nuts: Fold the toasted, chopped hazelnuts into the dough for extra crunch.
• Use chocolate chips: Replace the broken chocolate bar with dark chocolate chips.
• Skip the treacle: Leave out the optional black treacle for a simpler flavour.
• Finish with salt: Add flaky sea salt to the tops during baking for a savoury contrast.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the toast: The hazelnut flavour will be less pronounced; toast the meal until golden and fragrant.
• Adding warm hazelnut meal: It can soften the butter; let it cool completely first.
• Overmixing the egg: The mixture may look split, so stop once the egg is incorporated.
• Skipping the chill: The dough is harder to shape; refrigerate it, covered, for 1 hour.
• Crowding the trays: Cookies spread during baking; divide the 14 portions between two trays.
• Moving them while warm: They are fragile before cooling; leave them on the trays until completely cool.

How to store

Keep the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The recipe does not specify a reheating method; allow chilled cookies to come to room temperature before serving.

Frequently asked questions