Rolled Out Sugar Cookie Recipe with Hazelnut

Butter creams. Powdered sugar goes in. Then the egg, then vanilla. This is how rolled out sugar cookies start—soft dough that needs time before it even touches a rolling pin. Forty-five minutes of mixing and resting before you roll anything out. Not complicated, but it’s got steps.

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Takes an hour-ten total but most of that’s chilling. Actual work? Twenty minutes, maybe thirty if you’re slow with the knife.

The spiced cocoa crumble. Cinnamon, ginger, orange zest—it’s doing something. Not like regular sugar cookies. Has an edge to it.

They’re buttery the way shortbread is buttery. Vanilla dough, hazelnut chocolate spread trapped inside, crumble pressing into it. Works cold. Works room temp. Works with coffee or just standing in the kitchen at midnight.

Freezes perfectly. Roll it out today, bake it in two weeks. Not many cookies do that without tasting stale.

What You Need for Chocolate Hazelnut Biscuit

Butter—unsalted, softened. Not warm. Softened. Big difference. Powdered sugar sifted. Lumps don’t disappear once they’re in the dough.

One egg. That’s it. Adds moisture. Helps bind. Don’t skip it unless you have to.

All-purpose flour. Sea salt—small amount but salt matters here. Vanilla extract. Five milliliters. Don’t eyeball it.

The crumble part: coconut sugar (darker, deeper than brown), more flour, softened butter again, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, smoked paprika—optional but worth it, orange zest. This is the thing that makes it work. Zest from one medium orange. Not extract. Actual zest.

Hazelnut-chocolate spread. Nutella or whatever version you have. Toasted hazelnuts if you want them, chopped fine. Optional.

How to Make Rolled Out Sugar Cookies

Cream the butter and powdered sugar. Use a mixer. Medium speed. Watch it—takes maybe three minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Sides of the bowl get stuck. Scrape it down. That fluffiness is air. Air makes the cookie tender.

Beat in the egg. Then vanilla. Keep it on medium. Just until combined. Don’t whip it like you’re angry.

Switch to low. Add flour and salt slowly. Mix just until you can’t see white streaks anymore. Stop there. Overmixing toughens it. The dough holds together but it’s not smooth like play-dough. That’s right.

Divide it into four pieces. Rough squares. Six inches across. Wrap each one in plastic. Put them in the fridge. Seventy-five minutes minimum. Longer is fine. This solidifies the fat. Hydrates the flour. Makes rolling easier.

While that’s happening, make the crumble. Same bowl works. Toss in the coconut sugar, flour, softened butter, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, salt, orange zest. Medium speed on the mixer. It should be crumbly. Sandy. Small clumps here and there but not a paste. Leave it covered at room temp.

How to Get Rolled Cookie Dough Crispy and Perfect

Pull one dough square from the fridge. Lightly floured surface. Roll it gently to a twenty-centimeter square. If it sticks, parchment underneath helps. Dust sparingly. Don’t use too much flour—it dries the edges.

Spread hazelnut spread on the bottom. One tablespoon-ish. Don’t go all the way to the top edge. Leave two centimeters free at the top. That’s how you seal the roll without spread leaking.

Sprinkle the cocoa crumble over it. Fifty-five grams, give or take. Press it gently into the spread. Don’t mash. You want texture to stay.

Use the parchment to lift the bottom edge. Roll it upward slowly. Tight enough that crumble stays inside, loose enough that you’re not squishing it. You end up with a cylinder. Five centimeters across, roughly.

Pinch the seam tight. Use parchment to roll it on the counter. Smooths the shape. Rounds it out. Wrap it in plastic. Two hours minimum chill time. Overnight is better. Can freeze it here for up to a month.

Repeat with the other three pieces of dough.

Preheat oven to 175°C (347°F), middle rack.

Sharp serrated knife. Dull knives squash the crumb. Slice the rolls into one-point-three centimeter thick discs. About half an inch. Rotate the knife gently. Saw motion. Don’t press down like you’re chopping.

Arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Three centimeters apart. They’ll spread slightly. Air circulation is crucial.

Bake twelve to fifteen minutes. Edges go golden. Faint crackle sound when you tap one. Bottoms get brown. Smell toasted butter and spices.

Watch the cues, not the clock. Overbaking dries it. Underbaking leaves the center too soft. Cool on the sheet ten minutes. Then transfer. They firm up while they cool.

Rolled Cookie Dough Tips and Common Mistakes

Cracks on the surface while rolling. Normal. Dough’s low moisture. Either chill it longer or add a teaspoon of cold water, knead it briefly, try again.

Coconut sugar versus brown sugar. Coconut’s deeper. Darker. Better caramel flavor. Brown works if that’s what you have. Texture changes slightly. Not worse, just different.

Smoked paprika. Optional. Adds smoky warmth without being hot. Cayenne’s spicier. Risks drowning out the orange. Try smoked first.

Can’t slice cleanly. Freeze the roll thirty minutes. Keep the knife cold. Wet blade. Cleaner cuts. It’s a real thing.

Too soft after cooling. Not a mistake. Just how these are. They crunch on the outside, soft inside. If you need them crispy all the way through, bake another two minutes next time.

Leftover hazelnut spread. Drizzle it on the warm cookies before they cool. Extra glaze. Works.

Orange zest is non-negotiable. Extract doesn’t do the same thing. Actual zest. That brightness. Don’t skip it.

Thickness matters. Thinner slices crisp faster. Thicker ones need patience. Pick a thickness and stick with it.

Hot spots in your oven. Turn the sheet mid-bake. Watch for uneven browning. Fix as you go.

These are buttery. Spice-rich. Heat’s subtle. Hazelnut chocolate spread is the center point. Crumble texture. Vanilla shortbread base. It’s a lot happening in a small cookie.

Rolled Out Sugar Cookie Recipe with Hazelnut

By Emma

Prep:

55 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

1h 10min

Servings:

5 dozens approx 4 logs sliced

Ingredients

• Vanilla Dough
• 160 g softened unsalted butter (approx 2/3 cup)
• 70 g sifted powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 275 g all-purpose flour
• 3 ml sea salt
• Spiced Cocoa Crumble
• 55 g coconut sugar (granulated)
• 45 g all-purpose flour
• 45 g softened unsalted butter
• 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 7 ml ground cinnamon (1.5 teaspoons)
• 3 ml ground ginger (3/4 teaspoon)
• 1 ml smoked paprika (optional substitute for cayenne)
• 1.5 ml fine salt
• Zest of 1 medium orange
• Filling
• 60 ml hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella or other)
• Optional: finely chopped toasted hazelnuts

Method

1. Vanilla Dough
2. 1 Cream butter and powdered sugar with mixer until light and fluffing up, scraping sides often. Adds air, crucial for tender crumb. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Side note: raw egg adds moisture and helps bind; never skip unless allergy.
3. 2 Switch to low speed, add flour and salt gradually. Don't overmix or gluten toughens dough. Mix just until dough holds together and no visible flour.
4. 3 Divide dough into four roughly equal parts. Hand shape each into a rough 6-inch square (15 cm). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying out and refrigerate at least 75 minutes. Resting solidifies fats and hydrates flour for neater rolling.
5. Spiced Cocoa Crumble
6. 4 To same mixing bowl, toss together coconut sugar, flour, softened butter, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, smoked paprika, salt, and orange zest. Mix at medium speed till crumbly and sandy but with some small clumps.
7. 5 Leave covered at room temp. Crumble texture is key here; too moist and it won't spread evenly, too dry and won't stick.
8. Assembly and Rolling
9. 6 On lightly floured surface, roll one dough square gently to 20 cm square. Place parchment underneath if dough sticks or cracks badly; dust sparingly.
10. 7 Spread 1 tablespoon hazelnut spread from bottom edge towards top, leaving about 2 cm border on top free of spread to seal roll properly.
11. 8 Evenly sprinkle about 55 g of spiced cocoa crumble over top, gently pressing it into the spread but don’t mash or crush the texture.
12. 9 Use parchment to lift bottom edge and roll upward slowly, trapping crumble inside, forming a cigar shape about 5 cm diameter.
13. 10 Seal seam firmly by pinching dough edges tightly. Wrap roll in plastic, then roll on counter to round it and help even out shape. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Can freeze at this stage for up to month – thaw fully before slicing.
14. 11 Repeat with remaining dough squares and filling.
15. Baking
16. 12 Preheat oven to 175°C (347°F), middle rack.
17. 13 Slice rolls with sharp serrated knife into 1.3 cm thick discs (roughly half inch). Dull knives squash crumb, so take your time. Rotate knife gently sawwise instead of pressing.
18. 14 Arrange slices on lined baking sheet, 3 cm apart. They’ll spread slightly; air circulation crucial.
19. 15 Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Edges go golden with a faint crackle sound when tapped; bottoms browned lightly with smell of toasted butter, spices.
20. 16 Overbaking dries inside; underbaking yields too soft center. Watch cues not clock. Cool on sheet 10 minutes so they firm up before transfer.
21. 17 Cookies store 3 days airtight room temp or freeze baked up to 2 weeks.
22. Notes and Tips
23. 18 Cracks on dough surface during rolling? Normal due to low moisture. Chill more if too fragile or add teaspoon cold water to dough and knead briefly before shaping.
24. 19 Coconut sugar gives deeper caramel than brown; switch back if unavailable but expect slight texture change.
25. 20 Smoked paprika adds smoky warmth without overpowering heat – cayenne runs risk of hiding orange zest. Try both once to see your vibe.
26. 21 If too soft to slice, freeze roll 30 minutes. Keep knife wet or chilled for cleaner cuts.
27. 22 Drizzle leftover hazelnut spread on warm cookies before cooling for extra glaze effect.
28. 23 Adjust cinnamon and ginger levels to personal edge – spice blends are flexible but scent cues must remain balanced.
29. 24 Orange zest is non-negotiable for brightness; never omit.
30. 25 Exact thickness affects bake time; thinner crisps faster, thicker slices need patience.
31. 26 Turn baking sheet mid-bake if your oven hot spots visibly browning unevenly.
32. 27 These are buttery, spice-rich, and carry heat subtly. Expect buttery crumble crunch inside soft vanilla crumb bites.

Nutritional information

Calories

160

Protein

2g

Carbs

18g

Fat

10g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Rolling Cookie Dough

Can I make the hazelnut cookie recipes ahead of time? Yeah. Roll and chill up to a month. Slice and bake fresh. Or bake them fully, store three days room temp airtight, freeze up to two weeks. Either way works.

What if I don’t have cocoa powder for the spiced crumble? Don’t bother with a substitute. The cocoa is the thing. Skip the crumble entirely or do a cinnamon-ginger-orange version without it. Different cookie, still good.

Why does my chocolate hazelnut cookies dough crack when I roll it out? Low moisture. Normal. Chill it longer—ninety minutes instead of seventy-five. Or add a teaspoon of cold water, knead it barely, try again. Humidity affects it too. Drier air, more cracks. Doesn’t matter. Cracks don’t hurt the final cookie.

How do I know when the rolled out sugar cookies are done baking? Golden edges. Bottoms brown and toasted-looking. Tap one gently—faint crackle sound. That’s done. The center will look barely set. That’s right. It firms up while cooling. Overbaked means hard. Just watch the smell—toasted butter and spice. You’ll know.

Can I use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar in the crumble? Yeah. Expect slightly less depth, a bit more moisture. Texture changes slightly. Not worse. Still works. Coconut sugar’s darker—gives more caramel flavor—but brown’s fine.

Why is the orange zest important in this chocolate hazelnut biscuit recipe? Brightness. The cocoa and hazelnut and spice are heavy. Orange zest cuts through it. Without it, it tastes flat. One medium orange’s worth of zest. That’s the amount. Don’t skip it or extract it. Actual zest.

How thick should I slice the rolled cookie dough? One-point-three centimeters. About half an inch. Thinner slices bake faster and crisp more. Thicker slices need a minute or two longer. Pick one thickness and stick with it. Consistency matters more than the exact size.